Money & Benefits · Tracker
SNAP income limits and maximum benefits
The gross and net income limits, maximum monthly allotments, standard deductions and asset limits that apply from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026, from USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, with the FY2027 figures added when they are published.
Last verified · refreshed on-event
SNAP eligibility is tested against two income lines and one asset line, and the benefit itself is capped by household size. The Food and Nutrition Service resets every one of these figures each October 1, when the federal fiscal year begins, and publishes them on its cost-of-living adjustments page. The figures below are for fiscal year 2026 and apply in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia; Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands have higher figures on the same page.
The gross limit is 130 percent of the federal poverty level and the net limit is 100 percent; a household with a member aged 60 or over or disabled is tested against the net limit only. How SNAP eligibility and payment dates work explains what counts as income, which deductions apply, and why the day the money arrives depends on the state.
Swipe sideways to see every column.
| Household size | Gross monthly income limit (130%) | Net monthly income limit (100%) | Maximum monthly allotment | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,696.00 | $1,305.00 | $298.00 | fns.usda.gov |
| 2 | $2,292.00 | $1,763.00 | $546.00 | fns.usda.gov |
| 3 | $2,888.00 | $2,221.00 | $785.00 | fns.usda.gov |
| 4 | $3,483.00 | $2,680.00 | $994.00 | fns.usda.gov |
| 5 | $4,079.00 | $3,138.00 | $1,183.00 | fns.usda.gov |
| 6 | $4,675.00 | $3,596.00 | $1,421.00 | fns.usda.gov |
| 7 | $5,271.00 | $4,055.00 | $1,571.00 | fns.usda.gov |
| 8 | $5,867.00 | $4,513.00 | $1,789.00 | fns.usda.gov |
| Each additional person | $596.00 | $459.00 | $218.00 | fns.usda.gov |
What to do
- Compare your household’s gross monthly income with the 130 percent line for its size; if it is under, the net test and deductions decide the amount. Official link
- Apply through your state, not FNS; the state directory lists each agency and its online application. Official link
- Once approved, the day your benefits load depends on the state’s issuance schedule. Official link
Questions readers ask
- What is the SNAP income limit for a family of four?
- For fiscal year 2026, the gross monthly income limit for a household of four in the 48 states and DC is 130 percent of the poverty line and the net limit is 100 percent; the exact dollar figures are in the table on this page. Households with an elderly or disabled member only have to meet the net limit.
- What is the maximum SNAP benefit?
- The maximum monthly allotment in the 48 states and DC for fiscal year 2026 is listed by household size in the table, from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands have higher amounts.
- When do SNAP limits change?
- Every October 1, at the start of the federal fiscal year. The fiscal year 2027 figures take effect on October 1, 2026, and appear on this page the day the Food and Nutrition Service publishes them.
Dates ahead
- Fiscal year 2027 SNAP limits and allotments take effect
Background: How SNAP eligibility and payment dates work
Mentioned:USDA Food and Nutrition ServiceSNAP
How we reported this
Built from the documents in the Source Card. FY2026 figures entered from the FNS cost-of-living adjustments page on September 4, 2026; FY2027 figures follow on publication.
Written by Mirza Seraj Baig · Checked against the documents in the source card (editorial standards).
Updates
- FY2026 figures entered from the FNS cost-of-living adjustments page on September 4, 2026; FY2027 figures follow on publication.