How much does health insurance cost in Texas in 2026?
Real prices from the official 2026 HealthCare.gov plan file for all 254 counties in Texas, plus tax-credit examples and private plan ranges.
Monthly premiums by tier and age
| Tier | Age 21 | Age 30 | Age 40 | Age 50 | Age 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | $359–$477 | $408–$541 | $459–$609 | $642–$851 | $976–$1,293 |
| Silver | $556–$755 | $631–$857 | $711–$965 | $994–$1,349 | $1,510–$2,050 |
| Gold | $483–$635 | $548–$721 | $617–$812 | $863–$1,134 | $1,311–$1,724 |
Typical county range (median of county lows to median of county highs), full price, from the CMS 2026 plan file. The cheapest county goes as low as $352 for a 40-year-old on Bronze; the most expensive county reaches $1,231 on Gold.
Ranges at a glance (age 40)
What a tax credit does (in Harris County, the state's most populous county)
| Household | % of poverty level | Estimated tax credit | Cheapest Bronze, full → after credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| A single 40-year-old earning $40,000 | 255% | $305/mo | $375 → $69 |
| A family of four (parents 40 and 38, two kids) earning $85,000 | 264% | $1,249/mo | $1,188 → $0 |
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 Texas
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Private plans in Texas
| Age | Man, monthly range | Woman, monthly range |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | $50–$324 | $124–$423 |
| 40 | $112–$449 | $149–$501 |
| 50 | $230–$514 | $221–$511 |
| 60 | $376–$700 | $323–$647 |
A family of four (parents 40 and 38 with two children) is typically quoted $469 to $944 a month in Texas. 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.
Texas counties
Questions people ask
How much is health insurance in Texas per month?
For a 40-year-old paying full price in 2026, Marketplace Bronze plans typically run $459 to $609 a month across Texas counties, Silver $711 to $965, and the silver benchmark that tax credits are based on is about $724. Most people who qualify for a credit pay far less; see the examples above.
Does Texas have Medicaid expansion?
No. Marketplace tax credits start at 100% of the federal poverty level; below that there is a coverage gap an advisor can help you navigate.
Where do Texas residents enroll in a Marketplace plan?
Texas uses HealthCare.gov. Open Enrollment for 2027 runs November 1 to mid-January; outside that window you need a qualifying life event.
Are private health plans cheaper than the Marketplace in Texas?
Often, for healthy households that do not qualify for a tax credit. A healthy 40-year-old man is typically quoted $112 to $449 a month on private plans in Texas, versus $459 to $609 for Marketplace Bronze at full price. Private plans are medically underwritten and are not ACA plans, so anyone with a tax credit or ongoing conditions usually does better on the Marketplace.
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.