Uninsured Rate Holds at 7.9% — But a Subsidy Cliff Looms

The Census Bureau's annual report shows 26.7 million people — 7.9% of the U.S. population — went without health insurance at some point in 2025, essentially flat from 8.0% in 2024 and near historic lows.

The same release brought genuinely good economic news: median household income rose 2.6% in inflation-adjusted terms to $87,460, and the official poverty rate fell to 10.2%, the lowest since tracking began.

But health policy analysts are treating 2025 as the calm before a shift. The enhanced marketplace premium tax credits that made coverage dramatically cheaper since 2021 are expiring, and the Congressional Budget Office projects that more than 14 million additional people could be uninsured by 2034 as a result of subsidy expiration and Medicaid changes combined.

The practical takeaway: if you or your family rely on marketplace coverage, this is the year to review your plan, check what subsidies you still qualify for, and avoid any gap in coverage. Even a short uninsured stretch can turn a routine injury into a five-figure bill. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau CPS ASEC; KFF; Congressional Budget Office.