By law, SNAP’s gross monthly income limit is 130% of the poverty level for the household size, and its net limit is 100%. USDA
Federal law lets a state’s LIHEAP program serve households with incomes up to 150% of the poverty level or 60% of the state median income, whichever is greater. U.S. Code
A household qualifies for Lifeline with income at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, or if someone takes part in a qualifying program. FCC
HRSA-funded health centers give a full discount to patients with annual incomes at or below 100% of the poverty guidelines, though they may charge a nominal fee. Health centers give partial discounts, in at least three steps, for incomes above 100% and up to 200% of the poverty guidelines, and no discount above 200%. HHS
Benefit Income Limit Calculator
Enter a household size and pick a state or territory to see each program’s federal income limit in dollars, from USDA, HHS and FCC tables. These are federal limits: states and programs also apply other tests, such as assets, deductions and work rules, and each result lists them. In the territories, some programs work differently, and the result says how.
How to answer this
The right number can differ by program, because each counts the household its own way (below). Roommates who share rent but buy and cook separately are each a one-person household for SNAP, but LIHEAP or Lifeline may count them together. This lookup uses the number entered for every program, so run it once for each count if they differ.
- SNAP: everyone who lives together and buys and prepares meals together is one household, so roommates who buy and cook separately are separate households; spouses and most children under 22 count together even if they eat separately. USDA
- LIHEAP: a household is any person or group of people living together as one economic unit who buy residential energy in common or pay for it through rent. ACF
- Lifeline: a household is everyone living together at the same address as one economic unit, meaning all the adults who contribute to and share in its income and expenses, so roommates count together only if they share income and expenses. FCC
- Health centers: the discount depends only on income and family size, using each center’s own definitions of income and family. HHS
How this lookup works:
- By law, SNAP’s gross monthly income limit is 130% of the poverty level for the household size, and its net limit is 100%. USDA
- These SNAP limits apply from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027, under USDA’s Aug. 21, 2026, cost-of-living memo. USDA
- Before Oct. 1, 2026, USDA’s fiscal 2026 limits apply (Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026). USDA
- LIHEAP programs that base income limits on the poverty guidelines must use the 2026 guidelines for their fiscal 2027 programs, and programs must adopt ACF’s new state median income estimates by Oct. 1, 2026, or the start of their own fiscal year, whichever is later. ACF
- The state median income limit starts from 60% of the median for a four-person family and is scaled by household size, from 52% of that figure for one person to 150% for 12. ACF
- For more than 12 people, each extra person adds 3 percentage points to the 12-person scale of 150%. ACF
- USAC’s Lifeline income table uses the 2026 federal poverty guidelines and depends on household size and state. USAC Lifeline
- The 2026 poverty guideline is $15,960 for one person in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., and households of more than eight add $5,680 for each additional person. HHS
See the income limits for households of one to eight
Scroll sideways to see every column.
| Household size | 2026 poverty guideline, a year | SNAP gross income limit, a month, Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2027 | SNAP net income limit, a month, Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2027 | Lifeline limit, a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | $1,729 | $1,330 | $21,546 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $2,345 | $1,804 | $29,214 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $2,960 | $2,277 | $36,882 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $3,575 | $2,750 | $44,550 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $4,191 | $3,224 | $52,218 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $4,806 | $3,697 | $59,886 |
| 7 | $50,040 | $5,421 | $4,170 | $67,554 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $6,037 | $4,644 | $75,222 |
In SNAP, a household with a member who is elderly or disabled has to meet only the net income limit. USDA
In SNAP, a person is elderly at 60 or older. USDA
In SNAP, a person is disabled if they receive federal disability or blindness payments under the Social Security Act (such as SSI or Social Security disability), state disability or blindness payments based on SSI rules, or a government disability retirement benefit for a permanent disability; are a veteran who is totally disabled, permanently homebound or in need of regular aid and attendance; or receive certain railroad retirement annuities. USDA
SNAP also counts as disabled a person who receives interim assistance while waiting for SSI, Medicaid based on disability, or disability-based state general assistance, when the state’s disability criteria are at least as strict as SSI’s; and certain surviving spouses and children of veterans whom the VA considers housebound, in need of aid and attendance or permanently disabled. 7 CFR 271.2
LIHEAP limits for energy bills vary by state; the lookup above gives them.
| Household size | 2026 poverty guideline, a year | SNAP gross income limit, a month, Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2027 | SNAP net income limit, a month, Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2027 | Lifeline limit, a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $19,950 | $2,162 | $1,663 | $26,933 |
| 2 | $27,050 | $2,931 | $2,255 | $36,518 |
| 3 | $34,150 | $3,700 | $2,846 | $46,103 |
| 4 | $41,250 | $4,469 | $3,438 | $55,688 |
| 5 | $48,350 | $5,238 | $4,030 | $65,273 |
| 6 | $55,450 | $6,008 | $4,621 | $74,858 |
| 7 | $62,550 | $6,777 | $5,213 | $84,443 |
| 8 | $69,650 | $7,546 | $5,805 | $94,028 |
In SNAP, a household with a member who is elderly or disabled has to meet only the net income limit. USDA
In SNAP, a person is elderly at 60 or older. USDA
In SNAP, a person is disabled if they receive federal disability or blindness payments under the Social Security Act (such as SSI or Social Security disability), state disability or blindness payments based on SSI rules, or a government disability retirement benefit for a permanent disability; are a veteran who is totally disabled, permanently homebound or in need of regular aid and attendance; or receive certain railroad retirement annuities. USDA
SNAP also counts as disabled a person who receives interim assistance while waiting for SSI, Medicaid based on disability, or disability-based state general assistance, when the state’s disability criteria are at least as strict as SSI’s; and certain surviving spouses and children of veterans whom the VA considers housebound, in need of aid and attendance or permanently disabled. 7 CFR 271.2
LIHEAP limits for energy bills vary by state; the lookup above gives them.
| Household size | 2026 poverty guideline, a year | SNAP gross income limit, a month, Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2027 | SNAP net income limit, a month, Oct. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2027 | Lifeline limit, a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18,360 | $1,989 | $1,530 | $24,786 |
| 2 | $24,890 | $2,697 | $2,075 | $33,602 |
| 3 | $31,420 | $3,404 | $2,619 | $42,417 |
| 4 | $37,950 | $4,112 | $3,163 | $51,233 |
| 5 | $44,480 | $4,819 | $3,707 | $60,048 |
| 6 | $51,010 | $5,527 | $4,251 | $68,864 |
| 7 | $57,540 | $6,234 | $4,795 | $77,679 |
| 8 | $64,070 | $6,941 | $5,340 | $86,495 |
In SNAP, a household with a member who is elderly or disabled has to meet only the net income limit. USDA
In SNAP, a person is elderly at 60 or older. USDA
In SNAP, a person is disabled if they receive federal disability or blindness payments under the Social Security Act (such as SSI or Social Security disability), state disability or blindness payments based on SSI rules, or a government disability retirement benefit for a permanent disability; are a veteran who is totally disabled, permanently homebound or in need of regular aid and attendance; or receive certain railroad retirement annuities. USDA
SNAP also counts as disabled a person who receives interim assistance while waiting for SSI, Medicaid based on disability, or disability-based state general assistance, when the state’s disability criteria are at least as strict as SSI’s; and certain surviving spouses and children of veterans whom the VA considers housebound, in need of aid and attendance or permanently disabled. 7 CFR 271.2
LIHEAP limits for energy bills vary by state; the lookup above gives them.
Each table links to its official sources, last checked September 24, 2026.
How the Lookup Works
- By law, SNAP’s gross monthly income limit is 130% of the poverty level for the household size, and its net limit is 100%. USDA
- These SNAP limits apply from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027, under USDA’s Aug. 21, 2026, cost-of-living memo. USDA
- Before Oct. 1, 2026, USDA’s fiscal 2026 limits apply (Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026). USDA
- LIHEAP programs that base income limits on the poverty guidelines must use the 2026 guidelines for their fiscal 2027 programs, and programs must adopt ACF’s new state median income estimates by Oct. 1, 2026, or the start of their own fiscal year, whichever is later. ACF
- The state median income limit starts from 60% of the median for a four-person family and is scaled by household size, from 52% of that figure for one person to 150% for 12. ACF
- For more than 12 people, each extra person adds 3 percentage points to the 12-person scale of 150%. ACF
- USAC’s Lifeline income table uses the 2026 federal poverty guidelines and depends on household size and state. USAC Lifeline
- The 2026 poverty guideline is $15,960 for one person in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., and households of more than eight add $5,680 for each additional person. HHS
SNAP Income Limits
- In most cases, a household must meet both the gross and the net income limit to get SNAP. USDA
- Gross income is the household’s total countable income before any deductions. USDA
- Net income is gross income minus the deductions SNAP allows. USDA
- In SNAP, a household with a member who is elderly or disabled has to meet only the net income limit. USDA
- In SNAP, a person is elderly at 60 or older. USDA
- In SNAP, a person is disabled if they receive federal disability or blindness payments under the Social Security Act (such as SSI or Social Security disability), state disability or blindness payments based on SSI rules, or a government disability retirement benefit for a permanent disability; are a veteran who is totally disabled, permanently homebound or in need of regular aid and attendance; or receive certain railroad retirement annuities. USDA
- SNAP also counts as disabled a person who receives interim assistance while waiting for SSI, Medicaid based on disability, or disability-based state general assistance, when the state’s disability criteria are at least as strict as SSI’s; and certain surviving spouses and children of veterans whom the VA considers housebound, in need of aid and attendance or permanently disabled. 7 CFR 271.2
- SNAP: a household in which everyone receives TANF, SSI or, in some places, general assistance may be “categorically eligible.” USDA
- Most states use broad-based categorical eligibility, which lets them line up SNAP’s income and asset limits with their TANF-funded programs, so a state’s SNAP limit can be higher than the federal figure. USDA
- From Oct. 1, 2026, SNAP’s asset limit is $3,000, or $4,750 when at least one member is 60 or older or disabled. USDA
- SNAP doesn’t count a home and lot, most retirement and pension plans, or the resources of people who receive SSI or TANF. USDA
LIHEAP Income Limits
- These figures are the most a LIHEAP program may use; each state or tribal program sets its own income limit, which can be lower. ACF
- LIHEAP: a state may not turn down a household on income alone if its income is below 110% of the poverty level. U.S. Code
- A state’s LIHEAP program may also serve a household in which someone receives TANF, SSI, SNAP or certain veterans’ pension payments. U.S. Code
- ACF adjusts the poverty guidelines for Puerto Rico’s LIHEAP program, for mandatory use there in fiscal 2027, and recommends them to the other territories, which lack median income data. ACF
- LIHEAP: the law doesn’t define income; it generally means gross income, though some programs deduct costs such as medical expenses or child care. ACF
- LIHEAP: programs may add other requirements beyond income. ACF
Lifeline Income Limits
- Taking part in Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, federal public housing assistance, the Housing Choice Voucher program, project-based rental assistance, public housing, affordable housing programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives or Native Hawaiians, or the Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit also qualifies a household for Lifeline, whatever its income, including when the program serves a child or dependent. USAC Lifeline
- Lifeline: only one benefit is allowed per household. FCC
- Lifeline: the benefit is a monthly discount of up to $9.25 on internet or bundled service, or $5.25 on phone-only service, and up to $34.25 on Tribal lands. FCC
- Lifeline: a survivor of domestic violence, human trafficking or related crimes who shows proof of an attempted line separation request and is experiencing financial hardship can qualify through the usual routes or with household income at or below 200% of the poverty guidelines, or through WIC, school meals or a Pell Grant. USAC Lifeline
Health Center Sliding Fees
- HRSA-funded health centers give a full discount to patients with annual incomes at or below 100% of the poverty guidelines, though they may charge a nominal fee. HHS
- A health center may not deny anyone service because they can’t pay. HHS
- Health centers: the discount depends only on income and family size, using each center’s own definitions of income and family. HHS
The 2026 Poverty Guidelines
- HHS publishes separate 2026 poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and D.C., for Alaska and for Hawaii. HHS
- The 2026 poverty guideline is $15,960 for one person in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., and households of more than eight add $5,680 for each additional person. HHS
- HHS doesn’t define poverty guidelines for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands; each federal program decides which figures to use there. HHS
Puerto Rico and the Territories
- For SNAP, a “State” is one of the 50 states, D.C., Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands or a qualifying tribal reservation; Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands aren’t on that list. 7 CFR 271.2
- Instead of SNAP, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands run their own Nutrition Assistance Program with a federal block grant and set its eligibility rules and benefit levels. USDA
- For food help, contact the Puerto Rico Department of the Family (ADSEF), the American Samoa Department of Human and Social Services, or the Northern Mariana Islands’ NAP office, whose contact information USDA posts. USDA
- Lifeline is available in every state, commonwealth and territory, and on Tribal lands. FCC
- HHS doesn’t issue poverty guidelines for the territories; ACF publishes adjusted guidelines for Puerto Rico’s LIHEAP program and recommends them for other territories. ACF