For 2026, the current federal poverty level is $15,960 a year for a single person and $33,000 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. The Department of Health and Human Services publishes these figures every January, and dozens of federal programs use them to decide who qualifies for benefits.1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines Because many of those programs set their cutoffs at 138%, 200%, or higher multiples of the poverty level, the guidelines shape eligibility for far more households than those living below the line itself.
2026 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and D.C.
The amounts below are gross annual income before taxes or deductions.2GovInfo. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines
- 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 household of ten, for example, has a poverty guideline of $67,080.1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines
Higher Guidelines in Alaska and Hawaii
Alaska and Hawaii have their own poverty guidelines because the cost of food, housing, and transportation runs significantly higher than on the mainland.1U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines
Alaska 2026 amounts:
- 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
Add $7,100 for each additional person beyond eight.
Hawaii 2026 amounts:
- 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
Add $6,530 for each additional person beyond eight.
How to Calculate Your Percentage of the Poverty Level
Most federal programs don’t cut off eligibility at exactly 100% of the poverty guideline. They set thresholds at some multiple, like 138% or 200%. To find where your household lands, divide your annual gross income by the poverty guideline for your household size, then multiply by 100.
A family of four earning $46,200 a year, for instance, divides $46,200 by $33,000, gets 1.4, and multiplies by 100. That family is at 140% of the federal poverty level. Too high for programs capped at 138%, but still in range for programs with higher cutoffs.
Each program also defines “income” and “household” slightly differently. Health coverage through the ACA Marketplace uses modified adjusted gross income, which starts with the adjusted gross income line on your tax return and adds back untaxed foreign income, non-taxable Social Security benefits, and tax-exempt interest.3HealthCare.gov. What’s Included as Income SNAP looks at gross monthly income before deductions for most households. The poverty guideline itself is the same across programs, but what counts toward it can differ enough to change your eligibility.
Programs That Use the Federal Poverty Level
Dozens of federal programs tie eligibility to the guidelines, each at its own percentage.
Food Assistance
SNAP generally requires gross monthly household income at or below 130% of the poverty level. For a family of four in 2026, that works out to roughly $42,900 a year.4United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Fiscal Year 2025 Income Eligibility Standards Most states have adopted broad-based categorical eligibility, which can raise the gross income limit as high as 200% of the poverty level depending on the state.5Food and Nutrition Service. Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility The cutoff a household actually faces varies by location.
Medicaid and CHIP
Medicaid in states that expanded coverage under the Affordable Care Act extends to adults earning up to 138% of the poverty level. More than 40 states and Washington, D.C. have adopted the expansion. In states that have not, adult eligibility thresholds are often far lower, and some adults without children may not qualify at any income level.6HealthCare.gov. Federal Poverty Level The Children’s Health Insurance Program covers children in families with incomes too high for Medicaid, with upper limits that range from 170% to 400% of the poverty level depending on the state.7Medicaid. CHIP Eligibility and Enrollment
Head Start
Head Start serves children from birth to age five in families with incomes at or below 100% of the poverty level.8HeadStart.gov. Poverty Guidelines and Determining Eligibility for Participation in Head Start Programs It’s one of the few major programs where the guideline itself is the cutoff, not some multiple of it.
Energy Assistance and Weatherization
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps households pay heating and cooling costs. LIHEAP eligibility can reach up to 150% of the poverty guidelines or 60% of state median income, whichever is higher, and cannot be set below 110% of the guidelines.9Administration for Children and Families. LIHEAP IM2025-02 Federal Poverty Guidelines and State Median Income Estimates The Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program, which funds insulation and efficiency upgrades, sets eligibility at 200% of the poverty level.10Department of Energy. How to Apply for Weatherization Assistance
Civil Legal Aid
Federally funded civil legal services through the Legal Services Corporation are available to individuals with incomes at or below 125% of the poverty guidelines.11Federal Register. Income Level for Individuals Eligible for Assistance For a single person in 2026, that ceiling is $19,950. These programs cover housing disputes, family law, consumer debt, and other civil matters.
How the Poverty Level Affects Health Insurance Costs
The guidelines play a particularly large role in what you pay for ACA Marketplace coverage. Household income between 100% and 400% of the poverty level can qualify for premium tax credits that lower your monthly premium. Enrollees at or below 250% of the poverty level who pick a silver-tier plan can also receive cost-sharing reductions, which lower deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket maximums.12Congress.gov. Health Insurance Premium Tax Credit and Cost-Sharing Reductions
Subsidy size depends on where your income falls relative to the guideline. Households closer to 100% pay the smallest share of income toward premiums and get the richest cost-sharing reductions, with plans covering roughly 94% of medical costs. At 200% to 250%, the plan covers about 73%. Above 250%, premium tax credits continue up to the 400% cap, but cost-sharing reductions drop off.12Congress.gov. Health Insurance Premium Tax Credit and Cost-Sharing Reductions
One change matters for 2026 coverage: the enhanced premium tax credits enacted under the American Rescue Plan and extended through 2025 are set to expire. Under current law, the 400% income cap for premium tax credit eligibility returns, and the percentage of income that subsidized households must contribute toward premiums increases at every income level.13Congress.gov. Enhanced Premium Tax Credit and 2026 Exchange Premiums Income above 400% of the poverty level ($132,000 for a family of four in 2026) means no premium subsidy at all. Households that received generous subsidies in 2024 and 2025 should review expected costs before the 2026 open enrollment period.
Poverty Guidelines vs. Census Poverty Thresholds
Two federal agencies publish two different sets of “poverty” numbers, and it’s easy to mix them up. The HHS poverty guidelines above are the administrative version, designed to decide who qualifies for government programs. The Census Bureau publishes a separate set of figures called poverty thresholds, used to estimate how many Americans live in poverty each year.
Census poverty thresholds vary by family size, number of children, and whether the householder is over 65. HHS guidelines vary only by household size and by geography (contiguous states, Alaska, or Hawaii). Census thresholds are rounded to the nearest dollar; HHS guidelines are rounded to the nearest $10. When a news report says “the poverty rate is 11.1%,” that comes from the Census thresholds. When you apply for Medicaid or SNAP and the form asks about income relative to the “federal poverty level,” it means the HHS guidelines shown here.