The food stamp income limit is not a single number. It depends on your household size, on whether income is counted before or after deductions, and on your state’s rules. This guide gives the federal figures for October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 for the 48 states and Washington, DC, and explains the three points that most often cause confusion: gross versus net income, higher state limits, and the different rule for households with an older or disabled member.
The short answer
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called food stamps, is the federal food-assistance program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For the federal table below, sourced to the USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, the gross monthly income limit is $1,729 for a household of 1 person and $3,575 for a household of 4. The net monthly income limit is $1,330 for 1 person and $2,750 for a household of 4. Gross means income before deductions; net means income after allowable deductions. In most cases a household must meet both tests, with one important exception explained below.
For background on the program itself, see the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) overview.
Federal food stamp income limits, October 2026 to September 2027
These figures are the federal table for the 48 states and Washington, DC only. They are not your state’s figure if your state uses a higher gross limit, and they are not the limits for Alaska or Hawaii, which are higher.
| Household size | Gross monthly income limit (130% of poverty) | Net monthly income limit (100% of poverty) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,729 | $1,330 |
| 2 | $2,345 | $1,804 |
| 3 | $2,960 | $2,277 |
| 4 | $3,575 | $2,750 |
| 5 | $4,191 | $3,224 |
| 6 | $4,806 | $3,697 |
| 7 | $5,421 | $4,170 |
| 8 | $6,037 | $4,644 |
| Each additional member | +$616 | +$474 |
Read the table in two steps. First, compare your household’s gross monthly income with the gross column for your household size. Then, after allowable deductions, compare the result with the net column. Passing one column alone is not the whole test for most households.
Gross income versus net income
Gross income is total income before deductions. Net income is what remains after SNAP’s allowable deductions are subtracted. That distinction matters because a household can be over the gross limit and still need to check the net position, and because deductions are the reason the two columns differ.
Do not use a single income figure from a pay stub as a final answer. Gather the household’s total income first, then work through deductions with your state agency, which applies the rules and does the official calculation.
Why your state may show a higher limit
Many states use higher gross limits through broad-based categorical eligibility. Under that policy, a state aligns its income and resource limits with a related assistance program, so a household can qualify under the state’s gross limit even when it is above the federal gross figure in the table above.
That is why two honest sources can show different numbers for the same household size: one is the federal table, and the other is a state’s own limit. States announce their own updated figures each autumn — Pennsylvania’s FY2027 announcement is one example of a state announcement — but a state announcement is not the federal table, and its figures must not be quoted as the federal limit.
If your gross income is above the federal limit, check your state’s limit before ruling yourself out. Your state agency’s figure is the one that applies to your application.
Resource limits
Under the federal rules in this guide, the countable resource limit is $3,000, or $4,750 if at least one household member is 60 or older or disabled. Resources generally means countable items such as cash and bank balances, and some resources are not counted. States that use broad-based categorical eligibility may not apply these resource limits at all, so again, your state’s rules control.
Households with a member who is 60 or older, or disabled
A household with an elderly or disabled member only has to meet the net income limit, not the gross limit. This is the clearest exception in the whole system, and it is easy to miss if you only read the gross column. If this applies to your household, start with the net column for your household size and confirm the rest of the rules with your state agency.
Maximum monthly benefits
The maximum monthly benefit is a ceiling, not a promise. For October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, in the 48 states and Washington, DC, the maximum is $306 for a household of 1 and $1,023 for a household of 4. Most households receive less than the maximum, because the amount is calculated from the household’s own income and circumstances. Your state notice, not this guide, shows your real amount.
Household budgets, and help beyond the benefit
A food budget does not sit apart from the rest of a household budget. It has to stretch across food, bills, and the small things that keep a household going, including thoughtful gifts for your dog, and travel is another cost that can strain the same monthly budget, as a trip to San Francisco shows. When money is tight, that is also when local help matters most: a community food drive can fill gaps while an application is decided, and it is worth asking locally what is available rather than assuming the benefit alone has to cover everything at once.
How to check and apply
Apply through the SNAP agency in the state where you live. Each state has its own application and process, and the state agency decides eligibility and benefit amounts. Apply even if you are not sure you qualify, especially if your state uses broad-based categorical eligibility or if your household includes a member who is 60 or older or disabled. If your income, household size, or state changes, check again rather than relying on last year’s figures, because the limits are updated each October.
What this guide does not decide
This guide does not approve or deny any application, and it does not replace your state agency’s decision. It gives the federal FY2027 table for the 48 states and Washington, DC, explains gross versus net income, the resource limit, the seniors and disabled exception, and why state limits may be higher. For your own case, use your household size, your state’s limit, and your state agency’s calculation.