Insurance in Hiawatha, KS: Local Risks, Economy & Coverage Guide
Licensed insurance agent, BNW Services LLC · 40 years in trucking & the trades
Here's the local picture for insurance in Hiawatha, Kansas — the real economic, weather, and property factors that shape your coverage, from a licensed local agent who shops 69+ carriers.
The Hiawatha economy & who needs coverage
As the Brown County seat where U.S. Highways 36 and 73 converge, Hiawatha is the regional commerce hub for northeast Kansas. The 2024 largest industries were Retail Trade (297 workers), Manufacturing (247), and Health Care & Social Assistance (208).
Weather & flood risk in Hiawatha
Tornado/hail country: NWS documented a tornado near Hiawatha on June 4, 2005, and severe-weather databases record 83 tornado events of magnitude 2+ in or near the city, with tornado-damage risk rated about the Kansas average and well above the national average.
Local facts that affect Hiawatha insurance
- Hiawatha had a population of 3,280 at the 2020 census, up 3.4% from 3,172 in 2010. — Small, stable market sizing for household and auto policy demand.
- Hiawatha is the seat and most populous city of Brown County, which had 9,508 residents at the 2020 census. — Defines the surrounding service area for a Hiawatha-based agency.
- In 2024 the largest industries in Hiawatha were Retail Trade (297 workers), Manufacturing (247) and Health Care & Social Assistance (208). — Manufacturing and health care drive commercial property, GL and workers-comp needs.
- Hiawatha has 1,582 total housing units with a median construction year of 1963; about 75.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied and 24.3% are renter-occupied. — Older homes mean higher replacement-cost/roof exposure, and the sizable rental share supports landlord and renters coverage.
- Census data show 1,590 housing units with a 13.3% overall vacancy rate (5.6% owner, 9.7% rental). — Vacant/seasonal dwellings need vacancy endorsements; rental vacancy informs landlord loss-of-rent coverage.
- The National Weather Service (Topeka) documented a tornado near Hiawatha on June 4, 2005, beginning about 6 miles south of the city and tracking east-northeast. — Real tornado exposure underpins wind/hail and replacement-cost coverage discussions.
- Severe-weather records show 83 tornado events of magnitude 2 or greater in or near Hiawatha, with tornado-damage risk about the Kansas average and much higher than the national average. — Justifies adequate wind/hail limits and roof replacement-cost vs. ACV choices.
- Hiawatha City Lake, a seven-acre impoundment about one mile south of the city, is used for recreation (picnicking and camping). — Local boating/fishing supports watercraft, boat and RV coverage demand.
- Hiawatha is a regional commerce center where U.S. Highways 36 and 73 converge. — Highway crossroads and a retail base point to commercial-auto and trucking/transportation exposure.
What this means for your coverage
Hiawatha's housing stock is older (median build year 1963) and roughly 1-in-4 occupied homes is a rental, so landlord/dwelling-fire and renters policies matter as much as homeowners coverage, and aging roofs raise replacement-cost exposure in a town where NWS has logged tornadoes and frequent magnitude-2+ events. With Manufacturing and Health Care among the top employers and a highway-crossroads retail base, commercial property, general liability, and workers-comp are core needs for local businesses. Hiawatha City Lake just south of town adds recreational boat/RV and watercraft coverage demand.
Get covered in Hiawatha
We're an independent agency — we compare 69+ carriers to fit Hiawatha's risks to your budget. See Hiawatha, KS insurance & get a quote → or call 573-594-5148.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · datausa.io · point2homes.com · weather.gov · usa.com · cityofhiawatha.org