Health insurance cost in New Jersey
If you're moving to New Jersey without job-based coverage, here's what a Marketplace plan costs before subsidies. New Jersey ranks #16 of 51 for the lowest benchmark premium.
Monthly premium by age
| Age | Benchmark silver | Cheapest bronze |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | $426 | $353 |
| 30 | $484 | $400 |
| 40 | $545 | $451 |
| 50 | $761 | $630 |
| 60 | $1,158 | $958 |
| 64 | $1,279 | $1,058 |
Scaled from the age-40 average with the federal default age curve, which lets insurers charge a 64-year-old up to 3× what a 21-year-old pays. Excludes tobacco surcharges.
The New Jersey benchmark rose 11% for 2026, less than the 26% national increase, leaving it 13% below the U.S. average for a 40-year-old.
What is different in New Jersey
- Where to enroll
- Get Covered New Jersey
- Open enrollment for 2027
- Nov 1 – Jan 31
- Marketplace insurers, 2026
- 5
- Medicaid expansion
- Since Jan 2014
- Penalty if uninsured
- Yes, at tax time
- Average paid after credits, 2026
- $277/mo
- Where and when. New Jersey runs its own marketplace, Get Covered New Jersey, so you apply there rather than at HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027. That window closes 16 days after HealthCare.gov's.
- Choice of insurers. 5 insurers sell Marketplace plans in New Jersey for 2026, down from 6 in 2025. Not every insurer sells in every county, so your choices depend on where you live. 509,192 people picked a Marketplace plan here for 2026, down 1% from 2025.
- What enrollees paid. Enrollees here paid an average of $277 a month after tax credits for 2026, up 55% from the $179 they paid for 2025 (U.S. average: $178). Before credits, the plans they chose averaged $734.
- Medicaid. New Jersey expanded Medicaid in January 2014, when the ACA expansion took effect. Adults with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level can generally get Medicaid instead of a Marketplace plan.
- Going uninsured. New Jersey requires residents to have coverage. For 2025 the penalty for a single filer ranged from $695 to $4,908, capped at the statewide average bronze premium. In 2024, 7.7% of residents had no health insurance (U.S.: 8.2%), and 5.7% bought their own coverage.
- New Jersey Health Plan Savings. State premium help on top of federal credits for households with income up to 600% of the poverty level.
Subsidies in 2026
The enhanced premium tax credits of 2021–2025 expired, so 2026 follows the original ACA rules: credits are available for household incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, and you're expected to pay between about 2.1% and 9.96% of income for the benchmark plan. Above 400% there's no federal credit. Check your price at Get Covered New Jersey.
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance in New Jersey in 2026?
The benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old averages $545 a month before subsidies, and the cheapest bronze plan $451 (KFF analysis of CMS data). That's up 11% from 2025.
How much does health insurance cost for a 60-year-old in New Jersey?
About $1,158 a month for the benchmark silver plan before subsidies, using the federal default age curve.
Is there a penalty for not having health insurance in New Jersey?
Yes. New Jersey requires residents to have coverage. For 2025 the penalty for a single filer ranged from $695 to $4,908, capped at the statewide average bronze premium.