United States › New Mexico › Lea County

Home insurance & natural hazards in Lea County, NM

Calm, plain facts for homeowners in Lea County: what neighbors have paid for coverage, what flood insurance costs, and which weather hazards matter most here.

  • Typical premiums from U.S. Treasury insurance data
  • Flood insurance costs from 703 FEMA NFIP policies
  • 14 natural hazards rated by the FEMA National Risk Index
See the numbers

Historical averages, not a quote. Updated Oct 2026.

Illustration of a house on a hill in front of a large shield

Lea at a glance

Four numbers most homeowners ask about first.

$2,566
Typical home premium

Per policy per year in 2022, median of 6 ZIP codes (inflation-adjusted).

$993
Avg. flood policy

Average full cost of a single-family NFIP policy that took effect in 2025.

1.10%
Nonrenewal rate

Share of policies insurers chose not to renew in 2022, median ZIP. Typical U.S. ZIP: 0.81%.

Rel. moderate
FEMA risk rating

Overall National Risk Index rating, higher than 86.0% of U.S. counties.

Lea County in numbers
74,429
residents (2020 Census)
4.6%
of policies had a paid claim (2022, median ZIP)
$13,875
average paid claim (2022, median ZIP)
703
single-family NFIP flood policies (2025)

What homeowners here pay

Each block pairs a short explanation with the data behind it.

Homeowners insurance

U.S. Treasury FIO, HO-3/HO-5 policies, 2018–2022

Typical premiums in Lea County were $2,566 per policy in 2022, 77% above the typical New Mexico ZIP code ($1,451) and 65% above the typical U.S. ZIP code ($1,551). After adjusting for inflation, local premiums fell 3% between 2018 and 2022.

Premiums by ZIP

Typical premium per policy

Inflation-adjusted dollars, median across ZIP codes
LeaNew MexicoU.S. typical ZIP

Flood insurance

FEMA NFIP single-family policies, 2022–2025

Standard home policies don't cover floods. The average single-family NFIP policy that took effect here in 2025 cost $993, compared with $762 in 2022. About 97% of local policies are for homes in high-risk A or V zones and 3% in moderate- to lower-risk zones.

Flood costs by ZIP

Average flood policy cost

Full cost incl. fees, by year the policy took effect

Policies by flood zone, 2025

703 policies
A zones 97%X/B/C zones 3%V zones 0%

Natural hazards

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Bars show how Lea compares with every U.S. county for each hazard (100 = highest). Wildfire, hail and lightning rank highest here. A high rank doesn't mean an event is likely in any given year. It shows where preparation and the right coverage matter most.

How the ratings work

Hazard risk, national percentile

Higher than X% of U.S. counties

Compare nearby

Neighboring counties

Typical premium 2022 (Treasury FIO), nonrenewal 2022, avg. flood policy 2025 (NFIP)
CountyPremiumNonrenewalFlood
Yoakum County, TX$2,5680.00%$1,300
Lea County$2,5661.10%$993
Cochran County, TX$2,4810.00%—
Roosevelt County$2,4421.03%$1,318
Andrews County, TX$2,4190.00%—
Eddy County$2,3850.61%$1,525
Gaines County, TX$2,2900.00%—
Winkler County, TX$2,2380.00%—
Chaves County$2,1580.80%$1,400

Flood insurance by ZIP, 2025

FEMA NFIP, single-family homes, ZIPs with the most policies
ZIPPoliciesAvg. cost
88240 Hobbs602$989
88242 Hobbs42$1,410
88252 Jal41$763

ZIP code pages in Lea County

Practical next steps

Simple things Lea homeowners can do with this information.

Check your flood zone. Look up your address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov). Standard home policies don't cover flood damage, and flood insurance usually has a 30-day waiting period, so it's worth sorting out before storm season.
Create defensible space. Clearing dry brush and debris within 30 feet of the house and using ember-resistant vents can lower wildfire exposure. Some insurers and states recognize mitigation work with discounts.
Look at your roof. Hail and wind claims often come down to the roof. Impact-resistant (Class 4) shingles can earn discounts in some states, and knowing your roof's age helps when you compare policies.
Prepare for freezing weather. Burst pipes are a common winter claim. Insulating exposed pipes, keeping heat on while away and knowing where your main water shut-off is all help.

Historical averages, not a quote. Homeowners figures are inflation-adjusted averages from the U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office "Supporting Underlying Metrics" (2018–2022, published January 2025). They cover HO-3/HO-5 policies from participating private insurers and exclude state residual-market plans (such as FAIR plans and Citizens), surplus-lines and flood coverage. Treasury notes that individual ZIP codes can contain data anomalies. Your price depends on your home, coverage and insurer.

Sources: U.S. Treasury FIO; FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (data as of Sep 8, 2026); FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA-to-county relationship file (2020) and county adjacency file; GeoNames place names. How we calculate these numbers.

This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API and National Risk Index data, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). SafeHomeFacts is independent and not affiliated with the U.S. Treasury, FEMA or any insurer.