Cheapest States for Health Insurance (2026)
Health insurance premiums vary significantly by state due to different regulations, competition levels, and cost of living. Whether you're buying on the ACA marketplace or estimating employer plan costs, your state plays a major role in what you'll pay for healthcare.
- Oklahoma ranks #1 with the lowest cost of living at 83.
- Hawaii ranks last at 185.8 — the highest among all states.
- The top 5 states are Oklahoma, Alabama, Iowa, West Virginia, Kansas.
- The ranking basis, source limitations, and calculation method are documented in the Methodology section below.
Top 3 States
All 50 States Ranked
Lowest to highest by cost of living
| # | State | Cost of Living | Median Income | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | 83 | $66,148 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 2 | Alabama | 86 | $66,659 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 3 | Iowa | 86.1 | $75,501 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 4 | West Virginia | 87 | $60,798 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 5 | Kansas | 87.1 | $75,514 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 6 | Mississippi | 87.4 | $59,127 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 7 | Missouri | 88.2 | $71,589 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 8 | Arkansas | 89 | $62,106 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 9 | Indiana | 89.7 | $71,959 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 10 | Tennessee | 89.7 | $71,997 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 11 | Georgia | 90.1 | $79,991 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 12 | Nebraska | 90.1 | $76,376 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 13 | New Mexico | 90.2 | $67,816 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 14 | North Dakota | 90.5 | $77,871 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 15 | Texas | 90.8 | $79,721 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 16 | Louisiana | 91.3 | $60,986 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 17 | Michigan | 92.1 | $72,389 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 18 | South Carolina | 92.7 | $72,350 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 19 | Ohio | 93 | $72,212 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 20 | Minnesota | 93.4 | $87,117 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 21 | South Dakota | 93.5 | $76,881 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 22 | Kentucky | 94 | $64,526 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 23 | Wyoming | 94.4 | $75,532 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 24 | Illinois | 94.5 | $83,211 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 95.3 | $77,545 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 26 | Wisconsin | 95.7 | $77,488 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 27 | North Carolina | 96.7 | $73,958 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 28 | Utah | 98.4 | $96,658 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 29 | Virginia | 99 | $92,090 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 30 | Idaho | 99.4 | $81,166 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 31 | Delaware | 100.6 | $87,534 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 32 | Florida | 100.8 | $77,735 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 33 | Colorado | 102.7 | $97,113 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 34 | Connecticut | 103.6 | $96,049 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 35 | Nevada | 105.4 | $81,134 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 36 | Montana | 106 | $75,340 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 37 | New Hampshire | 108.5 | $99,782 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 38 | Arizona | 108.6 | $81,486 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 39 | Oregon | 110.4 | $85,220 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 40 | Rhode Island | 110.9 | $83,504 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 41 | Maine | 112.9 | $76,442 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 42 | Vermont | 113.4 | $82,730 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 43 | Washington | 115.1 | $99,389 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 44 | Maryland | 118.8 | $102,905 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 45 | New Jersey | 119.2 | $104,294 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 46 | Alaska | 124.5 | $95,665 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 47 | New York | 132.6 | $85,820 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 48 | California | 140.3 | $100,149 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 148.1 | $104,828 | Health Insurance Calculator |
| 50 | Hawaii | 185.8 | $100,745 | Health Insurance Calculator |
Methodology
How we collected and ranked the data
States are ranked by cost of living index (ascending), which closely correlates with health insurance premiums. Lower-cost states generally have lower premiums, though regulatory policies and insurer competition also affect pricing. ACA subsidies are income-based and apply equally across states. Data from HealthCare.gov, KFF, and Census Bureau.
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View all 107 state comparisonsFrequently Asked Questions
Which state has the cheapest health insurance?
States with low cost of living and competitive insurance markets tend to have the lowest premiums. States like Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma have some of the lowest baseline premiums, though subsidies can make insurance affordable in any state for qualifying incomes.
How do ACA subsidies work?
ACA premium tax credits depend on household income as a share of the federal poverty guideline. For 2026 coverage, households from 100% to 400% of the guideline can qualify (for one person $15,650 to $62,600, the 2025 guideline HealthCare.gov uses for 2026 savings); above 400% there is no credit. The credit holds what you pay for the benchmark silver plan to a share of income that rises from 2.10% below 133% of the guideline to 9.96% from 300% to 400% (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-25). These are federal rules.