Quick answer
In 2026, the benchmark silver Marketplace plan for a 40-year-old cost $625 a month on average across the U.S. before subsidies. By state, it ranged from $401 a month in New Hampshire to $1,299 in Vermont. Most people don’t pay those prices: 87% of Marketplace enrollees got a premium tax credit in 2026, and the average enrollee paid $178 a month after it. For 2027, insurers’ rate filings average about 15% higher nationally, with state averages from about 3% in Vermont to roughly 29% in Arizona.
Key takeaways
- The U.S. average benchmark premium for a 40-year-old was $625 a month in 2026, before subsidies.
- New Hampshire ($401), Maryland ($414) and Minnesota ($448) had the lowest benchmark premiums, and Vermont ($1,299), Wyoming ($1,090) and West Virginia ($1,073) had the highest.
- After tax credits, the average Marketplace enrollee paid $178 a month in 2026, up from $113 in 2025, after the enhanced tax credits expired.
- Average 2027 increases run from about 3% in Vermont to roughly 29% in Arizona, and about 15% nationally.
- Your state’s benchmark price matters most if your income is above 400% of the poverty level, because then there’s no tax credit to absorb it.
On this page
Benchmark premiums and 2027 changes in every state
The table shows each state’s average benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in 2026 and the average 2027 rate change that insurers filed or regulators approved. Each state’s page has prices by age, a tax credit example, the insurers selling plans there and enrollment dates.
| State | 2026 benchmark, age 40 | 2027 average change |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $645 | 20.7% (final) |
| Alaska | $1,032 | 22.9% (proposed) |
| Arizona | $532 | About 29% (proposed) |
| Arkansas | $774 | 6.0% to 7.6% (proposed) |
| California | $570 | 9.9% (proposed) |
| Colorado | $557 | 10% to 12.8% (final) |
| Connecticut | $870 | 11.2% to 11.3% (final) |
| Delaware | $691 | 16.4% to 16.5% (final) |
| District of Columbia | $610 | 9.9% (final) |
| Florida | $683 | About 15.9% (proposed) |
| Georgia | $615 | 20.7% (final) |
| Hawaii | $541 | 11.1% to 12.7% (final) |
| Idaho | $490 | 13% (proposed) |
| Illinois | $646 | 14.1% (proposed) |
| Indiana | $474 | 17.1% to 17.5% (final) |
| Iowa | $501 | 6.7% (proposed) |
| Kansas | $670 | 19.5% to 24.2% (proposed) |
| Kentucky | $590 | 18.7% (proposed) |
| Louisiana | $646 | 18.1% (final) |
| Maine | $709 | 14.8% (final) |
| Maryland | $414 | 14.6% (final) |
| Massachusetts | $494 | 10.4% to 10.8% (final) |
| Michigan | $523 | 14.2% (proposed) |
| Minnesota | $448 | 11.9% (proposed) |
| Mississippi | $662 | 21.1% to 21.8% (proposed) |
| Missouri | $605 | 12.4% to 12.5% (proposed) |
| Montana | $692 | 22.6% to 23.3% (final) |
| Nebraska | $710 | 13.3% to 13.6% (proposed) |
| Nevada | $497 | 17.2% to 18.8% (final) |
| New Hampshire | $401 | 17.7% to 18.4% (proposed) |
| New Jersey | $545 | 20.4% (proposed) |
| New Mexico | $623 | 24.4% (final) |
| New York | $817 | 6% (final) |
| North Carolina | $638 | About 14.9% (proposed) |
| North Dakota | $570 | 19.2% to 19.6% (proposed) |
| Ohio | $513 | 10.7% (proposed) |
| Oklahoma | $604 | 20.2% to 21.6% (proposed) |
| Oregon | $543 | 21.6% (final) |
| Pennsylvania | $572 | 16% (final) |
| Rhode Island | $506 | About 20% (requested) |
| South Carolina | $564 | 16.6% to 17.2% (proposed) |
| South Dakota | $655 | 10.1% to 10.4% (final) |
| Tennessee | $711 | 12.7% to 15.9% (proposed) |
| Texas | $661 | 13.1% (proposed) |
| Utah | $640 | 6.7% to 7.4% (final) |
| Vermont | $1,299 | About 3% (final) |
| Virginia | $455 | 16.9% (final) |
| Washington | $612 | 22.2% (final) |
| West Virginia | $1,073 | 18.3% (proposed, Highmark) |
| Wisconsin | $611 | 21.1% (proposed) |
| Wyoming | $1,090 | 11.3% (proposed) |
What the benchmark premium tells you
The benchmark plan is the second-lowest-cost silver plan where you live. It’s the plan used to figure your premium tax credit, which makes it the most useful single number for comparing states. Your own premium can be higher or lower depending on the plan you pick, your county and your age.
Age makes a big difference. Most states use the federal age curve, which lets insurers charge a 64-year-old three times what a 21-year-old pays for the same plan. A few states set their own curve, including Alabama, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah and DC, and Massachusetts limits the spread to about two to one. New York and Vermont don’t price by age at all. For national prices at different ages, see what health insurance costs at 30, 50 and 64, or for a couple.
Why prices differ so much by state
- Competition: some of the most expensive states have very few insurers. Vermont, Wyoming and Alaska each have two insurers selling Marketplace plans.
- Reinsurance: more than a dozen states run reinsurance programs that pay part of the biggest claims, which lowers premiums for everyone. Idaho says its program keeps 2027 premiums about 16% lower than they’d otherwise be, and Oregon’s cut its 2027 rates by an average of 10.7%.
- State rules: states decide things like how much prices can vary by age. In Vermont, where they can’t vary at all, a 21-year-old pays the same $1,299 benchmark premium as a 64-year-old.
- Local health care costs: what hospitals and doctors charge in an area feeds directly into what insurers charge for premiums there.
Some states also add their own subsidies on top of the federal tax credit, which the table above doesn’t reflect. Examples include New Mexico, Maryland, Massachusetts and Vermont, and Rhode Island is adding one for 2027.
What people pay after subsidies
The premium tax credit caps what you pay for the benchmark plan at a share of your income if your household earns between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. Because the credit fills the gap between that share and the local benchmark price, two people with the same income pay about the same for the benchmark plan in any state. A single 40-year-old earning $40,000 would pay about $287 a month for it in 2026 whether they live in New Hampshire or Vermont. Alaska and Hawaii use higher poverty guidelines, so the numbers there come out a little lower.
The state price matters most if you earn more than 400% of the poverty level, which is $62,600 for one person for 2026 coverage and $63,840 for 2027. Above that line there’s no credit, so you pay the full price. For a 40-year-old, that’s $401 a month in New Hampshire and $1,299 in Vermont. The gap grows with age: at full price, a 64-year-old in Wyoming would pay about $2,559 a month for the benchmark plan. See Obamacare income limits for the cutoffs by household size.
What’s changing for 2027
Insurers’ filings for 2027 average about 15% higher nationally before subsidies, according to rate trackers that follow every state. Some states have finalized their rates and others are still reviewing them, so the table mixes proposed and final numbers. See 2027 health insurance premium increases by state for why rates are rising and how much individual insurers asked for.
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov, and you need to sign up by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. Some state-run exchanges use different dates. Idaho’s runs from October 15 to December 15, Connecticut and Massachusetts start October 23, and California, New Jersey, New York and DC run through January 31. If you miss the window, see what to do if you missed open enrollment.
See 2027 plans and prices where you live: compare quotes by ZIP code.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the cheapest health insurance?
New Hampshire had the lowest 2026 benchmark premium for a 40-year-old, $401 a month before subsidies. Maryland ($414) and Minnesota ($448) were next.
Which state has the most expensive health insurance?
Vermont, where the 2026 benchmark plan averaged $1,299 a month before subsidies. Because Vermont doesn’t price by age, a 21-year-old pays that too. Wyoming ($1,090) and West Virginia ($1,073) had the next-highest benchmark premiums for a 40-year-old.
How much does health insurance cost per month on average?
The average benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old cost $625 a month in 2026 before subsidies. After tax credits, the average Marketplace enrollee paid $178 a month.
Will health insurance cost more in 2027?
In most states, yes. Insurers’ 2027 rate filings average about 15% higher nationally before subsidies. If you get a premium tax credit, it rises along with the benchmark plan’s price, so your own increase may be smaller.
Sources
- KFF: Marketplace Average Benchmark Premiums
- KFF: What we know so far about 2026 ACA Marketplace enrollment, premiums and deductibles
- healthinsurance.org: Health insurance premium increases for 2027, proposed rates by state
- ACA Signups: 2027 national rate change tracker
- CMS: Market rating reforms by state
This article is general information, not insurance or tax advice. State averages hide big differences by county, age, income and plan, and some 2027 rates were still proposed when this was written. Last reviewed September 2026.