Indiana Section 8 2026: Income Limits and Wait Lists

A Section 8 voucher isn't a grant, and no cash goes to you: the housing authority pays part of the rent to your landlord. It costs nothing to apply. Indiana has no single statewide list, because big cities run their own programs and IHCDA covers most of the rest. The Section 8 housing guide covers the federal rules behind all of them.

Indiana Section 8 Income Limits for 2026 by Metro

Indiana splits its 92 counties into 73 HUD income limit areas. According to HUD's FY2026 income limits file, these very low income (50%) limits set the ceiling for voucher applicants in the five largest metros:

By federal rule, three of every four families admitted each year must fall under the extremely low income (30%) limits:

These Indiana tables come from HUD's FY2026 income limits (opens in a new tab), in effect from May 1, 2026, using Marion, Lake, Allen, Vanderburgh and St. Joseph counties. The Indianapolis area also covers Hamilton, Hendricks and Johnson counties. Check any other Indiana county in HUD's FY2026 income limits documentation system (opens in a new tab).

Bloomington, Lafayette, Muncie and rural Indiana

Smaller Indiana metros vary by more than $12,000 for the same family. Here are the Indiana numbers from HUD's file:

Grantsights analysis of the HUD file found 29 of Indiana's 92 counties, including Muncie, Anderson and Terre Haute, share the state's lowest 4-person limit of $42,400. In Vigo County that figure is well above half the $71,400 median ($35,700), because HUD lifts limits in lower-income areas to a state minimum. On the 30% side, the federal poverty guideline sets the 4-person limit at $33,000 in 83 of 92 Indiana counties; Indianapolis is one of the few places where the 30% math lands just above it, at $33,100. For how HUD builds these Indiana numbers, see the HUD income limits guide.

How an Indiana Voucher Splits the Rent

Indiana voucher holders usually pay 30% of adjusted monthly income for rent plus utilities. The Indianapolis Housing Agency's voucher page puts it as paying "no more than 30%" of adjusted income, with IHA covering the rest. According to HUD's voucher tenant page (opens in a new tab), agencies that set a minimum rent typically choose $25 to $50 a month.

Each authority's payment standard falls between 90% and 110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent (FMR). Here are the 2-bedroom FMRs for Indiana's five biggest metros:

Sources: HUD Fair Market Rent data (opens in a new tab), FY2026 and FY2027; the change column is a Grantsights calculation. HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent notice (opens in a new tab) put the new rents into effect October 1, 2026.

South Bend posts its numbers plainly: the Housing Authority of South Bend's payment standards page (opens in a new tab) lists a $1,403 2-bedroom standard effective October 1, 2026, about 110% of the new $1,276 FMR. IHA's fair market rates page lists ZIP-code figures for Marion County, with 2-bedroom amounts from $1,220 to $1,900, but it doesn't say which year they're for, so confirm with IHA before you rely on them.

Rules that apply to every Indiana voucher:

• The 40% first-lease cap. 24 CFR 982.508 (opens in a new tab) limits your share to 40% of adjusted monthly income when you first rent a unit priced above the payment standard.
• The 75% rule. 24 CFR 982.201 (opens in a new tab) requires at least 75% of each year's admissions to be extremely low income.
• Preferences. Fort Wayne says plainly that its list "is based on preferences," not the order applications arrive. IHCDA verifies preferences at selection and drops points you no longer qualify for.

Indiana Section 8 Waiting Lists on November 12, 2026

1 of 5 Indiana voucher programs checked had announced a window with dates: Indianapolis, opening four days after this check. Here's what each agency's own page said:

What Indianapolis applicants should know about the November lottery:

• Register before Monday. IHA says applicants "must first register for an account" in its Applicant Portal before they can sign in and apply.
• Timing doesn't matter inside the window for vouchers. The voucher list is filled by lottery, so applying at 7:01 a.m. Monday shouldn't give you an edge over Thursday afternoon. The public housing and project-based lists that open the same day are different: they close once a set number of applications arrive.
• A lottery spot isn't a voucher. IHA's notice says an opening "does not guarantee placement or the immediate availability of housing assistance."
• Ask for help if you need it. IHA takes calls at 317-261-7224 for people who need assistance with the online form.

Evansville has its own housing authority outside IHCDA's area; find its current contact in HUD's agency list, since Grantsights didn't check its status for this guide.

How to Apply for Section 8 in Indiana

Indiana renters usually have 1 city list and 1 county list in reach: a city authority if you live in one of the cities that run their own program, or IHCDA's county list if you don't. Steps:

1. Find your Indiana agency. HUD's public housing agency contact list (opens in a new tab) names every Indiana authority. IHCDA's new-applicant page has a map of its local service providers.
2. Apply in Indianapolis next week if you live or plan to live in Marion County: November 16 to 20, through the IHA Applicant Portal.
3. Check IHCDA's lists on WaitListCheck. IHCDA's guidebook says each of its 83 counties keeps its own list, and you can apply to more than one county, though local preference counts only where you live.
4. Claim every preference that fits, such as homelessness, disability, veteran status or local residency, and update them if they change.
5. Keep your contact details current. Fort Wayne asks for written updates within 10 days of any change; South Bend says its staff can't check your place for you and points you to its online tool.
6. When you're selected, you'll complete an eligibility application, verify income, attend a briefing and get a voucher with a search deadline.

Want to see what else might help? The Grantsights eligibility checker lists official programs to look into. It won't decide eligibility, and it can't enter you in the Indianapolis lottery or any other Indiana list.

Worked Examples: What You'd Pay in Indianapolis, South Bend and Evansville

These Indiana cases are hypothetical and leave out the deductions for dependents, child care and medical bills that would trim each share.

For example, one applicant in Indianapolis, a parent of two earning $1,900 a month, would pay about $570 (30% of $1,900). If IHA's payment standard matched the FY2026 2-bedroom FMR of $1,473, the voucher would cover up to $903 on a unit at that rent. The 40% first-lease cap is $760, so the family could rent up to about $1,663 the first time.

A South Bend father with one child earning $1,600 a month would pay about $480. Against HASB's $1,403 2-bedroom standard, the voucher could pay up to $923.

A family of four earning $50,000 a year qualifies in Lake County, where it's $450 under the $50,450 Gary limit. The same family is $2,450 over the Fort Wayne limit of $47,550 and can't get on that list.

A retiree in Evansville living alone on $1,050 a month would pay about $315. Her $12,600 a year is well under the Evansville area's 1-person extremely low income limit of $19,550.

What HUD Doesn't Tell You About Section 8 in Indiana

Grantsights analysis of HUD's FY2026 income limits, both years of Fair Market Rents and the five Indiana agency pages found 5 things the national overview skips:

1. Indiana's metro limits are exact halves. In all five big metros, the 4-person limit is precisely 50% of HUD's median: $55,150 of $110,300 in Indianapolis and $44,050 of $88,100 in South Bend. Nothing is added for high rents.
2. Fort Wayne rents jumped 12.1%. The 2-bedroom FMR rose from $1,113 to $1,248 on October 1, 2026, the steepest increase among the five Indiana metros, while South Bend's slipped 1.2%.
3. A lottery week can be the only chance for years. South Bend's last voucher opening was March 2023, and IHCDA's guidebook lets a county list close once the expected wait hits 24 months.
4. Order isn't first come. Fort Wayne ranks by preferences and IHA's voucher list uses a lottery, so the hour you apply doesn't decide your place.
5. Porting has a residency catch. According to HUD's tenant page, a holder who didn't live in the issuing agency's area at application usually must lease there for 12 months first. IHCDA's guidebook applies the same rule to people outside its 83 counties.

Common Mistakes and Red Flags

A common mistake in Indianapolis this month will be waiting until Friday to register. Account setup comes first, and the window closes at 5:00 p.m. on November 20, so start early in the week if you can.

More Indiana mistakes:

• Applying to IHCDA from Marion County. IHCDA says it doesn't cover Indianapolis or Marion County.
• Calling for status. Fort Wayne and South Bend both ask applicants to check online instead of phoning.
• Using the Indianapolis limit elsewhere. A family of four is capped at $44,050 in South Bend, not $55,150.
• Reporting net pay instead of gross household income.
• Underestimating how long Indiana lists take and skipping food, energy and rent help in the meantime.

Red flags for scams: avoid anyone who charges to get you into the IHA lottery. Indiana applications are free. Watch for:

• Websites selling "Indiana Section 8 lottery" sign-ups or promising a voucher.
• Texts or Facebook messages claiming you've won a spot and owe a fee.
• Copies of IHA's portal on an address that isn't indyhousing.org.

The FTC's Section 8 scam alert (opens in a new tab) explains how fee-charging waitlist sites work. Check an Indiana opening by finding the agency in HUD's contact list and typing its address yourself.

Other Indiana Help While You Wait

If your household earns under the 30% lines above (for example, $29,800 for three in Indianapolis), other Indiana programs may help sooner. For heating bills, see the Indiana energy assistance guide. Food help is in the Indiana food stamps guide and the Indiana WIC income limits guide; health coverage is in the Indiana Medicaid income limits guide. The rental assistance programs guide covers back-rent help.

Comparing Indiana with other states? The Maryland Section 8 guide and the Texas Section 8 guide cover their largest housing agencies.

FAQ: Indiana Section 8

What's the Section 8 income limit for one person in Indianapolis? $38,650 at the 50% level and $23,200 at the 30% level under HUD's FY2026 limits.

Can I enter the Indianapolis lottery if I live in Carmel or Fishers? IHA serves Indianapolis and Marion County. If you weren't living in Marion County when you applied, HUD's rules would usually require you to lease there for 12 months before moving the voucher.

How does Fort Wayne contact applicants? By email to the address on your application, within 90 days of applying, according to its voucher page.

Does South Bend take paper applications? Its how-to-apply page says paper applications are available at HASB's main office, 501 Alonzo Watson Dr., while the online waiting list has technical problems, but it also says no voucher lists are open.

Why is Muncie's limit the same as Terre Haute's? Both are at $42,400 for four, the floor HUD applies in 29 lower-income Indiana counties.

Sources

• HUD USER: Indiana FY2026 income limits (opens in a new tab) and the county documentation system (opens in a new tab)
• HUD USER: Fair Market Rent data (opens in a new tab), FY2026 and FY2027
• HUD: FY2027 Fair Market Rent notice (opens in a new tab)
• HUD: Housing Choice Voucher tenant page (opens in a new tab) and agency contacts (opens in a new tab)
• eCFR: 24 CFR 982.201 (opens in a new tab) and 24 CFR 982.508 (opens in a new tab)
• IHCDA: new HCV applicant page (opens in a new tab) and 2023 HCV guidebook (opens in a new tab)
• Indianapolis Housing Agency, waiting list opening notice (opens in a new tab)
• Fort Wayne Housing Authority, Housing Choice Voucher Program (opens in a new tab)
• Gary Housing Authority, waitlists (opens in a new tab)
• Housing Authority of South Bend, prospective HCV residents (opens in a new tab) and payment standards (opens in a new tab)
• FTC: Section 8 scam alert (opens in a new tab)

Indiana figures checked November 12, 2026.