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2025 Federal poverty level for household of two
Executive summary
The 2025 HHS poverty guideline for a two-person household in the 48 contiguous states and D.C. is $21,150 per year (about $1,762.50 per month) as published in the HHS/ASPE tables and reproduced by state and program sites [1] [2]. The guidelines were updated for a 2.9% CPI-U inflation adjustment and published in the Federal Register on January 17, 2025 [3] [4].
1. What the number is and where it comes from — straight to the point
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), via ASPE, issues annual poverty guidelines used by many federal and state programs; the 2025 guideline for a two-person household in the 48 contiguous states and D.C. is $21,150 annually, or $1,762.50 per month [1] [2]. HHS bases these guidelines on Census Bureau poverty thresholds, adjusted by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI‑U) and rounded for standard intervals between family sizes [3] [4].
2. Why the number changed this year — inflation math and the Federal Register notice
HHS updated the 2025 guidelines to reflect a 2.9 percent price increase between calendar years 2023 and 2024 using CPI‑U, then applied rounding and standardization rules; the resulting tables were published in the Federal Register on January 17, 2025 [3]. ASPE’s poverty-guidelines page states the 2025 tables are calculated by taking the 2023 Census poverty thresholds and adjusting for price changes between 2023 and 2024 [4].
3. How programs use the guideline — not a single “FPL” but many thresholds
Although commonly called the “Federal Poverty Level” (FPL), HHS prefers “poverty guidelines” and warns that different programs use various percentages or months/annual measures to determine eligibility; program rules decide rounding, what income counts, and household definitions [4] [1]. For example, many program materials list 100%, 150%, 200% of poverty and translate those to annual or monthly eligibility cutoffs — 150% of a one‑person guideline appears in court in forma pauperis materials and other program tables [5] [2].
4. Geographic exceptions — Alaska and Hawaii differ
The HHS tables are higher for Alaska and Hawaii to reflect higher costs of living; several sources explicitly show that the contiguous‑state numbers (like $21,150 for two people) differ from Alaska and Hawaii figures [6] [1]. Therefore, always check the table that matches the household’s state rather than assuming one nationwide dollar figure [4].
5. Practical examples — monthly math and program references
Converting the two‑person annual guideline ($21,150) to monthly gives $1,762.50 per month; some programs present values in monthly terms and apply different percentage thresholds, e.g., 150% of poverty for a two‑person household would be $31,725 annually per the 150% column reproduced on state resource pages [2] [1]. HealthCare.gov and other program guides explicitly use these HHS poverty guideline numbers when determining Medicaid, CHIP, and Marketplace subsidy eligibility [7] [4].
6. Where to find the official table and program‑specific rules
The primary official publication is the Federal Register notice and HHS/ASPE tables; ASPE’s poverty‑guidelines page and the Federal Register entry are the authoritative sources that explain methodology and provide the full tables [3] [4]. Program offices (state Medicaid, LIHEAP, DOE weatherization) often reproduce the HHS numbers and add program‑specific multipliers or rules, so consult both HHS and the administering program for exact eligibility calculations [8] [9].
7. Limits, caveats and common misreadings
HHS cautions that the colloquial term “FPL” can be ambiguous and that individual programs determine how to apply the guidelines (e.g., what counts as household income, how to round) — so the headline dollar amount does not automatically translate into eligibility for any particular benefit [4] [1]. Available sources do not mention a universal federal rule that every program must use the guidelines the same way; instead, program rules vary and can reference different years or percentages of the guidelines [4] [7].
8. Quick takeaway for readers
If you need the 2025 cutoff for a two‑person household in the contiguous U.S./D.C., use $21,150 annually ($1,762.50/month) as the HHS poverty‑guideline figure and then check the specific program’s rules for the applicable percentage, timing, and income definitions [1] [2]. For Alaska or Hawaii residents, or for program translations (monthly vs. annual, 150%/200% thresholds), consult the full ASPE table or the program’s guidance [4] [6].