Texas leads nation with highest rate of uninsured residents

DALLAS (KDAF) — Nearly 1 in 5 Texans lack health insurance, making it the highest uninsured rate in the nation, according to a new report by ValuePenguin by LendingTree.

The report reveals that 5.1 million Texas residents, or 17.4% of the state’s population, are uninsured, which is double the national average of 8.6%. Additionally, Texas accounts for 18.1% of all uninsured Americans.

The analysis highlights that 70% of Texas’ uninsured population is employed but unable to afford the average cost of $7,391 per year for family health coverage through their employer.

The report also points out significant disparities among different demographics. For instance, 34.5% of Texas’ foreign-born population is uninsured, compared to 13.8% of native-born Texans.

Children in Texas are also affected, with 11.8% lacking health insurance, which is more than double the national uninsured rate for children at 5.4%.

Certain metropolitan areas in Texas have particularly high uninsured rates, with McAllen at 29%, Laredo at 28.4%, and Brownsville at 26.7%.

The high rate of uninsured Texans highlights significant challenges in accessing affordable health care, particularly among employed individuals and specific demographic groups.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by CW33. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by CW33 staff before being published.