About 209,777 of the 785,748 people under 65 in Hidalgo County had no coverage at all in 2024 — 26.7%, against a Texas average of 19.1%. A gap of 7.6 points is large, and it is the 11th highest of the 254 counties in Texas. Local uninsured rates this far above a state average almost always trace back to the mix of employers rather than to the plans for sale, which are the same ones sold across the rating area.
Hidalgo County against Texas, and against the counties we cover
| Hidalgo County | Texas | Covered counties | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uninsured, under 65 | 26.7% | 19.1% | 13.0% |
| Marketplace enrollees per 1,000 | 268 | — | 127 |
| Insurers selling here | 5 | 6 (median) | 5 |
| Individual plans offered | 78 | — | 84 |
State uninsured rate from the Census SAHIE series; the final column is the median across the 104 counties covered on this site. Enrollment density is CMS plan selections per 1,000 under-65 residents.
What you can actually buy here
5 insurers sell into Hidalgo County. At that number the market is competitive without being bewildering. Networks still differ sharply between carriers — more sharply than the monthly prices do — which is the opposite of how most people shop. Between them they offer 78 plans, about 16 for each insurer, which is a normal-sized list to work through once you know which network you need. The count is unchanged from last year, so the networks you compared previously still stand.
210,638 people in Hidalgo County bought their own coverage for 2026 — 268 for every thousand under-65 residents. That is heavy reliance on the individual market by any standard, and it usually reflects an economy built on small employers, seasonal work or self-employment rather than large firms with benefits departments. Only 28,089 were new consumers against 182,549 renewals — a 13% new share. A settled, returning population like that means the plans on offer have been chosen by the same people repeatedly, which is a reasonable signal that the networks hold up.
Nearest counties on coverage
The counties we cover in Texas whose uninsured rate sits closest to Hidalgo County. Worth a look if you are comparing across a county line or moving.
| County | Uninsured | Insurers | Enrollees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron County | 26.6% | 5 | 78,862 |
| Webb County | 26.2% | 3 | 51,727 |
| Ector County | 24.4% | 4 | 36,589 |
| Dallas County | 24.2% | 10 | 452,075 |
| El Paso County | 23.7% | 7 | 135,308 |
| Harris County | 22.8% | 9 | 731,300 |
Everything that applies in Texas · How COBRA works · Work out your COBRA premium · After a job ends
Common questions
How many people are uninsured in Hidalgo County?
About 209,777 people under 65, out of 785,748 in that age group — 26.7%, the 11th highest of the 254 counties in Texas. The Texas average is 19.1%. Census Bureau estimates for 2024, the most recent published.
How many health insurers sell in Hidalgo County?
5 insurers offer individual marketplace plans in Hidalgo County for 2026, unchanged from the year before, and between them they sell 78 individual medical plans. The median across the counties covered on this site is 5 insurers and 84 plans.
How many people in Hidalgo County buy marketplace coverage?
210,638 plan selections for 2026 — 28,089 new consumers and 182,549 renewals. That works out at 268 per thousand under-65 residents, against a median of 127 across the counties covered here. New consumers are the group most likely to have lost a job during the year.
Talk it through with a licensed agent
Which option is right depends on your state, your income and which doctors you need to keep. A licensed agent can walk through it with you in about eight minutes.
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Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, 2024 (released August 2026)
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026 Marketplace Open Enrollment County-Level Public Use File
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026 Service Area Public Use File
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2026 Plan Attributes Public Use File
- U.S. Department of Labor, FAQs on COBRA Continuation Health Coverage for Workers