Health insurance cost in Orange County, NC (2026)

44 Marketplace plans from 4 insurance companies are sold in Orange County in 2026. Here is what they cost by tier and age, what a tax credit does to the price, the cheapest plans by name, and what private plans run for healthy households.

Cheapest Bronze, age 40

$460/mo

full price, before any credit

Silver benchmark, age 40

$610/mo

the plan tax credits are based on

Plans

35 HMO · 9 EPO

Insurers

selling in this county

Deductibles

$0 to $10,600

individual, standard plans

Monthly premiums by tier and age

Tier	Age 21	Age 30	Age 40	Age 50	Age 60
Bronze (17 plans)	$360–$636	$408–$722	$460–$813	$643–$1,137	$977–$1,727
Silver (16 plans)	$472–$782	$535–$887	$603–$999	$843–$1,397	$1,280–$2,122
Gold (11 plans)	$495–$938	$562–$1,065	$633–$1,199	$884–$1,676	$1,343–$2,546

Lowest to highest monthly premium among the plans sold in Orange County, before any tax credit, from the CMS 2026 plan file (snapshot August 4, 2026).

Ranges at a glance (age 40)

Blue: Marketplace tiers, full price. Green: private plan range for a healthy 40-year-old man in North Carolina, after the advisors' usual adjustment.

What a tax credit does in Orange County

Household	% of poverty level	Estimated tax credit	Cheapest Bronze, full → after credit
A single 40-year-old earning $40,000	255%	$323/mo	$460 → $137
A family of four (parents 40 and 38, two kids) earning $85,000	264%	$1,305/mo	$1,459 → $154

2025 federal poverty guidelines apply to 2026 coverage; the enhanced credits of 2021–2025 expired, so the 400% cutoff is back (for one person that is $62,600 a year, for four $128,600). The Marketplace sets the final credit.

See your own numbers for Orange County

Enter your age, household and income and get every Marketplace plan priced for you, your estimated tax credit, and a private plan range, side by side, in about 30 seconds. No medical questions.

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Cheapest Marketplace plans in Orange County

Priced for a 40-year-old, full price. Every plan, with deductibles and copays, is in the tool once you enter your household.

Cheapest Bronze plans

Blue Home Bronze Basic | 3 Free PCP | $25 Tier 1 Rx | Integrated | witBlue Cross and Blue Shield of NC · EPO$460/mo at 40 · deductible $7,000 · max out-of-pocket $10,600

Blue Home Bronze Standard | with UNC Health AllianceBlue Cross and Blue Shield of NC · EPO$478/mo at 40 · deductible $7,500 · max out-of-pocket $10,000

Blue Home Bronze Complete | $60 PCP | $20 Tier 1 Rx | with UNC Health Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC · EPO$485/mo at 40 · deductible $4,000 · max out-of-pocket $10,600

Cheapest Silver plans

Blue Home Silver Preferred | 3 Free PCP | $10 Tier 1 Rx | Integrated |Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC · EPO$603/mo at 40 · deductible $2,800 · max out-of-pocket $10,600

Blue Home Silver Standard | with UNC Health AllianceBlue Cross and Blue Shield of NC · EPO$610/mo at 40 · deductible $6,000 · max out-of-pocket $8,900

Blue Home Silver Choice A | 3 Free PCP | $15 Tier 1 Rx | with UNC HealBlue Cross and Blue Shield of NC · EPO$623/mo at 40 · deductible $3,000 · max out-of-pocket $10,600

Cheapest Gold plans

Blue Home Gold Premier A | 3 Free PCP | $10 Tier 1 Rx | with UNC HealtBlue Cross and Blue Shield of NC · EPO$633/mo at 40 · deductible $1,800 · max out-of-pocket $10,600

Blue Home Gold Standard A | with UNC Health AllianceBlue Cross and Blue Shield of NC · EPO$639/mo at 40 · deductible $2,000 · max out-of-pocket $8,200

Standard GoldAmbetter of North Carolina · HMO$650/mo at 40 · deductible $2,000 · max out-of-pocket $8,200

Private plans in North Carolina

Age	Man, monthly range	Woman, monthly range
30	$50–$323	$100–$393
40	$92–$424	$121–$466
50	$194–$469	$182–$462
60	$322–$632	$269–$577

A family of four (parents 40 and 38 with two children) is typically quoted $422 to $885 a month in North Carolina. Private plans are not ACA plans: no tax credit, health questions on the application, and pre-existing conditions can raise the price or be excluded. Deductibles are usually lower than the cheapest Marketplace tiers and you can enroll any month of the year.

Questions people ask

What is the cheapest health insurance in Orange County?

For a 40-year-old paying full price, the cheapest Marketplace plan in Orange County is a Bronze plan at $460 a month (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC). With a tax credit it can be far less; see the examples above. Private plans for a healthy 40-year-old man start around $92 a month.

How many health insurance companies sell Marketplace plans in Orange County?

4 in 2026: Ambetter of North Carolina, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC, Cigna Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare. Between them they offer 44 plans (35 HMO · 9 EPO).

Do I qualify for a tax credit in Orange County?

Marketplace premium tax credits apply when household income is between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, which for 2026 means up to $62,600 for one person or $128,600 for a family of four. North Carolina expanded Medicaid, so incomes under 138% of the poverty level are usually covered there instead. Enter your income in the tool to see your estimate.

When can I enroll?

Marketplace Open Enrollment runs from November 1 to mid-January in most states, or within 60 days of a qualifying life event such as losing other coverage, moving, marriage or a new baby. Private plans can be applied for any month of the year.

Nearby counties in North Carolina

All North Carolina counties →

Sources: CMS QHP Landscape PY2026 Individual Medical (data.healthcare.gov, snapshot August 4, 2026); HHS 2025 poverty guidelines; IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-25; private ranges from the carrier rate tables our advisors quote from. Page generated 2026-09-29.