Benchmark $662/mo · ranked 18 of 23 · median wage $46,630
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in Mississippi is $662 a month for 2026, ranking 18 of 23 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $46,630 for Tree Trimmers and Pruners in Mississippi.
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 Tree Trimmers and Pruners (SOC 37-3013) in Mississippi. 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 tree service 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 | $45,710 | below |
| 2 | Virginia | $455 | $49,090 | below |
| 3 | Indiana | $474 | $46,280 | below |
| 4 | Nevada | $497 | $49,680 | below |
| 5 | Ohio | $513 | $47,800 | below |
| 6 | Michigan | $523 | $48,070 | below |
| 7 | Colorado | $557 | $49,920 | below |
| 8 | South Carolina | $564 | $48,240 | below |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $604 | $44,500 | below |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $611 | $48,510 | below |
| 11 | Georgia | $615 | $41,730 | below |
| 12 | North Carolina | $638 | $44,740 | below |
| 13 | Utah | $640 | $53,900 | below |
| 14 | Alabama | $645 | $39,600 | below |
| 15 | Illinois | $646 | $64,550 | above |
| 16 | South Dakota | $655 | $49,430 | below |
| 17 | Texas | $661 | $40,030 | below |
| 18 | Mississippi | $662 | $46,630 | below |
| 19 | Kansas | $670 | $44,640 | below |
| 20 | Florida | $683 | $49,490 | below |
| 21 | Nebraska | $710 | $37,220 | below |
| 22 | Tennessee | $711 | $45,890 | below |
| 23 | Arkansas | $774 | $37,830 | below |
This page compares states. For Mississippi 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.
← Tree Service Contractors in all states · All trades · All occupations
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.
The biggest change here is two carriers walking away. Cigna and Molina leave Mississippi’s individual market on January 1, 2027 — two of the 5 carriers writing in Mississippi today. Every tree service contractor on a Cigna or Molina plan is moving, and doing nothing just means the marketplace chooses the replacement.
Rate filings for 2027 point to roughly a 15% median increase nationally, from −1% at one end to 54% at the other. Mississippi has not finalised, so treat exact local 2027 pricing as unavailable rather than unknown.
The window opens November 1, 2026, and December 15 is the date worth writing down — it is what secures January 1 cover in Mississippi 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.
There is still no PPO on the Mississippi marketplace — not in any of its 82 counties. Every plan is an EPO or HMO, which for a tree service contractor working across a wide area is the binding constraint, not price.
If you are with Cigna or Molina, you already know you are changing plans — both are 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:
Most Tree Service 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 Mississippi.
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