Ranked 12 of 15 states · median $807/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old carpenter in Texas pays a median $807/month for a Silver plan before subsidies — 12th of 15 on cost. The cheapest plan in the state is $540 from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas in Cameron. On highest out-of-pocket maximum, Texas ranks 13 of 15 for this occupation.
Trade work concentrates cost into rare, expensive events rather than spreading it across the year. That inverts the usual shopping logic: a lower premium with a $9,200 ceiling is a worse deal than a higher premium with a $6,000 one, because the ceiling is what you actually hit. These rankings follow the ceiling.
Occupational context: Saw and nail-gun injuries; hearing loss; back strain from lifting.
This is background for choosing a plan, not for pricing one. Since 2014 every Texas exchange plan has been guaranteed issue and community rated: same age, same ZIP, same tobacco status means the same filed premium whether you are a carpenter or an accountant. Occupation changes the shopping criteria, nothing else.
Premium is set by rating area, so a carpenter in one Texas county can pay materially more than one an hour away. Six counties from across the state, cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old:
| County | Cheapest Silver @40 | Issuer | Deductible | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks | $590 | CHRISTUS | $5,990 | 4 |
| Lee | $608 | Sendero Health Plans, Local Nonprofit | $6,000 | 5 |
| Orange | $625 | CHRISTUS | $5,990 | 6 |
| Upshur | $635 | CHRISTUS | $6,000 | 3 |
| Midland | $645 | Ambetter from Superior HealthPlan | $6,000 | 4 |
| Zapata | $649 | Ambetter from Superior HealthPlan | $6,000 | 3 |
The spread across just these six is $59/month — $703 a year for the same metal tier. Statewide the range runs $540 to $1,409. Coverage by County publishes all 254 Texas counties individually.
| Texas — worst-case exposure | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Lowest annual out-of-pocket maximum | $0 |
| Highest annual out-of-pocket maximum | $0 |
| Cheapest Gold plan @40 | $467 — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas |
| Gold deductible | $500 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $540 — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas |
| Cheapest Silver @50 | $754 |
For a carpenter, the gap between $0 and $0 in annual out-of-pocket maximum is worth more than any premium difference on this page. One serious injury reaches that ceiling regardless of which plan you picked.
Source: CMS Plan Year 2026 Qualified Health Plan Landscape file. 13,013 plan records across 254 Texas counties. Full-price filed rates before premium tax credits — verify at enrollment.
Cheaper for the same coverage: Kansas ($765), Florida ($789), Utah ($805). More expensive: North Carolina ($828), Arkansas ($828), Nebraska ($875).
Side-by-side: Texas vs Florida · Texas vs Utah · Texas vs North Carolina · Texas vs Arkansas
Cross-state numbers are useful for understanding whether Texas is treating you well, not for arbitrage. You cannot buy an out-of-state exchange plan. If you are a carpenter weighing a relocation for other reasons, the premium difference is a real line item worth putting in the decision.
If you file a Schedule C as a carpenter, the categories that usually show up are: Tools, truck, lumber, jobsite travel, liability insurance. The health premium itself is normally an above-the-line deduction under IRC §162(l), which reduces AGI rather than requiring you to itemize. Your CPA should confirm it against your actual situation.
If your household income is above the subsidy range, ACA is not automatically the answer. There are other categories of coverage that may fit, and they work very differently. That is a conversation, not a web page.
The cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old in Texas is $540 per month from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, with a state median of $807. Both figures are full price before premium tax credits; most buyers pay less after subsidies.
No. Under the ACA, carriers cannot rate, decline, or exclude based on occupation or health history. Rates vary only by age, ZIP code, tobacco use and household size.
No. Only EPO and HMO and POS plans were filed for 2026.
Texas ranks 12 of 15 states covered here, at a median $807 per month. Indiana is cheapest at $558 and Nebraska is most expensive at $875.
This page compares states. For Texas specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — I publish that on Coverage by County, including a page written for Carpenters in Texas and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.