How much health insurance costs for a family (2026)
The typical marketplace Silver plan for a family of four (two 40-year-old parents, children 10 and 8) costs $2,286 a month before tax credits, about 3.2 times the price for one adult.
How a family is priced
- Each person is priced by age using the state's age curve, and the prices are added up (45 CFR 147.102: fair health insurance premiums).
- Only the three oldest children under 21 are charged. More children under 21 add nothing to the premium (45 CFR 147.102: fair health insurance premiums).
- Children cost less. Under the federal default curve, used in 42 states, a child up to 14 costs 0.60× a 40-year-old (CMS: state specific age curve variations).
- New York and Vermont price families with fixed multiples of one adult's price (family tiers) instead of ages.
- The family out-of-pocket maximum is twice the individual one for nearly every plan (CMS public use files (plan year prices), as processed on our methodology page); it caps what you pay for covered in-network care in a year (HealthCare.gov glossary: Out-of-pocket maximum/limit).
Typical monthly price by household, U.S.
| Household | Typical Bronze | Typical Silver | Silver, yearly | Silver, bad year* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One adult, 40 | $548 | $715 | $8,579 | $17,479 |
| Couple, both 40 | $1,096 | $1,430 | $17,158 | $34,958 |
| Single parent, 35, and one child, 8 | $852 | $1,112 | $13,339 | $31,139 |
| Couple, 40, and one child, 8 | $1,424 | $1,858 | $22,294 | $40,094 |
| Family of four: couple, 40, children 10 and 8 | $1,752 | $2,286 | $27,429 | $45,229 |
| Family of five: couple, 40, children 12, 10 and 8 | $2,080 | $2,714 | $32,565 | $50,365 |
| Family of six: couple, 40, children 14, 12, 10 and 8 | $2,080 | $2,714 | $32,565 | $50,365 |
| Couple, both 60 | $2,328 | $3,036 | $36,438 | $54,238 |
Typical (median) U.S. price at age 40 (CMS public use files (plan year prices), as processed on our methodology page) times each household's factor under the federal default age curve. Before tax credits. * Bad year = 12 months of premium + the typical Silver out-of-pocket maximum (twice the individual amount for more than one person).
A family of four in every state
| Rank | State | One adult, 40 | Family of four | Family of four, bad year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $448 | $1,433 | $34,197 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $450 | $1,437 | $34,996 |
| 3 | Virginia | $505 | $1,615 | $37,276 |
| 4 | Idaho | $542 | $1,734 | $39,210 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $551 | $1,762 | $38,949 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $552 | $1,766 | $37,594 |
| 7 | Iowa | $559 | $1,789 | $39,265 |
| 8 | Indiana | $566 | $1,809 | $39,507 |
| 9 | Oregon | $623 | $1,864 | $40,763 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $550 | $1,866 | $40,787 |
| 11 | Arizona | $594 | $1,898 | $40,572 |
| 12 | Colorado | $614 | $1,963 | $43,152 |
| 13 | Ohio | $617 | $1,974 | $41,671 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $628 | $2,009 | $41,904 |
| 15 | South Carolina | $636 | $2,034 | $42,205 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $637 | $2,037 | $42,842 |
| 17 | Alabama | $688 | $2,060 | $42,521 |
| 18 | California | $650 | $2,079 | $44,545 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $627 | $2,095 | $43,441 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $705 | $2,112 | $45,142 |
| 21 | Illinois | $665 | $2,125 | $43,301 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $666 | $2,128 | $43,241 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $679 | $2,171 | $43,847 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $684 | $2,187 | $44,042 |
| 25 | Michigan | $685 | $2,189 | $44,065 |
| 26 | Georgia | $692 | $2,212 | $45,544 |
| 27 | Nevada | $694 | $2,220 | $43,640 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $703 | $2,248 | $45,621 |
| 29 | Utah | $732 | $2,250 | $44,797 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $718 | $2,297 | $46,965 |
| 31 | Missouri | $719 | $2,299 | $45,385 |
| 32 | Massachusetts | $749 | $2,307 | $47,983 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $734 | $2,347 | $46,768 |
| 34 | Kansas | $743 | $2,376 | $46,311 |
| 35 | Montana | $747 | $2,388 | $46,460 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $758 | $2,424 | $47,384 |
| 37 | Washington | $762 | $2,435 | $48,720 |
| 38 | Texas | $762 | $2,436 | $47,034 |
| 39 | Delaware | $762 | $2,438 | $47,053 |
| 40 | Maine | $770 | $2,461 | $46,535 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $771 | $2,464 | $47,367 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $771 | $2,466 | $47,388 |
| 43 | Florida | $789 | $2,522 | $48,064 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $828 | $2,647 | $49,570 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $862 | $2,756 | $50,877 |
| 46 | Connecticut | $864 | $2,762 | $51,938 |
| 47 | New YorkFamily tier price | $1,097 | $3,127 | $57,819 |
| 48 | Alaska | $1,039 | $3,323 | $56,872 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $1,100 | $3,517 | $61,201 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $1,108 | $3,542 | $62,200 |
| 51 | VermontFamily tier price | $1,428 | $4,012 | $63,392 |
State typical (median) Silver price at 40 times that state's household factor for two 40-year-olds and children 10 and 8. Prices vary by county; open a state and add everyone under Who needs coverage? to see every plan at your household's price.
Most families who buy a marketplace plan get a tax credit based on household income (HealthCare.gov: Lower costs on health coverage); children may qualify for Medicaid or CHIP (HealthCare.gov: Medicaid & CHIP coverage).
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance for a family of four in 2026?
About $2,286 a month for the typical marketplace Silver plan ($1,752 for Bronze), before tax credits, for two 40-year-old parents and children aged 10 and 8, using the federal default age curve that 42 states use. By state it ranges from $1,433 in Maryland to $4,012 in Vermont.
Do children cost less than adults?
Yes. Under the federal default age curve a child up to 14 costs 0.60 times the price for a 40-year-old ($428 a month for the typical Silver plan), rising to 0.76 times ($543) at 20.
How many children are charged?
Only the three oldest children under 21 are charged (45 CFR 147.102). A family with four or more children under 21 pays the same as with three, which is why the family of six above pays the same as the family of five.
What is the family out-of-pocket maximum?
For nearly every plan it is twice the individual maximum: the typical Silver plan's in-network maximum is $8,900 for one person and $17,800 for a family (CMS plan data). It is the most you pay in a year for covered in-network care, not counting premiums (HealthCare.gov).
Can children get coverage another way?
Children may qualify for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which offers free or low-cost coverage to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid (HealthCare.gov).