Data study · All 254 counties · Plan year 2026
The Texas health insurance terrain: six gaps in the 2026 map
We processed every rate insurers filed with the federal marketplace for Texas — 834 plans, 18 companies, all 254 counties — and mapped where the ground shifts under buyers' feet. Journalists and researchers: every figure below is reproducible from public CMS files, and we're glad to share county-level cuts — contact us.
Source: CMS Exchange Public Use Files · imported 2026-07-28 · full methodology
1. The cheapest plan costs 81% more depending on your county
The lowest-priced plan available to a 40-year-old starts at $320.39 a month in Brooks County — and at $580.51 in Throckmorton County. Same state, same federal marketplace, same age: an 81% difference in the price of simply getting covered.
| Cheapest entry price | Lowest plan, 40 | Priciest entry price | Lowest plan, 40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks | $320.39 | Throckmorton | $580.51 |
| Caldwell | $321.51 | Taylor | $580.51 |
| Hays | $321.51 | Stonewall | $580.51 |
| Comal | $334.61 | Stephens | $580.51 |
| Guadalupe | $334.61 | Shackelford | $580.51 |
2. Seven Texas counties have exactly one insurer
In Archer, Baylor, Clay, Foard, Hardeman, Wichita, Wilbarger counties — all in the Wichita Falls region — marketplace shoppers have a choice of carriers that isn't a choice at all: one company sells there. Zoom out and 40 of 254 counties (16%) have two insurers or fewer, while Dallas County shoppers pick among ten.
3. Plan choice varies seven-fold
Dallas County residents choose from 138 plans; in Archer County the menu is 19. No insurer covers the whole state — every county's line-up is its own.
4. For a 62-year-old, geography is worth $691.25 a month
The median plan for a 62-year-old costs $1376.68 in the Beaumont rating region and $2067.93 around San Angelo — about $8,295 a year for the same coverage tier, at the age when premiums peak. Details: the pre-Medicare years.
5. Gold is cheaper than Silver — yes, really
Statewide, the median Silver plan costs $98.65 more per month than the median Gold plan, because insurers price mandated low-income discounts into Silver. Shoppers who don't qualify for those discounts and never compare tiers overpay for less coverage. Full breakdown: Bronze vs Silver vs Gold.
6. Age still triples the bill — exactly
Every Texas filing uses the maximum age spread federal law allows: a 64-year-old pays precisely 3.0× the 21-year-old price, plan for plan. The whole curve: cost by age.
The map
Embeddable SVG/PNG and the full county CSV: data & press page.
Reuse this data
Cite as "RateTerrain analysis of CMS 2026 Exchange Public Use Files" with a link. County-level figures for any of the 254 counties are in our lookup tool; custom cuts on request.