Benchmark $615/mo · ranked 11 of 21 · median wage $28,880
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in Georgia is $615 a month for 2026, ranking 11 of 21 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $28,880 for Animal Caretakers in Georgia.
Below the cliff. At this income a single-person household remains eligible for a premium tax credit in 2026.
This occupation is below the cliff in all 21 states reported.
What this figure is. It is the median annual wage BLS reports for Animal Caretakers (SOC 39-2021) in Georgia. BLS surveys wage and salary workers and excludes the self-employed, so it is a benchmark for the occupation in this state — not the income of a self-employed dog groomer. Premium tax credit eligibility is set by household modified adjusted gross income and household size, not by occupation, so treat this as a reference point rather than a determination of what you qualify for.
Why the cliff is back. The enhanced premium tax credits expired on 31 December 2025. For plan year 2026 the 400% FPL limit applies again, so household income above $62,600 ends premium tax credit eligibility outright.
Benchmark premium and median wage for this occupation, ranked by premium.
| # | State | Benchmark @40 | Median wage | vs cliff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $414 | $35,990 | below |
| 2 | Virginia | $455 | $30,830 | below |
| 3 | Indiana | $474 | $28,800 | below |
| 4 | Nevada | $497 | $29,530 | below |
| 5 | Ohio | $513 | $29,700 | below |
| 6 | Michigan | $523 | $29,730 | below |
| 7 | Colorado | $557 | $35,300 | below |
| 8 | South Carolina | $564 | $29,900 | below |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $604 | $28,370 | below |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $611 | $29,490 | below |
| 11 | Georgia | $615 | $28,880 | below |
| 12 | North Carolina | $638 | $28,900 | below |
| 13 | Utah | $640 | $31,550 | below |
| 14 | Alabama | $645 | $27,940 | below |
| 15 | Illinois | $646 | $34,440 | below |
| 16 | South Dakota | $655 | $29,460 | below |
| 17 | Texas | $661 | $29,810 | below |
| 18 | Kansas | $670 | $27,970 | below |
| 19 | Florida | $683 | $30,380 | below |
| 20 | Nebraska | $710 | $29,970 | below |
| 21 | Arkansas | $774 | $29,370 | below |
This page compares states. For Georgia specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — that is published on Coverage by County. To check whether a plan actually covers your hospital, see Plans By City.
Put your ZIP code in and I will show you the carriers filing in your county, what the cheapest plan costs, and what you would actually pay after any help you qualify for. No cost, and you talk to me — not a call center.
Georgia runs its own marketplace rather than healthcare.gov, so 2027 plan and rate detail arrives on the state’s timetable, not in the federal files most comparison sites reprint. For a dog groomer that makes national round-ups the least reliable place to look.
Rate filings for 2027 point to roughly a 15% median increase nationally, from −1% at one end to 54% at the other. Georgia has not finalised, so treat exact local 2027 pricing as unavailable rather than unknown.
Mark November 1, 2026 to open and December 15 to act. That second date guarantees cover from January 1 in Georgia regardless of how the current litigation over the enrollment window resolves.
Georgia publishes its 2027 plan data on its own schedule rather than in the federal files, so the earlier you get a read on your options the less you are relying on national summaries that may not apply here.
Give me a ZIP and I will tell you three things:
Two Dog Groomers on opposite sides of Georgia can be quoted very different premiums for the same plan. Your ZIP is what decides it.