Benchmark $711/mo · ranked 22 of 23 · median wage $38,570
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in Tennessee is $711 a month for 2026, ranking 22 of 23 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $38,570 for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Tennessee.
Below the cliff. At this income a single-person household remains eligible for a premium tax credit in 2027.
This occupation sits above the cliff in 1 of the 23 states reported and below it in the other 22, 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 Tennessee. 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 2027 the 400% FPL limit applies again, so household income above $63,840 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 | Mississippi | $662 | $36,070 | below |
| 19 | Kansas | $670 | $42,540 | below |
| 20 | Florida | $683 | $46,890 | below |
| 21 | Nebraska | $710 | $47,490 | below |
| 22 | Tennessee | $711 | $38,570 | below |
| 23 | Arkansas | $774 | $36,640 | below |
This page compares states. For Tennessee 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 a licensed agent 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 a licensed agent — not a call center.
Tennessee loses a carrier this cycle: Cigna is out of the ACA individual market from January 1, 2027, leaving 5 filing here. For Junk Removal Contractors that is a forced decision, and a better one made in November than in January.
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 Tennessee rates are not approved, so any precise 2027 figure quoted for this state is guesswork.
Mark November 1, 2026 to open and December 15 to act. That second date guarantees cover from January 1 in Tennessee regardless of how the current litigation over the enrollment window resolves.
There is still no PPO on the Tennessee marketplace — not in any of its 95 counties. Every plan is an EPO, which for a junk removal contractor working across a wide area is the binding constraint, not price.
You already know you are changing plans — Cigna is leaving. The only real question is whether you pick the replacement or the marketplace picks it for you, and that is a much easier decision made now than in the second week of December.
Enter a ZIP and a licensed agent will tell you three things:
Rates for Junk Removal Contractors in Tennessee are set by county, not by occupation. Start with your ZIP and a licensed agent will show you the plans actually filed where you live.
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