# How much food stamps will I get?

Estimates your monthly SNAP (food stamps) benefit from household size, income and expenses, with the federal rules and amounts for October 2026 to September 2027.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/finance/snap-calculator
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/finance/snap-calculator.json
- Version: 6b0572bab1ec

## Default answer

Example with the default inputs (State Texas, People in the household 3, Someone is 60+ or disabled No, Earned income a month $1,500.00, Other income a month $0.00, Rent or mortgage a month $900.00, Utilities a month $0.00, Dependent care a month $0.00, Child support paid a month $0.00): For 3 people in Texas with $1,500.00 of earnings a month, SNAP is about $635 a month.

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| state | State | The state you live in. Alaska and Hawaii have higher amounts. |
| area | Alaska area | Urban, rural 1 or rural 2, as the state of Alaska classifies your community. |
| size | People in the household | People who live together and buy and make food together. |
| elderly | Someone is 60+ or disabled | On when a household member is 60 or older or gets disability benefits. |
| earned | Earned income a month | Gross pay from work before taxes, for the whole household. |
| unearned | Other income a month | Social Security, SSI, unemployment, child support received, and other income that is not from work. |
| rent | Rent or mortgage a month | Rent or mortgage payments, plus property taxes and home insurance. |
| util | Utilities a month | Heating, cooling, electricity, water, gas, trash and one phone; or your state’s standard utility allowance. Not internet. |
| care | Dependent care a month | Child or adult care you pay so a member can work, look for work or study. |
| support | Child support paid a month | Legally owed child support paid to someone outside the household. |
| medical | Medical costs a month | Out-of-pocket medical costs of the members who are 60 or older or disabled. |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| benefit | Estimated SNAP benefit a month | The maximum allotment for your household size less 30% of net income, if you pass the income tests. |
| result | Income tests | Whether the household passes the gross and net income tests. |
| maximum | Maximum allotment | The most a household of this size can get in a month. |
| gross | Gross income | Earned plus other income, per month. |
| grossLimit | Gross income limit (130% FPL) | Households without a member 60 or older or disabled must be at or under this limit. |
| net | Net income | Gross income less all SNAP deductions. |
| netLimit | Net income limit (100% FPL) | Every household must be at or under this. |
| shelter | Excess shelter deduction | Housing and utility costs above half of income after the other deductions, capped unless a member is 60+ or disabled. |
| apply | Where to apply | The program name in your state. |

## Method

Net income = gross − 20% of earnings − standard deduction − medical over $35 (60+ or disabled) − dependent care − child support − excess shelter (shelter costs over half of the rest, capped unless 60+ or disabled); benefit = maximum allotment − 30% of net income rounded up to the dollar, if the gross (130% FPL) and net (100% FPL) tests pass.

## Assumptions

- Federal amounts for October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027 (FY 2027).
- Broad-based categorical eligibility and other state options are not applied; in many states they raise the gross limit or drop the asset test.
- Resources are within the limit ($3,000, or $4,750 with a member 60+ or disabled), and every member is eligible (no student, work-rule or immigration limits).
- A full month of benefits (no first-month proration).

## Worked examples

1. state = TX, size = 4, elderly = no, earned = $1,500.00, unearned = $550.00, rent = $700.00, util = $0.00, care = $362.00, support = $0.00 gives gross = $2,050.00, net = $1,038.50, benefit = $711.00. Source: USDA FNS, SNAP Eligibility worked example (https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/recipient/eligibility) with the FY 2027 4-person standard deduction of $229 (https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/allotment/cola): $2,050 − $300 − $229 − $362 = $1,159.
2. state = OH, size = 1, elderly = yes, earned = $0.00, unearned = $1,000.00, rent = $800.00, util = $300.00, care = $0.00, support = $0.00, medical = $100.00 gives net = $0.00, benefit = $306.00. Source: USDA FNS FY 2027 standards (https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/allotment/cola): $1,000 − $217 − ($100 − $35) = $718.
3. state = CA, size = 2, elderly = no, earned = $2,500.00, unearned = $0.00, rent = $900.00, util = $0.00, care = $0.00, support = $0.00 gives gross = $2,500.00, grossLimit = $2,345.00, benefit = $0.00. Source: USDA FNS FY 2027 gross income limit for 2 people, $2,345 (https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/allotment/cola): $2,500 is over it.
4. state = NY, size = 2, elderly = no, earned = $0.00, unearned = $2,015.00, rent = $0.00, util = $0.00, care = $0.00, support = $0.00 gives net = $1,798.00, benefit = $25.00. Source: USDA FNS FY 2027 standards: net $2,015 − $217 = $1,798; $562 − $540 = $22, raised to the $25 minimum for 1 and 2 person households (7 CFR 273.10(e)(2)(ii)(C)).
5. state = HI, size = 3, elderly = no, earned = $2,000.00, unearned = $0.00, rent = $1,500.00, util = $0.00, care = $0.00, support = $0.00 gives net = $441.00, benefit = $1,174.00. Source: USDA FNS FY 2027 Hawaii standards: $2,000 − $400 − $306 = $1,294.

## FAQ

### How much food stamps will I get?

SNAP pays the maximum allotment for your household size minus 30% of your net income. A household of 4 in the 48 states with $1,038.50 of net income gets $1,023 − $312 = $711 a month from October 2026.

### What is the most SNAP a household can get?

From October 1, 2026, the maximum is $306 a month for one person, $562 for two, $808 for three and $1,023 for four in the 48 states and DC. Alaska and Hawaii are higher.

### What is the minimum SNAP benefit?

Eligible households of one or two people get at least $25 a month in the 48 states and DC ($31 to $49 in Alaska and $40 in Hawaii). Larger households can be eligible with no benefit.

### Do rent and utilities raise my SNAP?

Yes. Housing and utility costs above half of your income after other deductions are subtracted, up to $769 a month in the 48 states, or with no cap when a member is 60 or older or disabled. Lower net income means more SNAP.

### Why might my state give a different answer?

States choose some rules: broad-based categorical eligibility can raise the gross income limit and drop the asset test, standard utility allowances differ by state, and some states treat child support as an income exclusion. Your state SNAP agency makes the decision.

## Sources

- USDA Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP FY 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (allotments, deductions, income limits): https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/allotment/cola
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP Eligibility (deductions and worked example): https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/recipient/eligibility
- Code of Federal Regulations, 7 CFR 273.10(e) (net income and benefit levels): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/section-273.10
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP State Directory of Resources: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/state-directory