Benchmark $523/mo · ranked 6 of 21 · median wage $29,730
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in Michigan is $523 a month for 2026, ranking 6 of 21 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $29,730 for Animal Caretakers in Michigan.
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 Michigan. 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 Michigan 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.
Right now 7 carriers file plans across the 83 counties of Michigan. Participation is reset annually, which is why Dog Groomers should check the roster in November rather than assume this year’s options carry over.
On price the only honest number today is national: the Peterson-KFF read of 2027 filings puts the median proposed rise near 15%, spanning −1% to 54%. Final Michigan rates are not approved, so any precise 2027 figure quoted for this state is guesswork.
Enrollment opens November 1, 2026. Treat December 15 as the deadline: it guarantees January 1 cover on every marketplace, Michigan included. Conflicting end dates get quoted because a 2025 rule shortened the window and a court vacated it in June 2026, appeal pending — enrol by the 15th and the argument is irrelevant to you.
In your favour: PPOs are sold in all 83 Michigan counties. That is the type most likely to pay toward out-of-network care, and worth defending at renewal if your work as a dog groomer takes you around.
Nothing about 2027 is urgent yet, which is exactly why it is worth ten minutes now. Come November you will be choosing between Michigan’s carriers under a deadline; today you can do it without one.
Give me a ZIP and I will tell you three things:
There is no single Michigan price. Enter your ZIP and I will pull what is filed in your county, then work out what help you qualify for.