Federal Poverty Level Calculator
| 2026 persons | 48 states + DC | Alaska | Hawaii |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | $19,950 | $18,360 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $27,050 | $24,890 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $34,150 | $31,420 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $41,250 | $37,950 |
| 5 | $38,680 | $48,350 | $44,480 |
| 6 | $44,360 | $55,450 | $51,010 |
| 7 | $50,040 | $62,550 | $57,540 |
| 8 | $55,720 | $69,650 | $64,070 |
| each extra | +$5,680 | +$7,100 | +$6,530 |
The federal poverty level (FPL) is the dollar line that federal and state programs measure income against: ACA premium credits run from 100% to 400% of it, Medicaid expansion starts at 138%, the SNAP gross-income gate sits at 130%, WIC at 185%. The 2026 guidelines, published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2026, start at $15,960 for one person in the 48 contiguous states and DC - this calculator puts your income on that ruler and shows which program gates it clears.
One number, two jobs: the household-size line is also the denominator the marketplace uses, because your income as a percent of poverty decides both whether you get a credit and how much of the premium you must pay yourself. Knowing your exact percent of FPL is the first step in almost every means-tested program in the country.
How to use
- Count the tax household: the filer, spouse, and dependents you claim - not everyone under your roof. The line grows by a fixed increment per extra member: $5,680 in the 48 states for 2026.
- Pick the region: Alaska and Hawaii have separate, higher guidelines - an administrative practice dating to 1966-1970. Puerto Rico and the territories have no official guidelines at all.
- Enter gross annual income (before taxes) to see your percent of the 2026 line and the seven most common program gates - which ones you clear, and by how many dollars.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the Alaska and Hawaii lines different?
Administrative inheritance, not cost-of-living math: when the guidelines were formalized in 1966-1970, the Office of Economic Opportunity set separate higher figures for the two states, and HHS has kept them ever since. For 2026 the single-person line is $19,950 in Alaska and $18,360 in Hawaii, against $15,960 in the other 48 states and DC.
Are these the same as the Census poverty thresholds?
No - the guidelines are a simplified administrative version of the Census Bureau thresholds, issued each January for program use. They are also not the Supplemental Poverty Measure, which HHS explicitly does not use here. Thresholds are for statistics; guidelines are for eligibility.
Which year of the line does each program use?
Medicaid and CHIP test current income against the current guidelines. Marketplace premium credits key off the most recent guidelines at open enrollment: plans you pick for 2027 this November are measured on the 2026 line ($15,960 single), while the 2026 plan year was priced on the 2025 guidelines ($15,650).
What about Puerto Rico and the territories?
HHS does not define poverty guidelines for Puerto Rico or the outlying areas at all - federal programs there use other income tests, and SNAP, Medicaid and the ACA credits each apply territory-specific rules. Use these tables only for the 50 states and DC.