Medicaid income limits 2026 by household size
By the MedicaidCalc Editorial Team · Published · Updated
Every Medicaid and CHIP limit is a percentage of one yardstick: the HHS poverty guidelines. The 2026 guidelines were published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2026: $15,960 a year for one person in the 48 contiguous states and DC, plus $5,680 for each additional person.[1] The chart below turns the percentages states actually use into monthly dollars.
Monthly income at common Medicaid percentages (48 states and DC)
| Household | 100% | 138% | 150% | 200% | 250% | 300% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $1,330 | $1,836 | $1,995 | $2,660 | $3,325 | $3,990 |
| 2 people | $1,804 | $2,489 | $2,705 | $3,607 | $4,509 | $5,410 |
| 3 people | $2,277 | $3,142 | $3,415 | $4,554 | $5,692 | $6,830 |
| 4 people | $2,750 | $3,795 | $4,125 | $5,500 | $6,875 | $8,250 |
| 5 people | $3,224 | $4,449 | $4,835 | $6,447 | $8,059 | $9,670 |
| 6 people | $3,697 | $5,102 | $5,545 | $7,394 | $9,242 | $11,090 |
| 7 people | $4,170 | $5,755 | $6,255 | $8,340 | $10,425 | $12,510 |
| 8 people | $4,644 | $6,408 | $6,965 | $9,287 | $11,609 | $13,930 |
Which percentage applies to whom
- 138% — adults 19–64 in the 41 jurisdictions that adopted the ACA expansion. The law says 133%; the 5-point disregard in 42 CFR 435.603(d)(4) makes it 138% in practice.[2][3]
- 100% — the floor for Marketplace premium tax credits, and the level Wisconsin (BadgerCare Plus) and Georgia (Pathways) use for adults instead of the expansion.[9]
- 138% to about 324% — pregnancy, depending on the state.
- About 190% to 405% — children once CHIP is included; most states fall between 200% and 320%.
- Dollar tables, often under 50% — parents and caretakers in states that did not expand, where the limit is a fixed monthly amount rather than a percentage.
Alaska and Hawaii
HHS publishes separate, higher guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii, so the same percentage buys a larger dollar limit there.
| Household | Alaska 100% | Alaska 138% | Hawaii 100% | Hawaii 138% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,663 | $2,295 | $1,530 | $2,112 |
| 2 | $2,255 | $3,111 | $2,075 | $2,863 |
| 3 | $2,846 | $3,928 | $2,619 | $3,614 |
| 4 | $3,438 | $4,744 | $3,163 | $4,365 |
When your state switches to new guidelines
HHS updates the guidelines every January, but each Medicaid agency picks its own start date. For 2026, Alabama’s chart took effect February 1;[6] Wisconsin’s ran from February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027;[5] Texas switched on March 1;[4] Kansas and Florida published April charts.[7][8] If you apply in January, your state may still be using the previous year’s figures for a few weeks.
This site uses the 2026 guidelines until the 2027 guidelines are published and verified. If that has not happened by March 31, 2027, the calculator stops presenting 2026 figures as current and asks you for the poverty-line amount on your state’s notice instead of guessing.
Marketplace subsidies follow a different clock: they use the guidelines in effect on the first day of open enrollment before the coverage year, so 2026 plans were priced with the 2025 guidelines and plans for 2027 use the 2026 ones.[9]
Rounding
States round differently. Alabama lists 146% of the poverty line for one person as $1,942 (the exact figure is $1,941.80), Wisconsin shows cents, and Texas rounds each column separately. This site rounds up to the next dollar and compares your income with that figure, so a result within a dollar or two of a limit should be confirmed with your state.
Run the calculator to apply your state’s percentages to your household.
Sources
- Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines (2026) — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 91 FR 1797, FR Doc. 2026-00755. Published January 15, 2026; effective January 13, 2026. Read October 5, 2026.
- 42 CFR 435.119 — adults age 19–64 at or below 133% FPL — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations; 42 CFR 435.119. eCFR as of October 1, 2026. Read October 5, 2026.
- 42 CFR 435.603(d)(4) — the 5 percentage point MAGI disregard — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations; 42 CFR 435.603; applied to CHIP by 42 CFR 457.315. eCFR as of October 1, 2026. Read October 5, 2026.
- Texas Works Handbook C-131: Income Limits (Medical Programs) — Texas Health and Human Services Commission; C-131.1 (Revision 26-2), C-131.2 (Revision 15-4), C-131.4. 2026 FPL effective March 1, 2026; parent table effective October 1, 2015. Read October 5, 2026.
- Medicaid: Federal Poverty Level Guidelines — Wisconsin Department of Health Services; dhs.wisconsin.gov. Effective February 1, 2026 – January 31, 2027. Read October 5, 2026.
- Form 208 Medicaid Eligibility Handout — Alabama Medicaid Agency; Form 208 (01/26), monthly income effective February 1, 2026. February 1, 2026. Read October 5, 2026.
- Kansas Medical Assistance Standards (KEESM Appendix F-8, 04-26) — Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KanCare); F-8, updated April 1, 2026 — read from the Internet Archive copy captured May 20, 2026 because kancare.ks.gov refuses automated requests. April 1, 2026. Read October 5, 2026.
- ESS Program Policy Manual, Appendix A-7: Family-Related Medicaid Income Limits — Florida Department of Children and Families; Appendix A-7, updated February 2, 2026. April 2026 standards. Read October 5, 2026.
- 26 CFR 1.36B-1(h) and 1.36B-2(b)(1) — poverty line and income floor for premium tax credits — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (Treasury / IRS); 26 CFR 1.36B-1(h); 26 CFR 1.36B-2(b)(1). eCFR as of October 1, 2026. Read October 5, 2026.