The percentage of people under 65 who are not covered by some form of health insurance, including public sources of health insurance like Medicaid and Medicare.
Health insurance is critical to families' and individuals' access to care, financial security, and peace of mind. Those without insurance may delay needed care and forgo preventive care altogether, which can lead to medical problems that are more serious and expensive to treat. Financial ruin can result if an uninsured family must cope with a major illness or injury. Insurance allows the often-high cost of health services to be spread over many years.
In 2023, about 23,200, or 4%, of Essex County residents under age 65 lacked health insurance. Essex is similar to the state rate (3%) and under the national rate of 9%. Essex's rate has dipped slightly from a high of 6% in 2010, similar to changes in the state rate. The national rate fell more, dropping from a high of 18% in 2010.
The low rates of uninsured in Massachusetts reflect the 2006 adoption of a state mandate to carry health insurance, which pre-dated and served as a model for the national Affordable Care Act.
Lake, IL and Westchester, NY had higher uninsured rates than Essex in 2023, at 7% and 5%, respectively. Middlesex had the lowest rate at 2%. Rates since 2010 declined in all comparison counties, with Westchester and Lake seeing the largest declines of 7 and 6 percentage respectively.
Figures are for individuals under 65. Data from before 2008 is not comparable due to a change in the national survey used to collect the information.
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County, IL | 12% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 10% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 7% |
| Massachusetts | 4% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Essex County, MA | 5% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Middlesex County, MA | 4% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Westchester County, NY | 12% | 12% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 5% |
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County, IL | 73,295 | 74,220 | 79,658 | 74,500 | 73,174 | 76,792 | 59,635 | 48,591 | 43,171 | 42,349 | 43,398 | 47,402 | 41,283 | 45,439 | 42,691 | 39,466 |
| Massachusetts | 240,442 | 269,241 | 281,724 | 267,661 | 246,614 | 238,392 | 208,262 | 180,139 | 165,417 | 182,389 | 182,533 | 195,726 | 174,212 | 162,727 | 159,325 | 167,302 |
| Essex County, MA | 28,359 | 30,643 | 34,862 | 34,271 | 30,662 | 30,267 | 25,423 | 21,939 | 21,253 | 24,329 | 24,519 | 24,645 | 22,770 | 20,485 | 22,514 | 23,182 |
| Middlesex County, MA | 46,587 | 58,629 | 57,135 | 56,751 | 51,888 | 51,171 | 41,504 | 38,311 | 35,016 | 39,769 | 36,691 | 41,317 | 38,428 | 31,725 | 31,210 | 31,838 |
| Westchester County, NY | 95,196 | 96,861 | 100,338 | 96,658 | 97,487 | 94,603 | 81,967 | 66,058 | 61,342 | 55,634 | 45,723 | 45,099 | 44,051 | 48,089 | 42,115 | 43,003 |
