Health insurance in California
California runs its own marketplace with its own calendar — enrollment closes January 31, 2027, not the federal date. 1,173,956 uninsured residents here earn in the subsidy range.
Source: US Census Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, 2024 release.
Who is uninsured in California
2,247,123 people under 65 in California have no health coverage — 6.9% of the under-65 population, 38th highest of the 51 states and DC. 1,173,956 of them — 52% — sit inside the premium tax credit range, one of the largest such populations in the country.
568,337 uninsured California residents (25% of the total) earn under $22,025. California expanded Medicaid, so that group mostly qualifies for it instead — and it enrolls year-round.
Where California residents enroll, and by when
California does not use HealthCare.gov. It runs Covered California at coveredca.com, and sets its own enrollment dates — which are not always the federal ones. Applying at HealthCare.gov will redirect you.
Open Enrollment for California: November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027.
Checked 2026-09-01. 2027 dates moved nationally after a court ruling — what changed and why.
How enrollment works · If you missed the window
The 36 largest counties in California
By under-65 population — 98% of California's under-65 residents, from 58 counties with published estimates.
| County | Under 65 | Uninsured | In subsidy range | Share | Uninsured 50–64 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 8,039,276 | 8.3% | 356,242 | 53% | 8.4% |
| San Diego County | 2,698,175 | 6.5% | 89,322 | 51% | 6.1% |
| Orange County | 2,590,631 | 6.6% | 86,773 | 51% | 6.4% |
| Riverside County | 2,090,604 | 8.0% | 92,406 | 55% | 7.8% |
| San Bernardino County | 1,877,099 | 8.1% | 83,920 | 55% | 8.7% |
| Santa Clara County | 1,595,535 | 4.4% | 33,664 | 48% | 4.3% |
| Alameda County | 1,359,474 | 4.6% | 29,855 | 47% | 3.9% |
| Sacramento County | 1,346,482 | 5.5% | 37,915 | 51% | 4.3% |
| Contra Costa County | 964,496 | 5.0% | 22,936 | 47% | 4.2% |
| Fresno County | 865,595 | 7.5% | 34,118 | 53% | 7.2% |
| Kern County | 783,175 | 8.6% | 34,624 | 51% | 8.4% |
| San Joaquin County | 691,178 | 7.7% | 28,595 | 54% | 6.1% |
| Ventura County | 678,256 | 7.0% | 24,877 | 53% | 5.9% |
| San Francisco County | 668,436 | 4.0% | 11,823 | 44% | 3.7% |
| San Mateo County | 603,170 | 4.4% | 12,908 | 49% | 3.6% |
| Stanislaus County | 474,365 | 6.6% | 17,361 | 56% | 6.4% |
| Tulare County | 416,823 | 8.6% | 19,558 | 55% | 10.0% |
| Sonoma County | 374,101 | 6.0% | 11,808 | 53% | 4.2% |
| Solano County | 366,455 | 5.4% | 9,850 | 50% | 5.0% |
| Santa Barbara County | 352,656 | 8.7% | 15,695 | 51% | 7.5% |
| Monterey County | 352,397 | 9.3% | 18,311 | 56% | 7.3% |
| Placer County | 346,372 | 3.7% | 5,942 | 47% | 2.8% |
| Merced County | 252,216 | 8.5% | 11,931 | 56% | 9.5% |
| San Luis Obispo County | 205,683 | 6.0% | 6,022 | 49% | 5.3% |
| Santa Cruz County | 201,455 | 6.1% | 6,092 | 50% | 5.1% |
| Marin County | 191,015 | 5.0% | 4,448 | 47% | 3.6% |
| Yolo County | 183,183 | 5.4% | 4,682 | 48% | 3.9% |
| Butte County | 167,510 | 6.3% | 5,148 | 49% | 5.1% |
| Imperial County | 146,618 | 7.7% | 5,922 | 53% | 8.3% |
| El Dorado County | 146,197 | 4.4% | 2,987 | 47% | 3.8% |
| Shasta County | 141,275 | 6.0% | 4,371 | 52% | 6.9% |
| Madera County | 133,776 | 9.5% | 6,652 | 52% | 9.0% |
| Kings County | 121,238 | 8.0% | 5,374 | 55% | 7.8% |
| Humboldt County | 102,898 | 5.9% | 3,064 | 50% | 5.2% |
| Napa County | 102,489 | 7.0% | 3,772 | 53% | 4.8% |
| Sutter County | 81,279 | 8.0% | 3,527 | 54% | 6.7% |
Source: US Census Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, 2024 release. "In subsidy range" counts uninsured under-65 residents earning 138–400% of the federal poverty level.