Benchmark $661/mo · ranked 17 of 21 · median wage $45,710
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in Texas is $661 a month for 2026, ranking 17 of 21 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $45,710 for Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors in Texas.
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 Texas. 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 Texas 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.
← Junk Removal 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.
Texas loses a carrier this cycle: Cigna is out of the ACA individual market from January 1, 2027, leaving 14 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 Texas 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 Texas regardless of how the current litigation over the enrollment window resolves.
There is still no PPO on the Texas marketplace — not in any of its 254 counties. Every plan is an HMO, EPO or POS, 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 in August than in the second week of December.
Give me a ZIP and I will tell you three things:
Rates for Junk Removal Contractors in Texas are set by county, not by occupation. Start with your ZIP and I will show you the plans actually filed where you live.