Benchmark $564/mo · ranked 8 of 21 · median wage $37,380
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in South Carolina is $564 a month for 2026, ranking 8 of 21 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $37,380 for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in South Carolina.
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 21 states reported and below it in the other 20, so the answer changes with the state.
What this figure is. It is the median annual wage BLS reports for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors (SOC 53-7081) in South Carolina. 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 junk removal 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 | $40,080 | below |
| 2 | Virginia | $455 | $46,080 | below |
| 3 | Indiana | $474 | $59,260 | below |
| 4 | Nevada | $497 | $65,440 | above |
| 5 | Ohio | $513 | $48,730 | below |
| 6 | Michigan | $523 | $59,290 | below |
| 7 | Colorado | $557 | $60,610 | below |
| 8 | South Carolina | $564 | $37,380 | below |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $604 | $36,850 | below |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $611 | $60,390 | below |
| 11 | Georgia | $615 | $43,000 | below |
| 12 | North Carolina | $638 | $40,500 | below |
| 13 | Utah | $640 | $50,720 | below |
| 14 | Alabama | $645 | $39,850 | below |
| 15 | Illinois | $646 | $61,880 | below |
| 16 | South Dakota | $655 | $33,030 | below |
| 17 | Texas | $661 | $45,710 | below |
| 18 | Kansas | $670 | $42,540 | below |
| 19 | Florida | $683 | $46,890 | below |
| 20 | Nebraska | $710 | $47,490 | below |
| 21 | Arkansas | $774 | $36,640 | below |
This page compares states. For South Carolina 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.
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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.
South Carolina has 6 carriers filing across 46 counties right now. That list is rebuilt every year, so what you can choose from in November may not match what you see today — and for a junk removal contractor buying your own cover, who stays matters more than the headline rate.
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 South Carolina rates are not approved, so any precise 2027 figure quoted for this state is guesswork.
The window opens November 1, 2026, and December 15 is the date worth writing down — it is what secures January 1 cover in South Carolina and everywhere else. You will find later dates quoted; they stem from a 2025 rule that was vacated in June 2026 and is under appeal.
All 46 counties in South Carolina sell a PPO, which is unusual and useful. For a junk removal contractor covering ground, it is the plan type that travels best.
Nothing about 2027 is urgent yet, which is exactly why it is worth ten minutes now. Come November you will be choosing between South Carolina’s carriers under a deadline; today you can do it without one.
Give me a ZIP and I will tell you three things:
Two Junk Removal Contractors on opposite sides of South Carolina can be quoted very different premiums for the same plan. Your ZIP is what decides it.