Federal Poverty Level 2026 — Guidelines & % of FPL
The 2026 federal poverty guidelines exactly as HHS published them: $15,960 for one person and $33,000 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states, with separate higher tables for Alaska and Hawaii — plus a percent-of-FPL helper that places your income against the 100%, 130%, 138%, 150%, 200%, 250%, and 400% thresholds programs actually use.
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2026 poverty guidelines (annual income)
| Household size | 48 states & DC | Alaska | Hawaii |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $15,960 | $19,950 | $18,360 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $27,050 | $24,890 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $34,150 | $31,420 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $41,250 | $37,950 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $48,350 | $44,480 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $55,450 | $51,010 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $62,550 | $57,540 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $69,650 | $64,070 |
| Each additional person | +$5,680 | +$7,100 | +$6,530 |
What % of the FPL is my income?
The 2026 guideline for 2 people in your region is $21,640. Your income is
138.6% of the FPL
Common program thresholds for your household
| Threshold | Annual income limit | Commonly used by |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | $21,640 | SNAP net income test; many state programs |
| 130% | $28,132 | SNAP gross income test; free school meals |
| 138% | $29,863 | Medicaid expansion (in adopting states) |
| 150% you are here | $32,460 | LIHEAP and utility assistance in many states |
| 200% | $43,280 | CHIP in many states; common BBCE gross limit |
| 250% | $54,100 | Sliding-fee clinics and hospital financial-assistance policies (varies) |
| 400% | $86,560 | Historical top of the ACA premium subsidy range |
A ✓ means your income is at or below that multiple of the guideline — one screen among several each program applies, not an eligibility determination. Runs entirely in your browser. Screening SNAP? Use the SNAP eligibility calculator →
Verified 2026-07-30 against HHS ASPE — 2026 Poverty Guidelines (published in the Federal Register 2026-01-15) (effective 2026-01-15)
Estimate only — not legal, financial, or benefits advice. Only HHS can determine your actual benefit.
Official source: HHS ASPE — poverty guidelines ↗
🎓 Understand this tool
What it is
The 2026 HHS poverty guidelines in one table — household sizes 1 through 8 plus the each-additional-person increment, for the 48 contiguous states, Alaska, and Hawaii — with a helper that turns your income into a percentage of the FPL.
How it works
The figures are transcribed from the HHS ASPE poverty-guidelines notice published in January 2026 and stored in a versioned, dated rule pack. The percent-of-FPL helper divides your annual income by the guideline for your household size and region — the same arithmetic programs use when they set cutoffs like 130%, 138%, or 200% of poverty.
Getting the most from it
- Find your household size row and region column for the base guideline figure.
- Enter your annual income in the helper to see it as a percentage of the FPL.
- Compare against the highlighted thresholds — 100/130/138/150/200/250/400% — that common programs key on.
- Check the specific program's own notice for which guideline year and multiple it applies.
Reading your result
A percentage below a program's threshold means you clear that one screen, not that you qualify — programs add their own tests (assets, categorical rules, net-income math). SNAP, Medicaid, and ACA subsidies each read the guidelines differently and on different calendars.
What it can't tell you
Guidelines are a simplified version of the Census poverty thresholds and say nothing about deductions, household composition rules, or state variations. This page cannot tell you whether any agency will find you eligible — it shows the published yardstick, verified against the HHS source.
Frequently asked questions
The HHS poverty guidelines are the eligibility yardstick for dozens of programs: SNAP income tests (130% gross / 100% net), Medicaid expansion (138%), ACA marketplace subsidy ranges, LIHEAP, school meal programs, and many state benefits. Each program sets its own multiple of the guideline.
Related calculators
SNAP Screener
Answer a few questions about your household — size, income, and expenses — and see whether you would likely pass the FY2026 SNAP gross and net income tests, plus an estimated monthly benefit from the USDA formula. Everything runs in your browser; your state agency makes every actual eligibility decision.
SSDI Estimate
Estimate your monthly SSDI benefit from your AIME with the real Social Security formula: 90% of the first $1,286, 32% from $1,286 to $7,749, and 15% above — the verified 2026 bend points. SSDI is not needs-based; the benefit is your PIA from your earnings record, shown here step by step.
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