CarInsurance.com Insights
- Car insurance rates in big cities tend to be higher than in small towns.
- Premiums can vary significantly between ZIP codes in the same city.
- Comparing car insurance quotes will help you find the cheapest policy for your location and situation.
Many factors affect the cost of car insurance in the U.S., including your location. Car insurance companies consider your state, city and ZIP code when calculating your personalized premium. Car insurance rates tend to be the most expensive in big cities where there are higher accident rates, more claims filed and other risks, like vehicle thefts.
In this article, we’ll look at the most expensive cities for car insurance in every U.S. state and share which insurance companies offer the most affordable rates in the most expensive cities.
Highest car insurance rates by city
While your state significantly impacts your car insurance premium, your city does as well. The city of Winchester in Nevada has the most expensive car insurance at $481 per month. Harvey, Louisiana comes in second at $455 per month, followed by Redford, Michigan at $453 per month.
Below, you can see the most expensive cities for car insurance in every U.S. state, including the average annual cost and average monthly cost in each city.
| State name | City | Average annual cost | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Big Lake | $2,390 | $199 |
| Alabama | Oak Hill | $2,369 | $197 |
| Arkansas | Helena-West Helena | $3,409 | $284 |
| Arizona | Laveen | $3,091 | $258 |
| California | Florence-Graham | $4,772 | $398 |
| Colorado | Seibert | $3,790 | $316 |
| Connecticut | Bridgeport | $3,752 | $313 |
| Washington, D.C. | Washington Navy Yard | $3,465 | $289 |
| Delaware | Wilmington | $3,750 | $312 |
| Florida | Egypt Lake-Leto | $5,400 | $450 |
| Georgia | College Park | $3,611 | $301 |
| Hawaii | Waikoloa Village | $1,889 | $157 |
| Iowa | Jasper | $3,008 | $251 |
| Idaho | Kootenai | $2,105 | $175 |
| Illinois | Harvey | $2,646 | $220 |
| Indiana | Gary | $2,365 | $197 |
| Kansas | Wilmore | $2,969 | $247 |
| Kentucky | Saul | $3,478 | $290 |
| Louisiana | Harvey | $5,457 | $455 |
| Massachusetts | Brockton | $3,677 | $306 |
| Maryland | Gwynn Oak | $3,007 | $251 |
| Maine | Blue Hill | $1,956 | $163 |
| Michigan | Redford | $5,440 | $453 |
| Minnesota | Leonard | $2,939 | $245 |
| Missouri | Jennings | $2,905 | $242 |
| Mississippi | Hermanville | $2,777 | $231 |
| Montana | Wyola | $2,815 | $235 |
| North Carolina | Newell | $3,322 | $277 |
| North Dakota | Selfridge | $2,760 | $230 |
| Nebraska | Lisco | $2,499 | $208 |
| New Hampshire | Derry | $1,868 | $156 |
| New Jersey | Irvington | $4,142 | $345 |
| New Mexico | South Valley | $2,973 | $248 |
| Nevada | Winchester | $5,778 | $481 |
| New York | Bayside | $4,253 | $354 |
| Ohio | Tuppers Plains | $2,132 | $178 |
| Oklahoma | Bethany | $3,295 | $275 |
| Oregon | Fairview | $2,461 | $205 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | $3,061 | $255 |
| Rhode Island | North Providence | $3,712 | $309 |
| South Carolina | Estill | $3,022 | $252 |
| South Dakota | Oglala | $3,081 | $257 |
| Tennessee | Memphis | $2,671 | $223 |
| Texas | North Houston | $3,592 | $299 |
| Utah | Kearns | $2,757 | $230 |
| Virginia | New Canton | $2,104 | $175 |
| Vermont | Jeffersonville | $1,736 | $145 |
| Washington | Tukwila | $3,052 | $254 |
| Wisconsin | Hertel | $2,937 | $245 |
| West Virginia | Crum | $2,981 | $248 |
| Wyoming | Teton Village | $2,130 | $177 |
Most expensive ZIP codes for car insurance in the top 10 U.S. cities
Car insurance premiums tend to be the most expensive in big cities. The most expensive ZIP codes are 90044 in Los Angeles, 92136 in San Diego, California and 10055 in New York, NY.
However, car insurance rates can also vary depending on your ZIP code within the city. Here are the most expensive ZIP codes for car insurance in the top 10 largest cities.
| State name | City | ZIP code | Average annual cost | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | Los Angeles | 90044 | $4,855 | $405 |
| California | San Diego | 92136 | $4,391 | $366 |
| New York | New York | 10055 | $4,211 | $351 |
| Texas | Dallas | 75260 | $4,157 | $346 |
| Texas | Houston | 77037 | $3,603 | $300 |
| Texas | Austin | 78710 | $3,552 | $296 |
| Texas | San Antonio | 78206 | $3,368 | $281 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | 85043 | $3,357 | $280 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | 19142 | $3,306 | $276 |
| Illinois | Chicago | 60624 | $2,801 | $233 |
Which insurance companies offer affordable rates in the most expensive cities?
When shopping for car insurance, it’s essential to compare rates from several companies to find the most affordable policy for your location and unique driver profile. This is especially true if you live in one of the more expensive cities for auto insurance.
In New York, Progressive and GEICO offer the cheapest car insurance rates. In Los Angeles, GEICO and CSAA Insurance (AAA) offer the cheapest rates. In Chicago, Travelers and GEICO offer the cheapest policies.
In the table below, you can see the cheapest car insurance companies in the most expensive U.S. cities, as well as the average annual and monthly premium for each insurer.
| State | City | Company | Average annual cost | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Phoenix | USAA | $2,036 | $170 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | Travelers | $2,068 | $172 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | GEICO | $2,454 | $204 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | Allstate | $3,545 | $295 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | Farmers | $3,924 | $327 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | Progressive | $4,017 | $335 |
| California | San Diego | GEICO | $1,868 | $156 |
| California | San Diego | Mercury Insurance | $2,642 | $220 |
| California | San Diego | Progressive | $2,805 | $234 |
| California | Los Angeles | GEICO | $2,955 | $246 |
| California | Los Angeles | CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $3,139 | $262 |
| California | San Diego | CSAA Insurance (AAA) | $3,139 | $262 |
| California | San Diego | Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $3,493 | $291 |
| California | San Diego | Allstate | $3,883 | $324 |
| California | Los Angeles | Mercury Insurance | $4,014 | $334 |
| California | San Diego | Nationwide | $4,049 | $337 |
| California | San Diego | State Farm | $4,095 | $341 |
| California | Los Angeles | Progressive | $4,193 | $349 |
| California | San Diego | Farmers | $4,399 | $367 |
| California | Los Angeles | Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $5,134 | $428 |
| California | Los Angeles | Nationwide | $5,341 | $445 |
| California | Los Angeles | Allstate | $5,434 | $453 |
| California | Los Angeles | State Farm | $5,655 | $471 |
| California | Los Angeles | Farmers | $5,684 | $474 |
| Illinois | Chicago | Travelers | $1,700 | $142 |
| Illinois | Chicago | GEICO | $2,031 | $169 |
| Illinois | Chicago | Progressive | $2,034 | $169 |
| Illinois | Chicago | Auto Club Group (AAA) | $2,253 | $188 |
| Illinois | Chicago | Auto-Owners | $2,443 | $204 |
| Illinois | Chicago | Erie Insurance | $2,792 | $233 |
| Illinois | Chicago | Nationwide | $2,876 | $240 |
| Illinois | Chicago | Country Financial | $2,952 | $246 |
| Illinois | Chicago | Allstate | $3,044 | $254 |
| New York | New York | Progressive | $1,949 | $162 |
| New York | New York | GEICO | $3,374 | $281 |
| New York | New York | State Farm | $3,842 | $320 |
| New York | New York | The Hanover | $4,935 | $411 |
| New York | New York | Allstate | $4,998 | $416 |
| New York | New York | NYCM Insurance | $5,193 | $433 |
| New York | New York | Travelers | $5,532 | $461 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Travelers | $2,891 | $241 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | GEICO | $2,936 | $245 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | USAA | $3,039 | $253 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Allstate | $3,376 | $281 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Erie Insurance | $3,475 | $290 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Westfield Insurance | $3,585 | $299 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | State Farm | $3,611 | $301 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Progressive | $3,652 | $304 |
| Texas | San Antonio | Incline Insurance | $1,649 | $137 |
| Texas | Austin | Incline Insurance | $1,656 | $138 |
| Texas | Dallas | Incline Insurance | $1,950 | $163 |
| Texas | Houston | Incline Insurance | $1,967 | $164 |
| Texas | Austin | USAA | $2,077 | $173 |
| Texas | San Antonio | USAA | $2,200 | $183 |
| Texas | Dallas | USAA | $2,281 | $190 |
| Texas | Houston | USAA | $2,379 | $198 |
| Texas | Austin | State Farm | $2,401 | $200 |
| Texas | San Antonio | State Farm | $2,632 | $219 |
| Texas | Austin | GEICO | $2,654 | $221 |
| Texas | Houston | State Farm | $2,904 | $242 |
| Texas | Dallas | State Farm | $2,913 | $243 |
| Texas | San Antonio | GEICO | $2,921 | $243 |
| Texas | Austin | Progressive | $2,971 | $248 |
| Texas | Dallas | GEICO | $3,157 | $263 |
| Texas | Houston | GEICO | $3,200 | $267 |
| Texas | San Antonio | Progressive | $3,212 | $268 |
| Texas | Austin | Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $3,352 | $279 |
| Texas | San Antonio | Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $3,455 | $288 |
| Texas | Houston | Progressive | $3,567 | $297 |
| Texas | Dallas | Progressive | $3,592 | $299 |
| Texas | Dallas | Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $4,045 | $337 |
| Texas | Houston | Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) | $4,071 | $339 |
| Texas | Austin | Allstate | $4,448 | $371 |
| Texas | San Antonio | Allstate | $4,651 | $388 |
| Texas | Houston | Allstate | $5,206 | $434 |
| Texas | Dallas | Allstate | $5,871 | $489 |
| Texas | Austin | Farmers | $6,492 | $541 |
| Texas | Houston | Farmers | $6,800 | $567 |
| Texas | San Antonio | Farmers | $6,854 | $571 |
| Texas | Dallas | Farmers | $6,886 | $574 |
Can moving to a different neighborhood within the same city change my car insurance rate?
Moving to a different neighborhood within the same city can cause your car insurance premium to change. For example, if you move to a neighborhood with a lower crime rate than your old neighborhood, it’s possible that your rate could decrease. Or, if you move to a new neighborhood where more insurance claims are filed, your premium could increase.
The only way to know how much you will pay for car insurance in a new neighborhood is to get personalized rate quotes for your new address. If your rate is going to increase, consider getting new quotes from a different carrier to see if you can find cheaper coverage.
What factors other than location influence car insurance rates?
The cost of car insurance is different for every driver. In addition to your location, some of the biggest factors that can impact rates include:
- Age: Teens and young drivers typically pay the highest rates for car insurance. For most drivers, premiums decrease steadily over time.
- Gender: Because female drivers have fewer accidents than male drivers, women usually pay slightly less for car insurance than men.
- Credit score: In many states, car insurance companies use a credit-based insurance score to determine the cost of your policy.
- Driving record: Drivers with a history of accidents, speeding tickets, and other violations usually pay higher rates for car insurance than people with a clean record.
- Vehicle type: Some vehicles are more expensive to insure than others. For example, insuring a brand new vehicle usually costs more than insuring a used car.
- Coverage types and limits: The type of car insurance coverage and coverage limits will impact your rate. Adding optional endorsements will also raise your premium.
- Deductible: For policies that require a deductible, like collision insurance, choosing a higher deductible will result in a lower premium, and vice versa.
- Insurance company: Every insurance company charges different rates, even for the same types and amounts of coverage.
What makes car insurance expensive in certain cities?
There are multiple reasons why car insurance premiums can be more expensive in certain cities.
“Insurers are focused on assessing risk when determining rates, and every city has its own unique set of risks as it relates to crime rates, frequency of accidents, population density, weather, road conditions, and average claims history — all factors that can affect risk level and ultimately, insurance premiums,” says Justin Yoshizawa, director of product management state at Mercury Insurance.
“For example, if a policyholder lives in a city that has a higher frequency of accidents, premiums will be higher because the possibility of that policyholder filing a claim is greater,” adds Yoshizawa.
Other factors that can affect insurance rates and vary by location include the cost and frequency of litigation, medical care, and the prevalence of auto insurance fraud.
The cost of auto repairs can also impact rates in a specific city. In areas with higher repair costs, insurance companies might set higher premiums to offset their claim costs.
Check out the 10 most important factors that affect car insurance rates
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How can I reduce my car insurance premiums?
There are several ways to reduce your car insurance premiums, no matter where you live. Here are several strategies that can help you get cheaper insurance:
- Take advantage of discounts: Many car insurance companies offer discounts to help drivers save money on their auto insurance policy.
- Shop around: Car insurance companies charge different rates, even for the same coverage. Shop around and get quotes from a few carriers to find the cheapest premium – especially if circumstances have changed such as adding a teen driver, getting a speeding ticket or getting a different vehicle.
- Improve your credit score: In most states, your credit history is one of the factors that can affect your premium. Improving your credit score can help you lock in a lower annual rate.
- Bundle two policies: Most insurers provide discounts to drivers who bundle their car insurance with another policy, like home insurance or renters insurance.
- Choose higher deductibles: For policies that require a deductible, like collision and comprehensive insurance, selecting a higher deductible will result in a lower premium. However, remember that you should have the deductible amount in savings if you choose a higher deductible in case you need to file a claim.
The bottom line: Most expensive car insurance rates by city
Some cities have higher car insurance rates than others. Additionally, car insurance premiums can vary even more depending on your ZIP code. Location-specific factors like the number of claims filed, the number of accidents reported, and vehicle theft rates can all affect the cost of auto insurance in a specific place.
Before you purchase a car insurance policy, make sure to get quotes from at least three insurance companies and compare them to see which one can offer you the best deal for your location, driver profile and coverage needs.
You can also reduce your car insurance premium by taking advantage of discounts, bundling your policies, improving your credit and selecting higher deductibles.
Resources & Methodology
Source
Insurance Information Institute. “What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?” Accessed January 2026.
Methodology
CarInsurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to get car insurance rates. The rates are based on the sample profiles of 40-year-old male and female drivers carrying full coverage policies with limits of 100/300/100 and $500 collision and comprehensive deductibles. Read the detailed methodology for more information.
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