SNAP eligibility: who qualifies and the income limits by household size

Who can get SNAP

SNAP helps people with low income buy food. You must apply in the state where you live now. The state agency then looks at your household, its income, its resources and a few other rules.

Your SNAP household is everyone who lives with you and buys and prepares meals with you. Spouses and most children under 22 who live together count as one household, even if they buy food apart. A person who gets most meals from an institution is usually not eligible, with some exceptions for older people and people with disabilities.

SNAP income limits by household size

The table is for households in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands that apply between Oct. 1, 2026, and Sept. 30, 2027. Limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii.

Gross income is the household's total income before any deductions. Net income is gross income minus the deductions the program allows. In most cases a household must be under both limits. If every member gets SSI or TANF, the household may skip these tests. Most states also use a rule called broad-based categorical eligibility, which can change the limits there.

Deductions that lower your counted income

• 20 percent of earned income.
• A standard deduction of $217 for households of 1 to 3 people, and more for some larger households.
• Dependent care needed for work, training or school.
• Medical costs over $35 a month for members who are 60 or older or have a disability, if no one else pays them.
• Legally owed child support, in some states.
• Shelter costs that are more than half of your income after the other deductions, up to $769 a month. There is no cap when a member is 60 or older or has a disability.

The most a household can get each month is $306 for 1 person and $1,023 for 4 people in the 48 states and DC. The actual amount is that maximum minus 30 percent of the household's net income.

Resources and other rules

A home and lot, most retirement plans and the resources of people who get SSI or TANF do not count toward the resource limit. Vehicles may count, and each state sets how.

Many adults must register for work, keep their job and join a work program if the state asks. Adults without dependents who can work must work or train at least 20 hours a week to get SNAP for more than 3 months in 3 years. Most college students ages 18 to 49 who go at least half time are not eligible unless they meet an exemption. A recent federal law changed some work and non-citizen rules, and the USDA is still updating its pages, so check the current rules with your state agency.

Frequently asked questions

Does SNAP count my savings?

Yes, as countable resources, such as cash or money in the bank. The limit is $3,000, or $4,750 if a member is 60 or older or has a disability. Your home, most retirement plans and the resources of people on SSI or TANF do not count. Your state may use higher limits.

Are the limits the same in every state?

The table above applies to the 48 contiguous states, DC, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Alaska and Hawaii have higher limits. Many states also use their own income and resource limits, so check your state.

When do the limits change?

Every Oct. 1, at the start of the federal fiscal year. The USDA updates the income limits, the maximum benefits and the deductions based on the cost of living.

Can non-citizens get SNAP?

SNAP has never been open to undocumented non-citizens. Some lawfully present non-citizens may be eligible. If some people in your home are not eligible, the agency must still check the others who apply.