Medicare in McLennan County by the numbers
| McLennan County | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 41,797 | 4,188,063 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 15.6% | 13.7% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 50,667 | 5,048,909 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 27,342 | 2,770,279 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 54.0% | 54.9% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
McLennan County ranks 20th of 254 Texas counties by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 41,797 people in that age group, or 15.6% of residents (statewide: 13.7%). Another 14,578 residents are age 60 to 64 and will reach Medicare eligibility within about five years (see our turning 65 guide). By age, the 65-and-older group splits 58% ages 65 to 74, 31% ages 75 to 84 and 12% age 85 and up (Census 2023). CMS data show 54.0% of McLennan County residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is close to the 54.9% average across Texas. A county average does not tell you which kind of plan fits you. Whether Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare with a Medigap plan is the better fit depends on your doctors, your prescriptions and how you want to handle costs, so we compare both for your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in McLennan County
McLennan County sits in a metro area, which the USDA defines as counties in metro areas of 250,000 to 1 million population. That usually means more doctors, more hospitals and more plan choices in the area.
CMS counts 49,997 Medicare beneficiaries in McLennan County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the Texas average of 73. About 13% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, close to the state figure of 11%.
Among people in Original Medicare in McLennan County, CMS reported about 518 emergency room visits and 223 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (580) and close to it for hospital stays (226). About 8% received home health care. These figures describe how people use care under Original Medicare; they do not show what any plan covers or costs.
Sources: CMS Medicare Geographic Variation, 2023; USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023.
Insurers choose which counties to serve each year, which means the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can pick in McLennan County can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in McLennan County; we help McLennan County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in McLennan County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in McLennan County:
- Ascension Providence — Waco (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 2 of 5)
- Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Hillcrest — Waco (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
A hospital being in the county does not mean every plan covers it. Medicare Advantage networks differ by plan, so we check the hospitals and doctors you actually use before you enroll. Ratings are CMS Care Compare overall hospital star ratings; they describe the hospital, not whether a plan covers it. Source: CMS Hospital General Information.
McLennan County: communities and ZIP codes
People in McLennan County live in communities such as Waco (144,816), Hewitt (16,691), Robinson (12,987), Bellmead (10,620), Woodway (9,680), Lacy-Lakeview (7,309) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
ZIP codes that fall mostly inside McLennan County include 76624, 76630, 76633, 76638, 76640, 76643, 76654, 76655, 76657, 76691, 76701, 76704, 76705, 76706 and 6 more. Plan availability can change by ZIP code, so have yours ready when we compare plans.
Questions about Medicare in McLennan County?
Reach out to us: fill out our short form or call (571) 354-0146, and a licensed agent will compare the plans available to you, check your doctors and drugs, and stay with you each year at renewal. For general Medicare information, the federal helpline is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare resources from official sources
- Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, searchable by ZIP code.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Medicare.gov: Medigap on how Medicare Supplement works.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- Texas Department of Insurance: Texas’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer McLennan County residents
As an independent agency we are not tied to one insurer, so for McLennan County residents we can compare life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA and group health insurance.
Let’s check your McLennan County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- What happens if you do nothing during open enrollment?
- Can I change my Medicare plan after December 7?
- Why a Medicare Advantage plan drops a doctor or drug
- Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N
McLennan County compared with similar Texas counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith County | 43,372 | 50.0% | 9% | Metro |
| Jefferson County | 40,050 | 59.9% | 14% | Metro |
| Lubbock County | 43,685 | 52.5% | 10% | Metro |
| Comal County | 36,365 | 44.9% | 5% | Metro |
| Bell County | 47,818 | 52.3% | 10% | Metro |
| Hays County | 34,785 | 49.4% | 6% | Metro |
See every Texas county in our Texas directory or go to our Texas Medicare hub.