Ranked 6 of 15 states · median $708/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old real estate agent in Michigan pays a median $708/month for a Silver plan before subsidies — 6th of 15 on cost. The cheapest plan in the state is $385 from Ambetter from Meridian in Genesee. On counties covered, Michigan ranks 7 of 15 for this occupation.
Work that crosses county and state lines makes network geography the binding constraint. A cheap HMO that only contracts in one metro is worthless 200 miles away, so these pages rank states by network reach and flag the ones with no PPO on the exchange at all.
Occupational context: High driving exposure; irregular hours; showing-related risk.
Worth being clear about what this does and does not affect: a carrier in Michigan cannot ask what you do for a living, cannot charge a real estate agent more than a librarian of the same age in the same ZIP, and cannot exclude anything you were already treated for. Occupation only tells you which plan structure to shop for.
Premium is set by rating area, so a real estate agent in one Michigan county can pay materially more than one an hour away. Six counties from across the state, cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old:
| County | Cheapest Silver @40 | Issuer | Deductible | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branch | $567 | UnitedHealthcare | $4,000 | 4 |
| Newaygo | $591 | Ambetter from Meridian | $7,000 | 5 |
| Clinton | $606 | Blue Care Network of Michigan | $5,800 | 4 |
| Alcona | $645 | Blue Care Network of Michigan | $5,800 | 4 |
| Montmorency | $645 | Blue Care Network of Michigan | $5,800 | 4 |
| Ionia | $683 | Priority Health | $5,500 | 4 |
The spread across just these six is $117/month — $1,400 a year for the same metal tier. Statewide the range runs $385 to $1,048. Coverage by County publishes all 83 Michigan counties individually.
| Michigan — network reach | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Counties in the state | 83 |
| Counties with only one carrier | 0 (0%) |
| Plan types available | EPO, HMO, PPO |
| PPO available on exchange | Yes |
| Carriers filing in the state | 7 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $385 — Genesee |
Michigan has PPO plans available. For a real estate agent covering distance, that single fact outweighs premium: 0 of 83 counties here are served by one carrier, so an HMO bought in one metro may leave you out of network for the rest of your route.
Source: CMS Plan Year 2026 Qualified Health Plan Landscape file. 3,383 plan records across 83 Michigan counties. Full-price filed rates before premium tax credits — verify at enrollment.
Cheaper for the same coverage: South Carolina ($636), Alabama ($680), Wisconsin ($687). More expensive: South Dakota ($725), Oklahoma ($731), Kansas ($765).
Side-by-side: Michigan vs Alabama · Michigan vs Wisconsin · Michigan vs South Dakota · Michigan vs Oklahoma
This only matters if you can actually choose — you buy in the state where you live, not where you work. If you are a real estate agent who moved this year, that move is a qualifying life event and opens a special enrollment period.
Expense categories that typically apply to this trade: Vehicle, licensing, MLS dues, E&O insurance, marketing. Premiums are generally deductible above the line under IRC §162(l) when no employer plan is available to you or your spouse — a question for your CPA, not your agent.
If your household income is above the subsidy range, ACA is not automatically the answer. There are other categories of coverage that may fit, and they work very differently. That is a conversation, not a web page.
The cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old in Michigan is $385 per month from Ambetter from Meridian, with a state median of $708. Both figures are full price before premium tax credits; most buyers pay less after subsidies.
No. Michigan exchange plans are guaranteed issue and community rated, so a real estate agent pays exactly what anyone else of the same age in the same ZIP pays. Occupation is not on the application as a rating factor.
Yes. Plan types filed for 2026: EPO, HMO, PPO.
Michigan ranks 6 of 15 states covered here, at a median $708 per month. Indiana is cheapest at $558 and Nebraska is most expensive at $875.
This page compares states. For Michigan specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — I publish that on Coverage by County, including a page written for Real Estate Agents in Michigan and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.