Quick answer
In 2026, the benchmark silver marketplace plan for a 40-year-old in Texas averaged $661 a month before subsidies. Most Texans on the marketplace pay far less: 92% got a premium tax credit in 2026, and the average enrollee paid about $89 a month after subsidies. Insurers have proposed an average increase of about 13% for 2027.
Key takeaways
- About 4.2 million Texans picked a marketplace plan for 2026.
- Before subsidies, the benchmark plan costs roughly $517 a month at 21 and $1,404 at 60.
- 49% of Texas enrollees paid less than $10 a month after subsidies in 2026.
- Texas hasn’t expanded Medicaid, leaving an estimated 605,000 people in a coverage gap.
- Because of how Texas prices silver plans, gold plans can cost less than silver for many subsidized buyers.
On this page
What a Texas marketplace plan costs before subsidies
| Age | Benchmark silver plan, per month (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|
| 21 | $517 |
| 30 | $587 |
| 40 | $661 |
| 50 | $924 |
| 60 | $1,404 |
| 64 | $1,552 |
| Child under 15 | $396 |
A family of four with two 40-year-old parents and two young children would pay about $2,113 a month for benchmark plans before subsidies. See how much health insurance costs for a family of 4 and how health insurance rates are determined.
What you’d pay after a tax credit
If your household income is between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, a premium tax credit caps what you pay for the benchmark plan at a share of your income. A single 40-year-old in Texas earning $40,000 would pay about $287 a month for the benchmark plan in 2026, with a tax credit of about $374 covering the rest. Your premium can be even lower on a bronze plan, or on a gold plan that happens to be priced below silver.
Above 400% of the poverty level ($62,600 for one person for 2026 coverage), you’d pay full price, since the enhanced subsidies expired at the end of 2025.
Texas marketplace facts
- Enrollment: About 4.2 million plan selections for 2026; fewer than 3.3 million were still enrolled in February after cancellations and unpaid premiums.
- Insurers: 16 in 2026 and 14 for 2027, with Cigna and Baylor Scott & White leaving. If yours is one of them, see what to do if your insurer leaves the Marketplace.
- 2027 prices: Insurers proposed increases averaging about 13% before subsidies.
- Net premiums rose: The average enrollee paid $89 a month after subsidies in 2026, up from $57 in 2025.
- Medicaid: Texas hasn’t expanded Medicaid. Adults below the poverty level usually can’t get Medicaid or marketplace subsidies.
Ways to lower your costs in Texas
- Compare gold and silver plans after your tax credit, since gold may cost less.
- If your income is under 250% of the poverty level, look at silver plans with cost-sharing reductions for lower deductibles.
- Consider an HSA-eligible bronze plan and put pre-tax money in a health savings account.
- Check CHIP and Children’s Medicaid for kids; see health insurance for children.
- Compare every insurer in your county; prices vary a lot. See the cheapest ways to get health insurance.
Health insurance costs in nearby states: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. You can also compare health insurance costs in every state.
See 2027 plans and prices in your Texas county: compare quotes by ZIP code.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the average cost of health insurance in Texas?
Before subsidies, the 2026 benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old averaged $661 a month. After subsidies, the average Texas enrollee paid about $89 a month.
Why can a gold plan cost less than silver in Texas?
Texas insurers add the cost of cost-sharing reductions to silver premiums. That raises the benchmark and the tax credit, which can make gold plans cheaper than silver after the credit.
When is open enrollment for 2027 coverage in Texas?
November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Sign up by December 15 for coverage starting January 1.
Sources
This article is general information, not insurance or tax advice. Prices are averages and estimates; your actual premium depends on your county, age, income and plan. Last reviewed September 2026.