Medicare in Wharton County by the numbers
| Wharton County | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 7,745 | 4,188,063 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 18.6% | 13.7% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 9,338 | 5,048,909 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 4,480 | 2,770,279 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 48.0% | 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, Wharton County comes in 78th for residents age 65 and up (7,745). Older adults make up 18.6% of the population here; the state figure is 13.7%. About 2,592 more people are 60 to 64 and are heading toward Medicare; our turning 65 guide explains their first steps. By age, the 65-and-older group splits 58% ages 65 to 74, 30% ages 75 to 84 and 12% age 85 and up (Census 2023). CMS data show 48.0% of Wharton County residents with Medicare chose Medicare Advantage, which is lower than 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 Wharton County
The USDA classifies Wharton County as: urban population of 20,000 or more, adjacent to a metro area. In counties of this type, people often travel to a larger neighboring county for specialists, so we check whether your plan’s network reaches there.
CMS counts 9,379 Medicare beneficiaries in Wharton County (2023). Their average age is 74, 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 Wharton County, CMS reported about 691 emergency room visits and 270 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is higher than the state average for emergency visits (580) and higher than 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.
Insurers choose which counties to serve each year, which means the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can pick in Wharton County can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in Wharton County; we help Wharton County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Wharton County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Wharton County:
- El Campo Memorial Hospital — El Campo (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
Network rules, not geography, decide whether a plan covers a hospital. We look up the hospitals and doctors you use and check them against each plan 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 Wharton County
People in Wharton County live in communities such as El Campo (12,062), Wharton (8,742), East Bernard (2,240) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
ZIP codes that fall mostly inside Wharton County include 77420, 77432, 77435, 77436, 77437, 77443, 77448, 77453, 77454, 77455, 77467, 77488. Plan availability can change by ZIP code, so have yours ready when we compare plans.
Questions about Medicare in Wharton 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 Wharton County residents
Here is what we can help Wharton County residents with, drawing on plans from many insurers: final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance and life insurance.
Get a clear answer for Wharton County
A short call is enough to compare your options. Our help is free to you.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap: how to choose
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained
- What Medicare Part D actually costs
- Can I change my Medicare plan after December 7?
Wharton County compared with similar Texas counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill County | 7,760 | 55.6% | 11% | Smaller city/town |
| Starr County | 7,412 | 84.2% | 58% | Smaller city/town |
| Brown County | 8,211 | 39.7% | 16% | Smaller city/town |
| Hopkins County | 7,216 | 45.6% | 11% | Smaller city/town |
| Jasper County | 6,982 | 51.8% | 13% | Smaller city/town |
| Llano County | 8,515 | 46.8% | 5% | Smaller city/town |
See every Texas county in our Texas directory or go to our Texas Medicare hub.