Federal Poverty Level: Household Size, Income, and Subsidies

The federal poverty level for 2026 starts at $15,960 in annual income for a single person and $33,000 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., with Alaska and Hawaii using higher figures.¹ These numbers, published each January by the Department of Health and Human Services, drive eligibility for Medicaid, SNAP, Marketplace subsidies, and dozens of other programs. Almost none of those programs cut off at 100% of the line, though. Most set their limits at a multiple of it, which is why a household earning $40,000, $60,000, or even more can still qualify for help.

2026 Poverty Guidelines by Household Size

These annual income figures represent 100% of the federal poverty level in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia.¹

1 person: $15,960
2 people: $21,640
3 people: $27,320
4 people: $33,000
5 people: $38,680
6 people: $44,360
7 people: $50,040
8 people: $55,720

For each person beyond eight, add $5,680. A ten-person household lands at $67,080.

Higher Guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii

HHS publishes separate, higher figures for Alaska and Hawaii because food, energy, and housing cost more there. These are the only geographic exceptions; every other state and U.S. territory uses the contiguous-states numbers.¹

Alaska

1 person: $19,950
2 people: $27,050
3 people: $34,150
4 people: $41,250
5 people: $48,350
6 people: $55,450
7 people: $62,550
8 people: $69,650

Each additional person: add $7,100.

Hawaii

1 person: $18,360
2 people: $24,890
3 people: $31,420
4 people: $37,950
5 people: $44,480
6 people: $51,010
7 people: $57,540
8 people: $64,070

Each additional person: add $6,530.

Who Counts in Your Household

Picking the right row on the chart depends on how big your household is, and that answer isn’t always obvious. The general federal rule is that related family members living together count as one unit. An unrelated roommate is a separate one-person household, and each of you measures your own income against the single-person guideline.²

Individual programs sometimes define household differently. For Marketplace health insurance, your household is generally everyone you claim on your tax return, including dependents. For SNAP, it’s typically everyone who lives together and buys and prepares food together.¹ Check the specific program’s rule before assuming.

What Income Gets Counted

The guidelines are just dollar amounts. Which income figure you compare against them depends on the program. Medicaid, CHIP, and the Marketplace premium tax credit all use modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), which closely tracks what you report on your tax return.³⁴ SNAP looks at gross monthly income before taxes and deductions.⁵ The practical consequence: at the exact same earnings, you can be above the limit for one program and below it for another.

How Much You Can Earn and Still Qualify

Most programs set eligibility at a percentage above 100% of FPL. To convert a percentage into a dollar figure, multiply the guideline for your household size by that percentage. For a family of four in 2026, 138% of FPL works out to $45,540, and 400% comes to $132,000.

Head Start: 100% of FPL.
SNAP: gross income at or below 130% of FPL, with a separate net income test at 100%.⁵
Lifeline (phone and internet discount): 135% of FPL, or automatic qualification through SNAP, Medicaid, or another listed program.⁶
Medicaid expansion: up to 138% of FPL for adults in the 40 states plus D.C. that have adopted it.
WIC: 185% of FPL.
ACA premium tax credit: 100% to 400% of FPL for 2026.⁷

The 2026 Change to Marketplace Subsidies

From 2021 through 2025, Congress temporarily removed the 400% FPL income ceiling on premium tax credits, letting higher-income households receive Marketplace subsidies. That expansion expires after 2025. Starting in 2026, the original rule is back: your household income must fall between 100% and 400% of FPL to receive any premium tax credit.⁷

For a single person, 400% of the 2026 poverty level is $63,840. For a family of four, it’s $132,000. Cross that line and no credit applies, which for people who received subsidies in recent years can translate into a large jump in monthly premiums. The repayment rules also tighten. If you took advance premium tax credits during 2026 and your actual income ends up above 400% of FPL, you must repay the full excess with no cap on the amount owed.⁷ Estimating your 2026 income carefully before enrolling matters more this year than it has since 2020.

Poverty Guidelines vs. Poverty Thresholds

One quick clarification, because the terms get mixed up in eligibility discussions. The poverty guidelines above are what HHS publishes and what programs use to decide who qualifies. The poverty thresholds are a separate set of numbers maintained by the Census Bureau for statistical purposes, such as counting how many Americans live in poverty.⁸ When a program or article refers to the federal poverty level, it almost always means the HHS guidelines.

1
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines
2
U.S. Census Bureau. How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty
3
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) Income Conversion Methodologies
4
HealthCare.gov. Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
5
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Eligibility
6
Federal Communications Commission. Lifeline Support for Affordable Communications
7
Internal Revenue Service. Questions and Answers on the Premium Tax Credit
8
CDC. Poverty