Texas SNAP Income Limits for 2026–2027 (New Limits Start October 1)

Last verified: September 24, 2026

Most Texas households can earn up to 165% of the federal poverty level and still qualify for SNAP (food stamps).

Starting October 1, 2026, that means:

• $2,195 a month for one person
• $4,538 a month for a family of four

These limits run through September 30, 2027. Below you’ll find the full chart, the asset and car rules, and real examples.

Texas SNAP Income Limits Chart (Oct. 1, 2026 – Sept. 30, 2027)

Find your household size. Then use the column that fits you. Not sure which column? The next section explains it.

“Gross” means income before taxes. “Net” means income after certain costs are subtracted.

Household size	Most households (165% gross)	Standard gross (130%)	Net limit (100%)
1	$2,195	$1,729	$1,330
2	$2,976	$2,345	$1,804
3	$3,757	$2,960	$2,277
4	$4,538	$3,575	$2,750
5	$5,319	$4,191	$3,224
6	$6,100	$4,806	$3,697
7	$6,881	$5,421	$4,170
8	$7,662	$6,037	$4,644
Each extra person	+$781	+$616	+$474

Where these numbers come from: They come from USDA’s official 2027 tables. Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) uses the same figures in its handbook. HHSC had not posted its October update when we checked. We’ll confirm it once they do.

How much did the Texas limits go up?

Here’s how the main 165% limit changes on October 1.

Household size	Until Sept. 30, 2026	From Oct. 1, 2026	Increase
1	$2,152	$2,195	+$43
2	$2,909	$2,976	+$67
3	$3,665	$3,757	+$92
4	$4,421	$4,538	+$117
5	$5,177	$5,319	+$142
6	$5,934	$6,100	+$166

If you were just over the limit before, check again. You may qualify now.

Which Income Limit Applies to You?

Texas uses a rule called broad-based categorical eligibility. That’s a long name for a simple idea. It lets more working families qualify.

Most households: the 165% limit

Is your gross income at or under the 165% column? Then you pass the income test.

You don’t face a separate net income test. You also get a more generous asset test (see the next section).

Your benefit amount is still based on your net income. Larger households with higher income may qualify but get little or nothing.

Households that can’t use the 165% limit

A few households must use the stricter federal rules instead. This happens if someone in the home:

• was disqualified for breaking SNAP rules on purpose, or
• is the main earner and quit a job without a good reason.

These households must pass both the 130% gross test and the 100% net test.

Why other websites show different Texas numbers

You may see other numbers online. Here’s why:

• $1,729 for one person is the federal 130% limit. Most Texans don’t use it.
• “200% of poverty” is wrong for Texas. Texas uses 165%.
• $2,152 for one person is last year’s limit. It ends September 30, 2026.

If someone is 60+ or has a disability

If your income is under 165%, the normal rules apply to you.

If your income is higher, you can still qualify. Your household skips the gross income test. You only need to:

• pass the net income test (100% column), and
• have $4,750 or less in countable assets.

Two rules help these households a lot:

• Medical costs count. Out-of-pocket medical costs over $35 a month can be subtracted.
• No housing cap. High rent and utility costs can be fully deducted.

Texas SNAP Asset and Vehicle Limits

Assets are things you own, like cash, bank accounts, and cars.

If you use the 165% limit

Your countable assets must be $5,000 or less. Texas counts cash, bank accounts, and part of your car’s value.

Cars get generous treatment:

• Your most valuable car: the first $22,500 of its value doesn’t count.
• Each other car: the first $8,700 of its value doesn’t count.

Only the value above those amounts is added to your total.

These never count:

• your home
• most retirement accounts
• furniture and household items

If you can’t use the 165% limit

The federal asset limits apply instead:

• $3,000 for most households
• $4,750 if someone is 60+ or has a disability (from October 1, 2026)

Gross vs. Net Income: How HHSC Counts Your Money

Gross income is everything your household earns before taxes. This includes:

• wages and tips
• self-employment income
• Social Security, SSI, and disability payments
• unemployment benefits
• child support you receive
• pensions and VA benefits

Some money doesn’t count, like most loans and tax refunds.

Net income is what’s left after HHSC subtracts certain costs. These include:

• 20% of your earnings from work
• a standard deduction for every household
• child care costs you pay so you can work or go to school
• child support you pay
• high housing and utility costs
• medical costs (for people 60+ or with a disability)

Want to see your net income and benefit? Use our Texas SNAP calculator.

Texas SNAP limits by paycheck

Most people are paid weekly or every two weeks. Here’s roughly what the 165% limit looks like per paycheck.

Household size	Monthly	Every 2 weeks	Weekly	Hourly (40 hrs/week)
1	$2,195	about $1,021	about $510	about $12.76
2	$2,976	about $1,384	about $692	about $17.30
3	$3,757	about $1,747	about $874	about $21.84
4	$4,538	about $2,111	about $1,055	about $26.38
5	$5,319	about $2,474	about $1,237	about $30.92
6	$6,100	about $2,837	about $1,419	about $35.47

HHSC turns your pay into a monthly amount. These are close estimates, not exact cutoffs. The hourly column assumes one full-time job.

What Changes on October 1, 2026

SNAP numbers reset every October 1. Here’s what changes this year:

• Income limits go up for every household size.
• Maximum benefits rise. A family of four goes from $994 to $1,023.
• The minimum benefit rises from $24 to $25 for 1–2 person households.
• The standard deduction rises to $217 for households of 1–3 people.
• The housing deduction cap rises to $769.

You don’t need to do anything. HHSC updates open cases automatically.

Texas sets its own utility allowances. Watch HHSC’s website for those updates. For the national picture, see SNAP changes coming October 2026.

Maximum SNAP Benefits in Texas (Oct. 2026 – Sept. 2027)

Household size	Maximum monthly benefit
1	$306
2	$562
3	$808
4	$1,023
5	$1,217
6	$1,463
7	$1,616
8	$1,841
Each extra person	+$225

Most families get less than the maximum. HHSC takes 30% of your net income and subtracts it from the maximum.

See your estimate with our Texas SNAP calculator.

Examples: Do These Texas Households Qualify?

Houston family of 4 with one paycheck

One parent earns $18 an hour, full time. That’s about $3,096 a month.

The 165% limit for four people is $4,538.

Result: They pass the income test. Their benefit depends on rent, utilities, and child care.

San Antonio senior living alone

A 68-year-old gets $2,300 a month from Social Security. She pays $1,100 in rent, runs AC, and spends $250 a month on medical bills.

Her income is over the 165% limit ($2,195). Because she’s over 60, she can use the net income test instead.

• Start with $2,300.
• Subtract the $217 standard deduction: $2,083.
• Subtract medical costs over $35 ($215): $1,868.
• Subtract her extra housing costs ($611): $1,257 net.

The net limit for one person is $1,330.

Result: She qualifies if her savings are $4,750 or less. Her benefit would likely be small, around the $25 minimum.

This example uses Texas’s current $445 utility allowance. That figure may change on October 1.

Dallas family of 3 with two cars

This family earns $3,600 a month. They have $3,200 in savings, a $24,000 truck, and a $6,000 car.

• Income: $3,600 is under the $3,757 limit. They pass.
• Truck: Only $1,500 counts (the value above $22,500).
• Car: Nothing counts (it’s under $8,700).
• Total assets: $3,200 + $1,500 = $4,700.

Result: They pass the $5,000 asset test.

On a federal-only chart, this family would look ineligible. Their income is above the 130% limit. Their savings are above $3,000. The Texas rules make the difference.

Other Texas SNAP Rules That Affect Eligibility

Income isn’t the only test. These rules matter too.

Work rules. Most adults ages 16–59 must register for work and not quit a job without a good reason. Adults ages 18–64 without a child under 14 face a time limit. They must work or train 80 hours a month, or SNAP stops after 3 months. Veterans, homeless adults, and former foster youth are no longer automatically exempt.

Immigration status. Eligible noncitizens now include green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and citizens of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. Many green card holders must wait five years first. Refugees and asylees are generally not eligible unless they get a green card. U.S. citizen children can qualify even if their parents can’t.

What you can buy. Since April 1, 2026, you can’t use your Lone Star Card for candy or sweetened drinks. See April 2026 SNAP changes.

How to apply. Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com or call 2-1-1. See our step-by-step guide: how to apply for SNAP in Texas.

Texas SNAP Income Limits FAQ

Official sources

• USDA, SNAP Fiscal Year 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (Aug. 21, 2026)
• Texas Works Handbook C-121, Maximum Income Limits
• Texas Works Handbook A-1210 and B-470 (assets and categorical eligibility)
• Texas HHSC, SNAP Purchase Restrictions
• USDA FNS, OBBB Implementation Memo on noncitizen eligibility