About the Federal Poverty Level Calculator
This federal poverty level (FPL) calculator converts your household income into a percentage of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines — the number most US assistance programs use to decide who qualifies. Enter how many people are in your household, where you live and your income, and you get your exact % of FPL plus the dollar amounts for common cut-offs such as 138%, 200% and 400%.
Use it before applying for Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, WIC, LIHEAP, school meals or ACA marketplace subsidies, or to check how a raise or a new baby changes where you stand. Alaska and Hawaii have their own, higher guidelines, which the calculator applies automatically when you pick them.
Figures are the 2026 poverty guidelines published by HHS on January 15, 2026: $15,960 for one person in the 48 contiguous states and DC, plus $5,680 for each additional person. Programs differ in how they count income (gross, net or MAGI) and in which year’s guidelines they use — ACA premium credits for 2026 coverage, for example, use the 2025 guidelines — so treat the result as a guide and check each program’s own rules.
With the default inputs, the income as % of poverty level is 164.7%. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the federal poverty level calculator
- 1Enter the number of people in your household.
- 2Pick the 48 states & DC, Alaska or Hawaii.
- 3Enter your household income and how often it is received.
- 4Read your % of FPL and compare it with the threshold table.
- 5Check the specific program’s rules for which income and household members count.
Formula and method
The 2026 HHS poverty guideline is $15,960 for one person in the 48 contiguous states and DC, plus $5,680 for each additional person ($19,950 + $7,100 in Alaska; $18,360 + $6,530 in Hawaii). Your income is first converted to a yearly figure (monthly × 12, every two weeks × 26, weekly × 52), then divided by the guideline for your household size.
Thresholds such as 138% or 200% are simple multiples of the guideline. Each program decides which income counts (gross wages, net income after deductions, or modified adjusted gross income) and who belongs in the household, so the same family can be at different FPL percentages for different programs.
- FPL
- HHS poverty guideline for the household size and region
- n
- Household size
Worked examples
Family of three earning $45,000
The 2026 guideline for three people is $15,960 + 2 × $5,680 = $27,320. $45,000 ÷ $27,320 = 164.7% of poverty — above the 138% adult Medicaid line but well within CHIP and ACA subsidy ranges.
Single adult earning $20,000
One person’s guideline is $15,960, so $20,000 is 125.3% of poverty. 138% of the guideline is $22,024.80, leaving about $2,025 of room under the Medicaid expansion limit.
Family of four in Alaska earning $4,000 a month
Alaska’s guideline for four people is $19,950 + 3 × $7,100 = $41,250. Monthly income of $4,000 is $48,000 a year, or 116.4% of the Alaska poverty guideline.
Frequently asked questions
What is the federal poverty level for 2026?+
For the 48 contiguous states and DC, the 2026 HHS poverty guideline is $15,960 for one person, $21,640 for two, $27,320 for three and $33,000 for four, adding $5,680 per extra person. Alaska and Hawaii have higher figures.
What is the difference between poverty guidelines and poverty thresholds?+
Poverty thresholds are the Census Bureau’s statistical measure used to count people in poverty. Poverty guidelines are the simplified HHS version used to set program eligibility. When a program says “FPL” it almost always means the HHS guidelines.
Who counts in my household?+
It depends on the program. Medicaid and ACA subsidies generally use your tax household (you, your spouse and tax dependents), SNAP counts people who buy and prepare food together, and a pregnant woman often counts as two or more.
Which income do programs use?+
Medicaid, CHIP and ACA subsidies use modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). SNAP uses gross monthly income for one test and net income after deductions for another. WIC and school meals use gross income before taxes.
When do the poverty guidelines change?+
HHS publishes new guidelines each January, usually in the second half of the month. Programs adopt them on their own schedules — SNAP from October 1, WIC and school meals from July 1, and ACA subsidies use the prior year’s figures.
What does 138% of FPL mean for Medicaid?+
In states that expanded Medicaid, adults aged 19–64 qualify with MAGI up to 133% of poverty, and a standard 5-percentage-point income disregard makes the effective limit 138%. For one person in 2026 that is about $22,025 a year.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.