SNAP Income Limits 2026-27: Federal and State Charts

SNAP isn't a grant and no one can charge you to apply. Applications go only through your state's SNAP agency, which you can find on USDA's state directory (opens in a new tab).

SNAP Income Limits for October 2026 to September 2027

USDA's federal chart sets a gross limit of $2,960 a month for a household of three and a net limit of $2,277 for October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. These are the limits in the 48 contiguous states and DC (Guam and the Virgin Islands use the same income limits). For a full walk-through of SNAP itself, from applying to using an EBT card, see our SNAP food stamps guide; this page sticks to the numbers.

Source: USDA FNA SNAP cost-of-living adjustments, FY2027 (opens in a new tab), effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The $225 add-on applies to households of 9 to 17; households of 18 or more are capped at $3,887.

According to USDA FNA's FY2027 COLA memo, the four-person gross limit rose from $3,483 to $3,575, a $92 increase over the October 2025 chart, and the minimum benefit for one- and two-person households rose to $25. Those increases track the January 2026 poverty guidelines, which set 100% of poverty at $27,320 a year for a family of three.

Alaska and Hawaii

Alaska and Hawaii have their own poverty guidelines, so their limits and benefits are higher. Alaska's maximum benefit also varies by area: urban, Rural 1 and Rural 2.

Source: USDA FNA FY2027 cost-of-living tables for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands, effective October 1, 2026. USDA's memo notes Hawaii's four-person maximum went down to $1,655 this year, while Alaska's went up.

SNAP Income Limits by State: All 50 States and DC

43 states and DC use broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE), according to USDA's June 29, 2026 chart, and that's why the "SNAP income limit" in your state may be well above the federal $2,960 for three. Under BBCE, a household that qualifies for a small TANF-funded service (often just a brochure or referral line) becomes categorically eligible for SNAP. The state then applies the TANF program's gross limit, anywhere from 130% to 200% of poverty, and usually drops the asset test.

The table below lists every state's gross limit under BBCE, its asset rule, and what that limit means in dollars for a household of three for October 2026 to September 2027. State names link to our state-by-state food stamp guides where one exists.

Sources: percentages and asset rules from USDA FNA's Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility chart (opens in a new tab) (June 2026; page updated June 29, 2026). Dollar amounts are a Grantsights calculation: the 2026 HHS poverty guideline (opens in a new tab) for three ($27,320; $34,150 in Alaska; $31,420 in Hawaii) times the state's percentage, divided by 12 and rounded up to the next dollar. That method reproduces USDA's own published FY2027 figures at 130% ($2,960) and 165% ($3,757), but your state's chart may differ by a dollar. States marked "no BBCE" use the federal 130% gross test and federal asset limits.

How to read the table. A higher gross limit gets you in the door; it doesn't guarantee a benefit. Your benefit still equals the maximum for your household size minus 30% of your net income, so a household near 200% of poverty often qualifies for a small amount, or nothing if net income is too high. The note on Arkansas: USDA's chart says its $5,500 resource limit applies for one 12-month period and can only be granted every five years, after which the federal $3,000 and $4,500 limits apply (the chart's footnote still shows $4,500, though USDA raised the federal limit for elderly or disabled households to $4,750 for FY2027). Arkansas also uses 165% for elderly or disabled households.

What the state chart shows

Grantsights analysis of USDA's June 2026 BBCE chart, counting the 50 states and DC:

So 35 states and DC let at least some households qualify above the federal 130% gross limit, and 39 of the 51 (counting New York's BBCE groups and DC) have no asset limit for most households. Seven states, mostly in the Plains and South, follow federal rules on both income and assets.

Gross vs Net Income: The Two SNAP Tests

Most households must pass 2 tests: gross income at or under 130% of poverty, then net income at or under 100%. USDA's eligibility page puts it plainly: "In most cases, your household must meet both the gross and net income limits."

• Gross income is your household's total countable income before any deductions: wages before taxes, Social Security, unemployment, child support you receive, and most other cash income.
• Net income is gross income minus SNAP's allowed deductions (below).

There are 3 big exceptions:

1. Elderly or disabled households. If anyone in the household is 60 or older or disabled, the household only has to meet the net limit. That's why a retired couple with $2,500 a month in Social Security ($155 over the $2,345 gross limit for two) can still qualify if their deductions bring net income under $1,804.
2. Households where everyone gets SSI or TANF. These are categorically eligible and don't have to pass the income tests.
3. BBCE households. In the 43 states and DC that use BBCE, a household that meets the state's TANF-program limit skips the federal gross and net tests and the federal asset test. As USDA notes, you still need "an income low enough to receive SNAP benefits."

Who counts in your household? Everyone who lives together and buys and prepares food together is one SNAP household. Spouses and most children under 22 living with a parent must be in the same household even if they shop separately. A person 60 or older who can't prepare meals because of a permanent disability can be a separate household (with a spouse) if the others they live with have income under 165% of poverty, which is $3,757 a month for three under USDA's FY2027 chart.

SNAP Asset Limits: $3,000 or $4,750

The federal asset limit for October 2026 to September 2027 is $3,000, or $4,750 if at least one person in the household is 60 or older or disabled. According to USDA FNA's FY2027 COLA memo, the $3,000 limit didn't change and the elderly or disabled limit rose to $4,750.

What doesn't count:

• Your home and lot
• Resources of household members who get SSI or TANF
• Most retirement and pension plans (withdrawals may count as income or resources)
• One vehicle per adult household member for the equity test, plus vehicles used for work, as a home, or to carry a disabled household member

For vehicles that aren't excluded, USDA counts fair market value above $4,650 or the equity value, whichever is greater. In practice, most applicants never face these rules: in the 39 jurisdictions with no BBCE asset limit, savings don't affect eligibility unless your state uses a separate rule for a specific group.

SNAP Deductions: How Gross Income Becomes Net Income

USDA's FY2027 figures include a $217 standard deduction for households of 1 to 3 people in the 48 states and DC, $229 for 4, $268 for 5 and $308 for 6 or more. Here are all the deductions, in the order caseworkers apply them:

Source: USDA FNA SNAP eligibility page (opens in a new tab) and FY2027 cost-of-living tables, effective October 1, 2026.

What counts as shelter cost: rent or mortgage, property taxes, heating and cooking fuel, electricity, water, and the basic fee for one phone. Many states use a fixed standard utility allowance instead of your actual bills. Since the 2025 law (Public Law 119-21, sections 10103 and 10104), internet fees can't be counted, and getting a heating assistance payment no longer qualifies a household for the full utility allowance unless the household has an elderly or disabled member.

How Much Food Stamps Will I Get? The Formula and 2 Worked Examples

Your benefit is the maximum allotment for your household size minus 30% of your net income, rounded according to USDA's rules. USDA's eligibility page explains why: SNAP households "are expected to spend about 30 percent of their own resources on food."

Example 1: a family of three in Ohio (130% state). Specifically, take a single mother in Columbus with two children earns $2,400 a month and pays $1,100 a month in rent, including utilities. Using USDA's FY2027 figures:

Ohio's BBCE limit is 130%, so this family would be turned away at the gross test if wages went above $2,960.

Example 2: a family of three in Pennsylvania (200% state). Same household, but wages are $3,600 a month and rent with utilities is $1,500. That's $640 over the federal gross limit, yet under Pennsylvania's 200% limit of about $4,554.

• Earned income deduction: $720, leaving $2,880
• Standard deduction: $217, leaving $2,663
• Excess shelter: $1,500 - $1,331.50 = $168.50
• Net income: $2,494.50 (over the $2,277 federal net limit, but BBCE skips that test)
• 30% of net income: $749
• Monthly benefit: $808 - $749 = $59

That $59 a month is $708 a year in groceries the family would miss in a 130% state. Both examples use actual utility costs for simplicity; your state may use a standard utility allowance instead, which can raise or lower the shelter deduction.

Quick estimate: if you know your net income, multiply it by 0.3 and subtract from the maximum in the first table. If the answer is under zero, a household of three or more gets nothing; a household of one or two that qualifies still gets the $25 minimum.

What USDA's Income Limit Chart Doesn't Tell You

Grantsights found 6 things the federal chart leaves out or gets wrong:

1. The chart isn't your state's limit. USDA's headline table shows 130%, but 35 states and DC let at least some households in above that. If you checked the federal chart and assumed you're over, you may be wrong by $1,594 a month for a family of three.
2. USDA's own worked example has an arithmetic slip. On the October 1, 2026 version of its eligibility page, the four-person example subtracts a "$217 standard deduction for a 4-person household," but USDA's FY2027 table sets the four-person standard deduction at $229. The example then carries $1,165 into the shelter step after computing $1,171. The method is right; use the table values, not the example's.
3. The work requirement summary is out of date. The same page still lists veterans, people experiencing homelessness and former foster youth as exempt from the time limit. USDA's October 3, 2025 implementation memo says the 2025 law removed those exceptions. Our SNAP work requirements guide has the current rules.
4. The BBCE chart lags the asset limit. Arkansas's footnote still says $4,500 for elderly or disabled households, while the FY2027 federal limit is $4,750.
5. Passing the limit doesn't mean a benefit. In BBCE states, households near 200% often get small amounts. The second example above shows a $59 benefit at $3,600 a month in wages.
6. Students have a separate rule. USDA says students 18 through 49 enrolled at least half time in college generally can't get SNAP unless they meet an exemption, such as working 20 hours a week or caring for a young child, no matter what their income is.

Common Mistakes When Checking SNAP Eligibility

A common mistake is comparing take-home pay to the gross limit. The gross test uses income before taxes, so use the top line of your pay stub. The second most common mistake runs the other way: people underestimate their deductions and assume they're over the net limit. Rent, utilities, child care and (for seniors) medical bills can cut countable income by hundreds of dollars.

Other red flags that lead to a wrong answer:

• Using the wrong household size. Spouses and children under 22 who live with you usually must be counted together, even if you buy food separately.
• Ignoring the elderly or disabled rule. A household with someone 60+ or disabled has no gross limit, an uncapped shelter deduction and a medical deduction. Seniors who screen themselves out using the gross chart are the group most likely to underestimate their eligibility.
• Assuming last year's chart. Limits change every October 1. A household that was $50 over in 2025 may be under now; the four-person gross limit rose $92.
• Paying someone to apply. Applying is free. A site asking for a fee, a gift card or your EBT PIN isn't your state agency. USDA's SNAP scam alerts page (opens in a new tab) lists past scam alerts, such as fake emails telling college students they're automatically eligible.

How to Apply and What to Expect

Every state processes applications within 30 days, and households with very little money can get benefits within 7 days. According to USDA's eligibility page, you may qualify for this faster service if your household has less than $100 in liquid resources and under $150 in monthly gross income, or if your income plus cash is less than your monthly rent or mortgage and utilities.

1. Find your state's agency on USDA's SNAP state directory (opens in a new tab). Most states take online applications.
2. File a signed application right away, even without every document. If you're approved, benefits are paid back to the application date.
3. Do the interview, usually by phone. Have pay stubs, rent and utility bills, child care receipts and ID ready.
4. Watch for requests for proof and return them by the due date. Missing a deadline is one of the main reasons applications are denied.

If you're denied or your benefit looks wrong, you can ask for a fair hearing within 90 days of the decision, by phone, in writing or in person, according to USDA. If you're within a few hundred dollars of a line, your best bet is to apply anyway and let the caseworker run the numbers. Ask for the calculation sheet behind the decision and check it against the tables above; errors in household size or a missing shelter deduction are fixable.

Other Help If You're Over the SNAP Limit

If your income is above your state's limit, other programs use different (often higher) cutoffs:

• WIC for pregnant women, new mothers and children under 5 uses 185% of poverty; see our WIC income limits guide.
• School meals and summer food: see our SUN Bucks summer EBT guide.
• Heating and cooling bills: our LIHEAP energy assistance guide.
• Cash help for families: our TANF cash assistance guide.
• Seniors: our help for seniors programs guide.
• The poverty guidelines themselves: our federal poverty guidelines guide shows 100% to 200% for every household size.

If you're juggling more than groceries, Grantsights' free eligibility checker can point you to official programs for rent, bills and other needs. It doesn't file anything with your state and doesn't hand out grants; it shows you where to apply.

FAQ: SNAP Income Limits

What is the SNAP income limit for 2026-27?

$2,960 a month gross and $2,277 net for three people, October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, in the 48 states and DC. Many states go higher.

What is the food stamp income limit for a single person?

$1,729 gross and $1,330 net a month, or up to about $2,660 gross in a 200% state.

How much food stamps will I get?

The maximum for your household size minus 30% of net income. Maximums run from $306 for one to $1,023 for four.

What is the SNAP asset limit?

$3,000, or $4,750 with a member 60+ or disabled. Most states have no asset test for most households.

Do seniors and people with disabilities have different SNAP income limits?

Yes. They only need to meet the net limit and get extra deductions.

Which states have the highest SNAP income limits?

27 states and DC use 200% of poverty. Alaska's is highest in dollars: $5,692 a month for three.

When do SNAP income limits change?

Every October 1. The next update is October 1, 2027.

Is SNAP income based on gross or net income?

Both, for most households. Elderly or disabled households only face the net test.

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Sources

1. USDA FNA: SNAP Fiscal Year 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments memo (opens in a new tab), August 21, 2026 - income standards, maximum allotments, deductions, asset limits, minimum benefit
2. USDA FNA: SNAP Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Information (opens in a new tab) - FY2027 tables for the 48 states and DC, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands; FY2026 tables for comparison
3. USDA FNA: SNAP Eligibility (opens in a new tab), page updated October 1, 2026 - income tests, deductions, resources, vehicles, expedited service, fair hearings, students
4. USDA FNA: Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (opens in a new tab) and June 2026 chart (PDF) (opens in a new tab) - state gross limits and asset rules
5. USDA FNA: Elderly and Disabled Special Rules (opens in a new tab)
6. HHS ASPE: 2026 Poverty Guidelines (opens in a new tab) - $27,320 for three (48 states and DC), $34,150 (Alaska), $31,420 (Hawaii)
7. Public Law 119-21 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act), sections 10102 to 10104 (opens in a new tab) - work requirements, utility allowance and internet expense changes
8. USDA: SNAP ABAWD Exceptions Implementation Memorandum (opens in a new tab), October 3, 2025
9. USDA FNA: SNAP State Directory (opens in a new tab) and SNAP Scam Alerts (opens in a new tab)