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Lookup 1 — What is my poverty line?
Enter your household size — get your 100% FPL income.
REFERENCE TABLE · MONEY · PRINTABLE
2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines: The Full Chart
The federal poverty level for 2026 is $15,960 for one person and $33,000 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states — the yardstick behind Medicaid, SNAP, ACA subsidies, and dozens of other programs. The Department of Health and Human Services publishes these figures each January (the 2026 update took effect January 13, 2026), and Alaska and Hawaii get their own higher tables. Below: the complete 100%-FPL tables for all three regions, the 138% / 200% / 400% program cutoffs that actually decide eligibility, and three live lookups — your household’s line, your income as a percent of it, and your ACA subsidy band for the November 1 open enrollment. The tables print cleanly: take them to the appointment.
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Lookup 2 — What percent of poverty is my income?
Enter income and household size — get your % of FPL.
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Lookup 3 — Do I qualify for ACA subsidies?
Enter income and household size — get your 2027-plan subsidy band.
The 2026 tables
Three regions, one rule: 100% of FPL is the raw poverty line, and nearly every program multiplies it. For households larger than eight, add the per-person figure at the bottom of each table. Printing? Use your browser’s print command — the tables below are formatted for paper.
| Household size | Annual income | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | $1,330 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $1,803 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $2,277 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $2,750 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $3,223 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $3,697 |
| 7 | $50,040 | $4,170 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $4,643 |
| Each additional person | +$5,680 | +$473 |
| Household size | Annual income | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $19,950 | $1,662 |
| 2 | $27,050 | $2,254 |
| 3 | $34,150 | $2,846 |
| 4 | $41,250 | $3,438 |
| 5 | $48,350 | $4,029 |
| 6 | $55,450 | $4,621 |
| 7 | $62,550 | $5,212 |
| 8 | $69,650 | $5,804 |
| Each additional person | +$7,100 | +$592 |
| Household size | Annual income | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18,360 | $1,530 |
| 2 | $24,890 | $2,074 |
| 3 | $31,420 | $2,618 |
| 4 | $37,950 | $3,162 |
| 5 | $44,480 | $3,707 |
| 6 | $51,010 | $4,251 |
| 7 | $57,540 | $4,795 |
| 8 | $64,070 | $5,339 |
| Each additional person | +$6,530 | +$544 |
The cutoffs that actually decide things
Almost nobody qualifies or fails at 100% itself — programs set their lines at multiples of the guideline. A family of four at 200% of poverty earns up to $66,000 and still qualifies for programs most people assume are only for the very poor:
| Cutoff | 1 person | Family of 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 100% · poverty line itself | $15,960 | $33,000 |
| 130% · SNAP gross-income test | $20,748 | $42,900 |
| 138% · Medicaid expansion (adult) | $22,025 | $45,540 |
| 200% · many assistance programs | $31,920 | $66,000 |
| 250% · ACA cost-sharing reductions | $39,900 | $82,500 |
| 400% · ACA subsidy ceiling | $63,840 | $132,000 |
Worked example: the $66,000 family of four
Take a four-person household in Ohio earning $66,000. Lookup 1 says their 100% line is $33,000; Lookup 2 says $66,000 ÷ $33,000 = 200% of FPL. That single number unlocks the map: under 250%, so a Silver marketplace plan would carry cost-sharing reductions (lower deductibles and copays); under 400%, so premium tax credits apply for 2027 plans; above 138%, so adult Medicaid expansion is out but marketplace help is in. One division, three answers — that’s why the percent-of-FPL framing runs every eligibility check in America.
Guidelines vs thresholds: don’t mix them up
Two different federal numbers share the word “poverty”. The guidelines (this page, from HHS) decide who qualifies for benefits — they’re a simplified version of the thresholds, which the Census Bureau maintains for counting how many Americans are poor in statistical research. If a form asks whether your income is below a percent of the “federal poverty level”, it means the guidelines — the numbers above. The thresholds never decide eligibility.
Output · formula · meaning
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 100% FPL | HHS table lookup (size, region) | $33,000 for 4 in the lower 48 — your household’s line. |
| % of FPL | income ÷ FPL × 100 | 200.00% for $66,000 ÷ $33,000 — the number every program asks for. |
| ACA subsidy band | % of FPL vs 100 / 138 / 250 / 400 | Premium tax credits at 200% — plus cost-sharing reductions on Silver. |
Who uses this
- Open-enrollment shoppers (Nov 1): checking subsidy eligibility for 2027 marketplace plans before picking a metal tier.
- New parents and growing families: each added person raises the line by $5,680 — recheck every program you touch.
- Alaska and Hawaii residents: your tables run ~25% and ~15% higher — the lower-48 numbers understate your cutoffs.
- Students, caseworkers & researchers: the HHS guidelines are public statistics — cite them with the block below.
Accuracy & limitations
Figures are the HHS 2026 poverty guidelines (effective January 13, 2026); programs update to new guidelines on their own schedules — confirm which year’s chart your specific program uses. Eligibility also depends on household composition rules, asset tests, immigration status, and state rules that a percent-of-FPL can’t capture. ACA bands shown are the standard federal framework; a few states run their own marketplaces with local variations. Not benefits advice.
Cite this reference tableBright Side Kit. “2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines Chart.” brightoolbox.com, 2026.
Bright Side Kit. "2026 Federal Poverty Guidelines Chart." https://brightoolbox.com/2026-federal-poverty-guidelines/ Accessed October 23, 2026.Frequently asked questions
What is 100% of the federal poverty level for 2026?
$15,960 a year for one person and $33,000 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states and DC. Alaska runs higher ($19,950 / $41,250) and Hawaii too ($18,360 / $37,950). Each additional person beyond eight adds $5,680 ($7,100 Alaska, $6,530 Hawaii).
What income qualifies for ACA subsidies in 2026?
For 2027 marketplace plans (open enrollment starts November 1, 2026), premium tax credits generally cover households from 100% to 400% of FPL — that’s $15,960 to $63,840 for one person, $33,000 to $132,000 for a family of four in the lower 48. Under 250% of FPL, Silver plans also get cost-sharing reductions that lower deductibles and copays.
What is 138% of the poverty level — and why does it matter?
$22,025 for one person ($45,540 for four) in 2026. It’s the Medicaid expansion line: in states that expanded Medicaid, adults up to 138% of FPL qualify. In non-expansion states, adults below 100% can fall into the coverage gap — too poor for subsidies, ineligible for Medicaid.
Are the poverty guidelines the same as the poverty thresholds?
No. The guidelines (this page, from HHS) are the simplified figures programs use for eligibility. The thresholds (Census Bureau) are the detailed statistical measure used to count how many Americans live in poverty. Eligibility always means the guidelines.
Do Alaska and Hawaii really have different poverty levels?
Yes — the only two states with separate tables. For 2026, a single person’s line is $19,950 in Alaska (~25% above the lower 48) and $18,360 in Hawaii (~15% above), reflecting the real cost of shipping goods and maintaining infrastructure there. Using the lower-48 numbers understates every cutoff.
When do the 2027 guidelines come out?
HHS usually publishes the new guidelines in mid-to-late January — expect the 2027 figures around January 2027. Programs switch over on their own timelines, so a January application and a March application can legally use different charts.