Resource Center Personal Finance

10 Cities Where Insurance Takes the Biggest Bite Out of Income

Miami and New Orleans are tied for our top spot

By Susan Meyer

Updated August 4, 2026

Edited By Beth Swanson

Researched By Bree Matheson

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The Most Expensive Cities for Insurance
Cities Where Insurance is Most Affordable

Insurance Hits Harder in Some Zip Codes

Insurance premiums have increased across the board in recent years, but those rate hikes may feel more painful in some locations than in others. The Zebra used proprietary home and auto insurance premium data to compare those costs to median household incomes. We ranked each city by both categories, as well as overall costs, to come up with our list. Home insurance data was collected by city, while we used state data for auto insurance premiums.

The result? We found the 10 U.S. cities where insurance is most expensive relative to income. See if your city lands on our list, plus check out the 10 most affordable cities for premiums.

#1: Miami, Florida (tied)

Miami residents spend the most on overall insurance relative to the median household income of $84,814. The big story here is the major expense of home insurance, which takes up 24% of the median income. It's the most expensive in the nation and, combined with the third highest ratio for car insurance costs, makes an expensive insurance environment for Miami residents.

Miami by the Numbers

Median household income: $84,814
Percentage used for home insurance: 24.05%
Percentage used for auto insurance: 4.22%
Total insurance cost as percent of income: 28.27%Ne

#2: New Orleans, Louisiana (tied)

New Orleans residents spend nearly 20% of their income on insurance costs, with home insurance premiums accounting for the highest share. The average homeowner spends over 14% on home premiums and drivers spend nearly 12% on auto insurance — that's the largest percentage in the country.

New Orleans by the Numbers

Median household income: $65,021
Percentage used for home insurance: 14.04%
Percentage used for auto insurance: 5.10%
Total insurance cost as percent of income: 19.14%

#3: Tampa, Florida

Tampa residents have one of the highest percentages of income going towards auto and home insurance premiums. Part of the reason is because of the city's natural disaster risk and a high rate of litigation for both types of policies.

Tampa by the Numbers

Median household income: $82,721
Percentage used for home insurance: 8.22%
Percentage used for auto insurance: 4.22%
Total insurance cost as a percent of income: 12.44%

#4: Orlando, Florida

Orlando residents spend over 11% of their annual income on insurance costs. Auto premium costs are the most extreme and are the third highest on our list at 4.22%. But home insurance isn't far behind in seventh place, eating up nearly 7% of Floridians' annual earnings.

Orlando by the Numbers

Median household income: $84,866
Percentage used for home insurance: 6.87%
Percentage used for auto insurance: 4.22%
Total insurance cost as percent of income: 11.09%

#5: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Overall insurance costs are high in Oklahoma City, ranking third on our list. Home insurance is the primary driver, taking up nearly 10% of the median household income. That's not a huge shock considering OKC's risk of tornadoes and flooding. Auto insurance is also on the higher end, accounting for over 3% of residents' income.

OKC by the Numbers

Median household income: $76,960
Percentage used for home insurance: 9.41%
Percentage used for auto insurance: 3.41%
Total insurance cost as percent of income: 12.82%

#6: Detroit, Michigan

Detroit's home insurance takes up nearly 8% of the median household income, which ranks sixth in our entire list. Auto insurance costs relative to income are also high at nearly 4% and that number also earns a spot in the top 10.

Detroit by the Numbers

Median household income: $79,294
Percentage used for home insurance: 6.98%
Percentage used for auto insurance: 3.57%
Total insurance cost as percent of income: 10.55%

#7: Jacksonville, Florida

Like the other Florida cities on our list, Jacksonville drivers have one of the highest auto insurance costs relative to income. Home insurance is also quite expensive, though at 5.14%, it's not as bad as many other disaster-prone areas on our list.

Jacksonville by the Numbers

Median household income: $84,841
Percentage used for home insurance: 5.14%
Percentage used for auto insurance: 4.22%
Total insurance cost as percent of income: 9.36%

#8: Louisville, Kentucky

Home insurance takes up just under 5% of income in Louisville, but residents get hit hard when it comes to auto insurance premiums. It's the second most expensive city on our list for car premiums, largely due to the state's insurance laws that require personal injury protection.

Louisville by the Numbers

Median household income: $77,221
Percentage used for home insurance: 4.76%
Percentage used for auto insurance: 4.28%
Total insurance cost as percent of income: 9.04%

#9: Houston, Texas

Houston's high cost of insurance is led by home insurance premiums, thanks to a greater risk of hurricanes and flooding than many other parts of the country. Auto insurance prices provide a bit of relief, but are still above average compared to other cities on our list.

Median household income: $84,610
Percentage used for home insurance: 7.95%
Percentage used for auto insurance: 3.11%
Total insurance cost as percent of income: 11.06%

#10: Dallas, Texas

Dallas has the highest median household income in our top ten, which shows just how expensive home insurance is in the city. At 5.30% of annual income, it takes ninth place overall and paired with Texas's auto insurance premiums, brings Dallas into our last spot.

Dallas by the Numbers

Median household income: $97,808
Percentage used for home insurance: 5.30%
Percentage used for auto insurance: 3.11%
Total insurance cost as percent of income: 8.41%

Where are incomes higher and insurance costs lower?

These are the top cities where insurance is most affordable relative to income

Boston, Massachusetts
Portland, Oregon and Washington, DC (tied)
Seattle, Washington
San Jose, California
Raleigh, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina and San Francisco, California (tied)
San Diego, California
Sacramento, California

Insurance costs aren't one-size-fits-all, and where you live can make a big difference in how much of your paycheck goes toward premiums. Florida cities dominate the priciest list, driven largely by high home insurance costs tied to hurricane and flood risk, while cities like Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco offer residents more breathing room thanks to higher median incomes and comparatively lower premiums. If you're feeling the squeeze, shopping around for quotes can help ensure you're not overpaying relative to your area's true risk.

Methodology

The Zebra used three data points to analyze the top 50 MSAs by population related to insurance premiums and income. Some state data was substituted based on availability.