Benchmark $646/mo · ranked 15 of 21 · median wage $62,400
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in Illinois is $646 a month for 2026, ranking 15 of 21 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $62,400 for Fence Erectors in Illinois.
Below the cliff. At this income a single-person household remains eligible for a premium tax credit in 2026.
This occupation sits above the cliff in 1 of the 20 states reported and below it in the other 19, so the answer changes with the state.
What this figure is. It is the median annual wage BLS reports for Fence Erectors (SOC 47-4031) in Illinois. 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 fence contractor. 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 | — | — |
| 2 | Virginia | $455 | $39,080 | below |
| 3 | Indiana | $474 | $43,900 | below |
| 4 | Nevada | $497 | $49,270 | below |
| 5 | Ohio | $513 | $46,610 | below |
| 6 | Michigan | $523 | $45,580 | below |
| 7 | Colorado | $557 | $52,740 | below |
| 8 | South Carolina | $564 | $38,790 | below |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $604 | $39,140 | below |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $611 | $46,390 | below |
| 11 | Georgia | $615 | $35,800 | below |
| 12 | North Carolina | $638 | $38,600 | below |
| 13 | Utah | $640 | $57,430 | below |
| 14 | Alabama | $645 | $38,920 | below |
| 15 | Illinois | $646 | $62,400 | below |
| 16 | South Dakota | $655 | $49,210 | below |
| 17 | Texas | $661 | $39,420 | below |
| 18 | Kansas | $670 | $50,740 | below |
| 19 | Florida | $683 | $47,730 | below |
| 20 | Nebraska | $710 | $78,780 | above |
| 21 | Arkansas | $774 | $38,530 | below |
This page compares states. For Illinois 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.
← Fence Contractors in all states · All trades · All occupations
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.
Illinois 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 fence contractor that makes national round-ups the least reliable place to look.
Nobody can tell you your 2027 Illinois premium yet. Filings nationally cluster around a 15% median increase, with the full spread running −1% to 54% — and until this state signs off, a specific local number is invention.
Mark November 1, 2026 to open and December 15 to act. That second date guarantees cover from January 1 in Illinois regardless of how the current litigation over the enrollment window resolves.
Illinois 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:
Most Fence Contractors here are buying their own coverage without an employer. One ZIP is all I need to show you what is available in your part of Illinois.