As open enrollment nears, Census data show about 3 in 10 landscapers and more than 1 in 4 maids and housekeepers have no health coverage at all.
About 31% of employed landscapers and groundskeepers in the U.S. had no health insurance of any kind in 2024, according to Census Bureau survey data. For maids and housekeepers, it was about 27%. Both are far above the roughly 10% of all working adults aged 19 to 64 who were uninsured.
Here’s how seven hands-on trades compare (90% margin of error in parentheses):
- Landscapers and groundskeepers: 30.8% (±1.2)
- Maids and housekeepers: 26.7% (±0.9)
- Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters: 16.1% (±1.1)
- Janitors and building cleaners: 15.7% (±0.5)
- HVAC mechanics and installers: 13.6% (±1.1)
- Electricians: 12.6% (±0.8)
- Child care workers: 11.4% (±0.8)
Uninsured here means no coverage at all on the day of the survey: no job-based plan, no plan bought on your own, no Medicaid, Medicare or military coverage.
Texas stands out
Among states with enough survey responses, Texas had the highest uninsured rate for six of the seven jobs, including 35% of plumbers (±4), 29% of electricians (±4) and 48% of maids and housekeepers (±3). For landscapers, about half in Texas (51%, ±4) were uninsured. Nevada was a bit higher (55%), but its sample is small, and Texas, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado are statistically tied. Massachusetts was at or near the bottom for most trades. State figures come from smaller samples, so treat them as rough.
Why this matters now
Open enrollment for 2027 Marketplace plans starts November 1 on HealthCare.gov. Insurers proposed a median premium increase of about 15% for 2027, according to a KFF analysis of rate filings. That’s the market where many self-employed people shop for coverage.
What this means if you run a crew or work for yourself
Business insurance and health insurance are different things. A general liability policy protects you if a job damages a client’s property; it doesn’t pay your doctor bills. If you run a lawn crew, see what landscaping insurance in Pennsylvania typically costs, and if you clean homes or offices, see cleaning business insurance in Florida. Then price a health plan separately during open enrollment.
How we got these numbers
We counted employed civilians (working or with a job but not at work) in each occupation in the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey public use microdata (PUMS), using person weights. Margins of error are 90% intervals from the survey’s 80 replicate weights. Occupation codes: 4251, 4230, 4220, 6442, 7315, 6355 and 4600. Workers include employees and the self-employed. The all-worker comparison (ages 19 to 64) comes from ACS table B27011, so its age range differs slightly. State results are shown only where at least 80 workers were surveyed. The 2025 survey comes out October 29, 2026. Data pulled October 17, 2026.