Unlike most benefits that draw one line in the sand for the whole country, SNAP eligibility shifts depending on where you live, how many people are in your home, and whether your state chose to raise the ceiling. There is no single “you make too much” number. Two families with identical paychecks can get different answers in different states.
That makes the question “what’s the SNAP income limit?” harder than it should be. So here is the quick version first, then the parts that move it.
The current SNAP income limits
SNAP uses two income tests. Your gross monthly income, before deductions, generally has to fall at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level. Your net monthly income, after allowable deductions, has to fall at or below 100 percent of the poverty level. These figures update every October 1. The numbers below run from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
For the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C.:
| Household size | Gross monthly limit (130% FPL) | Net monthly limit (100% FPL) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,696 | $1,305 |
| 2 | $2,292 | $1,763 |
| 3 | $2,888 | $2,221 |
| 4 | $3,483 | $2,680 |
| 5 | $4,079 | $3,138 |
| 6 | $4,675 | $3,596 |
| 7 | $5,272 | $4,055 |
| 8 | $5,867 | $4,513 |
| Each additional person | +$597 | +$459 |
If your income lands under both numbers for your household size, you clear the federal income tests. That is the table to bookmark. Everything after this is the fine print that decides the edge cases.
Where the “by state” part comes in
Three things bend these limits, and the first is geography.
Alaska and Hawaii run on higher poverty guidelines because the cost of living is higher, so their limits are larger. A one-person household in Alaska can earn up to $2,118 gross, and in Hawaii up to $1,949 gross, compared with $1,696 in the lower 48. A family of four sees the same pattern: $4,354 gross in Alaska and $4,007 in Hawaii, against $3,483 elsewhere.
| Household size | Gross limit, Alaska | Gross limit, Hawaii |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,118 | $1,949 |
| 2 | $2,864 | $2,635 |
| 3 | $3,609 | $3,321 |
| 4 | $4,354 | $4,007 |
The second thing is broad-based categorical eligibility, usually written as BBCE. More than 40 states have adopted it, and it lets a state raise the gross income limit well above the federal 130 percent line, in many cases up to 200 percent of the poverty level. States that use BBCE also tend to drop the asset test. So if your gross income is over the table above but you live in a BBCE state, you might still qualify. This is the single biggest reason people who assume they earn too much turn out to be wrong.
The third thing is who is in your household. Households where every member already gets SSI or TANF are often categorically eligible and skip the income tests. Households with a member who is 60 or older or has a disability only have to meet the net income test, not the gross one, which is a meaningful break for older applicants on a fixed income.
What counts as income
SNAP counts almost everything coming in. Wages before payroll taxes, self-employment income, Social Security, child support received, and yes, unemployment benefits all count toward your gross income. If you just lost a job and started drawing unemployment, that check goes into the calculation. Our guide to filing for unemployment after being fired explains how those payments work, and it’s worth knowing they show up here too.
The part people miss is that gross income is only the first gate. The number that often decides your benefit is net income, and net income can be a lot lower than gross.
The deductions that lower your net income
This is where applications get won or lost. SNAP subtracts several deductions from your gross income before applying the net test, and stacking them can pull you under the line even when your paycheck looks too high.
The standard deduction is $209 a month for households of one to three people in the lower 48, and larger for bigger households. On top of that, working households get to subtract 20 percent of their earned income. There are deductions for dependent care, for child support you pay out, and for medical expenses above $35 a month for elderly or disabled members. The big one for many people is the excess shelter deduction, which covers rent, mortgage, and utility costs above half of your remaining income, capped at $712 a month for households of one to three in fiscal year 2026.
So the honest answer to “how much can I make and still get SNAP” is: more than the gross table suggests, once deductions come off. Don’t disqualify yourself on paper before the state runs the real math.
Here’s how that plays out. Say a single parent with two kids earns $2,950 a month. That’s above the gross limit of $2,888 for a household of three in the lower 48, so it looks like a denial. But in a state that uses BBCE with a higher gross threshold, they clear the first gate. Then the deductions start: the standard deduction, 20 percent off their earned income, a chunk for the child care they pay so they can work, and an excess shelter deduction for rent that eats most of their check. After all of that, their net income can land well under the $2,221 net limit, and they qualify. The paystub said no. The math said yes.
This is why the most expensive mistake with SNAP is assuming. The deductions are not small, and they’re not optional add-ons the caseworker might forget. They’re built into the calculation.
Assets and the time limit
Most households can have up to $3,000 in countable resources, and up to $4,500 if someone in the home is 60 or older or has a disability. Your home and retirement accounts usually don’t count, and BBCE states often waive the asset test entirely.
One more rule to know: able-bodied adults without dependents face a time limit. If they aren’t working or in a qualifying activity for about 80 hours a month, benefits can be capped at three months in a three-year window, with some exemptions. Recent federal changes tightened parts of this, so check your state’s current terms if it applies to you.
How to actually find out
Income tables tell you whether it’s worth applying. They don’t make the decision. Your state agency runs the deductions, applies BBCE if your state uses it, and produces the real number. The only way to know for certain is to apply, and applying is free.
For the full walkthrough of the program, including how to apply and how benefit amounts get set, see the SNAP and EBT benefits hub. If you’re piecing together help after a job loss, SNAP rarely stands alone. Families with kids should also look at WIC, and anyone whose income just dropped should check Medicaid eligibility after job loss, which uses similar income logic. The full set of programs lives in the government benefits hub.