Medicare in Smith County by the numbers
| Smith County | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 43,372 | 4,188,063 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 17.7% | 13.7% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 53,026 | 5,048,909 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 26,534 | 2,770,279 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 50.0% | 54.9% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
Among Texas’s 254 counties, Smith County comes in 19th for residents age 65 and up (43,372). Older adults make up 17.7% of the population here; the state figure is 13.7%. Another 14,587 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 57% ages 65 to 74, 32% ages 75 to 84 and 11% age 85 and up (Census 2023). CMS data show 50.0% of Smith County residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is close to the 54.9% average across Texas. Averages cannot choose a plan for you. Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with a Medigap plan each suit different people, depending on doctors, medicines and how you prefer to handle costs, and we compare both at your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in Smith County
Smith County is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of fewer than 250,000 population. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 51,866 Medicare beneficiaries in Smith County (2023). Their average age is 74, about the same as the Texas average of 73. About 9% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, lower than the state figure of 11%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Smith County, CMS reported about 745 emergency room visits and 227 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is higher than the state average for emergency visits (580) and close to it for hospital stays (226). About 12% 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.
Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability and provider networks are set county by county, so the plans open to you in Smith County may differ from those in a neighboring county. We are not based in Smith County; we help Smith County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Smith County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in Smith County:
- Baylor Scott & White Texas Spine & Joint Hospital — Tyler (acute care; physician-owned; emergency services; CMS overall rating 5 of 5)
- CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital — Tyler (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler — Tyler (acute care; government-owned; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
- UT Health East Texas Tyler Regional Hospital — Tyler (acute care; for-profit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 2 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.
Communities and ZIP codes in Smith County
People in Smith County live in communities such as Tyler (110,327), Whitehouse (9,571), Lindale (6,923), Bullard (4,525), Hideaway (3,349), Troup (2,053) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Smith County, that means areas such as 75701, 75702, 75703, 75704, 75705, 75706, 75707, 75708, 75709, 75711, 75750, 75762, 75771, 75791 and 1 more, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about Medicare in Smith 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.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- Medicare Care Compare for hospitals and doctors.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Texas Department of Insurance: Texas’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Smith County residents
As an independent agency we are not tied to one insurer, so for Smith County residents we can compare ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap) and Part D drug plans.
Get a clear answer for Smith County
A short call is enough to compare your options. Our help is free to you.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
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- How to read your Medicare Annual Notice of Change
- Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N
Smith County compared with similar Texas counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lubbock County | 43,685 | 52.5% | 10% | Metro |
| McLennan County | 41,797 | 54.0% | 13% | Metro |
| Jefferson County | 40,050 | 59.9% | 14% | Metro |
| Bell County | 47,818 | 52.3% | 10% | Metro |
| Comal County | 36,365 | 44.9% | 5% | Metro |
| Hays County | 34,785 | 49.4% | 6% | Metro |
See every Texas county in our Texas directory or go to our Texas Medicare hub.