The federal poverty guidelines by household size for 2026 start at $15,960 for a single person and rise to $33,000 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states and D.C., with each additional person adding $5,680. Alaska and Hawaii use higher figures. These numbers are the baseline the government uses to set income limits for Medicaid, SNAP, marketplace subsidies, and dozens of other programs, but almost no program cuts off eligibility at 100% of the guideline. Each one applies its own multiplier, which is why households well above the poverty line often still qualify.
2026 Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and D.C.
The Department of Health and Human Services published these figures in the Federal Register on January 15, 2026, with an effective date of January 13, 2026.
- 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
- Each additional person: add $5,680
These are the 100% figures. To find the income limit for a specific program, multiply by that program’s percentage. A family of four applying to a program that caps eligibility at 200% would qualify with income up to $66,000.1Federal Register. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines
2026 Guidelines for 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
Alaska’s numbers run about 25% above the contiguous-state figures, reflecting the state’s higher costs for food, housing, and transportation.2HHS ASPE. Detailed Poverty Guidelines 2026
2026 Guidelines for 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
Hawaii’s figures sit between the contiguous-state and Alaska numbers.2HHS ASPE. Detailed Poverty Guidelines 2026
What About the U.S. Territories?
The poverty guidelines are not defined for Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or the Northern Mariana Islands. Federal programs serving those jurisdictions either apply the contiguous-states figures or follow a separate procedure the agency chooses.1Federal Register. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines If you live in a territory, check with the specific program to learn which rule it uses.
Turning the Guideline Into an Actual Income Limit
The percentage a program uses matters more than the base guideline itself. Here’s how the major programs line up in 2026.
At or Near 100%
Head Start serves children from families below 100% of the guidelines, with automatic eligibility for children whose families receive TANF or SSI and for foster children.3HeadStart.gov. Poverty Guidelines and Determining Eligibility for Participation in Head Start Programs
SNAP requires gross household income at or below 130% of the guidelines and net income (after allowed deductions) at or below 100%. For a family of four in 2026, that gross ceiling works out to roughly $3,575 per month.4Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Eligibility
Federally funded legal aid uses 125% as its baseline, with an exception allowing eligibility up to 200% in certain circumstances.5eCFR. Part 1611 – Financial Eligibility
Between 138% and 200%
In states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, adults qualify with income up to 138% of the guidelines. For a single person in 2026, that’s roughly $22,020. Non-expansion states use much lower limits for adults without children.
LIHEAP energy assistance is generally available up to the greater of 150% of the guidelines or 60% of state median income.6LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Eligibility
WIC uses 185% of the guidelines. The National School Lunch Program provides free meals to families at or below 130% and reduced-price meals to families between 130% and 185%.7Food and Nutrition Service. WIC 2025/2026 Income Eligibility Guidelines
Above 200%
ACA premium tax credits standardly cover households between 100% and 400% of the guidelines. Congress temporarily removed the 400% cap for 2021 through 2025. That expansion was set to expire after 2025, so for 2026 the 400% ceiling may apply again unless Congress extended it.8Internal Revenue Service. Questions and Answers on the Premium Tax Credit
CHIP eligibility varies by state, with many states covering children in families earning between 200% and 300% of the guidelines, and some going higher.
A quick example of why the multiplier drives everything: a family of four earning $45,000 sits above the Head Start line ($33,000) but comfortably below the WIC line ($61,050).
How Income and Household Size Are Counted
Each program has some discretion over how it defines countable income and who counts as part of your household. There is no single federal definition that applies across all of them.2HHS ASPE. Detailed Poverty Guidelines 2026 Most programs share a common framework, though.
Programs typically count gross income before taxes and payroll deductions: wages, Social Security benefits, unemployment, pensions, alimony, and self-employment earnings. Non-cash benefits are generally excluded, so SNAP, housing vouchers, and school lunch subsidies don’t count against you when you apply for other programs. Tax refunds and one-time lump-sum payments are also commonly excluded.
Household size determines which row of the table applies. Most programs count spouses, children, and other dependents living together and sharing expenses. Unrelated roommates are typically treated as separate economic units, so a roommate’s income doesn’t count toward your total and they aren’t included in your household size.9U.S. Census Bureau. The Family/Couple/Household Unit of Analysis in Poverty Measurement SNAP is an exception worth knowing about: it counts people who purchase and prepare food together as a single household, related or not. When your situation is unusual, check the household rule for the specific program before assuming.
Asset Limits That Apply on Top of Income
Some programs test resources in addition to income. SNAP sets its asset limits for fiscal year 2026 (October 2025 through September 2026) at $3,000 for most households and $4,500 for households with at least one member age 60 or older or with a disability.10USDA Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP FY 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustments Many states have adopted broad-based categorical eligibility rules that effectively raise or eliminate the SNAP asset test, so the practical impact depends on where you live.
Not every program has one. Medicaid under the ACA expansion looks only at income for most adult applicants. ACA marketplace subsidies also ignore savings and property, using only household income relative to the guidelines.
When the 2026 Numbers Take Effect
HHS published the 2026 guidelines on January 15, 2026, with an effective date of January 13, 2026. Individual programs adopt the new figures on their own schedules, so there is often a lag between publication and the moment a specific agency starts using them.1Federal Register. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines
SNAP updates its income thresholds each October to match the federal fiscal year. WIC guidelines run from July through June. If you’re applying during the first months of the calendar year, ask whether the program has already moved to the new numbers or is still working from the prior year’s figures.