ICHRA savings in New Jersey
7 New Jersey counties price individual coverage below small group. Employers there save up to $289 per employee per year.
Last updated: August 16, 2026 · plan-year 2026, lowest-cost silver (age 50), same year both markets.
Top New Jersey counties by savings
Monthly benchmark premiums: individual vs small group, 2026 plan year.
| County | Individual /mo | Small group /mo | You save | Annual / employee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunterdon County | $686 | $710 | 3.4% | $289 |
| Atlantic County | $686 | $705 | 2.7% | $229 |
| Cape May County | $686 | $705 | 2.7% | $229 |
| Cumberland County | $686 | $705 | 2.7% | $229 |
| Gloucester County | $686 | $705 | 2.7% | $229 |
| Ocean County | $686 | $705 | 2.7% | $229 |
| Salem County | $686 | $705 | 2.7% | $229 |
The New Jersey picture
We'll be candid about New Jersey: on 2026 silver-plan data, the numbers don't make a savings argument. Seven counties qualify, the widest estimated gap — Hunterdon County — is roughly $24 per employee per month, about 3.4%, and no county approaches $200. New Jersey's individual and small-group markets simply price near parity this plan year. Separately, insurers have filed a proposed average individual-market increase of 20.4% for 2027; that figure is context for what's ahead, and it does not appear in any savings estimate on this site.
A New Jersey employer being pitched five-figure ICHRA savings should ask which county data supports it, because ours doesn't: even Hunterdon County's estimated $24 monthly gap is closer to a coffee budget than a benefits strategy, and the other six qualifying counties show less. Where an ICHRA can still earn its keep here is as a first benefit for a small firm that has never offered coverage, or as a fixed-budget structure for a company whose group renewals have grown erratic. The savings case, on 2026 numbers, is not the reason to do it.
New Jersey ICHRA FAQs
How much can employers save with an ICHRA in New Jersey?
Across 7 qualifying New Jersey counties, the 2026 gap between small-group and individual silver coverage averages 3% — up to $289 per employee per year in the strongest county. Figures are plan-year-2026 estimates (lowest-cost silver, age 50, same year both markets), not quotes.
Which New Jersey county has the biggest ICHRA savings?
Hunterdon County currently shows the widest 2026 spread in New Jersey: individual $686/mo vs small group $710/mo — about 3.4% ($289/employee/year, estimated).
Does every New Jersey county qualify for ICHRA savings?
No. Only counties where the individual market prices below small group make the list — 7 in New Jersey for plan year 2026. In other counties a savings-driven ICHRA usually is not the right move, and an analysis will say so.
Where does this New Jersey data come from?
Individual-market premiums come from the CMS Marketplace Public Use Files and small-group benchmarks from Ideon — lowest-cost silver plan, age 50, same county and same plan year (2026) on both sides.
Are ICHRA savings basically zero for New Jersey employers right now?
On plan-year-2026 data, the estimated gaps are close to it — Hunterdon County leads the state at about $24 per employee per month, and only 7 counties qualify at all. So an ICHRA adopted in New Jersey today is rarely a savings play; it's a structure play, useful for capping a health budget or offering coverage without administering a group plan. It's also worth rechecking annually: insurers filed a proposed 20.4% individual-market increase for 2027, and each new plan year resets the comparison in ways no one should predict in advance.
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