What are the 2025 SNAP gross and net income limits for households by state and household size?
Executive summary
Federal SNAP income standards for FY2025 set net monthly income limits at 100% of the Federal Poverty Level and gross monthly limits at 130% of FPL for the 48 contiguous states and D.C.; states also may apply Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) which changes effective gross limits locally [1]. The USDA’s FY2025 COLA updated deductions and asset limits (e.g., standard deduction rising to $204 for households of 1–3 and asset limits to $3,000/$4,500) which affect net-income calculations used to determine eligibility [2].
1. What the federal tables say — two national yardsticks
USDA guidance for SNAP eligibility for applications Oct. 1, 2025–Sept. 30, 2026 presents two central thresholds used nationwide: a gross income ceiling generally set at 130% of the Federal Poverty Level and a net income ceiling set at 100% of the Federal Poverty Level for the contiguous 48 states, D.C., Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands [1]. The federal FY2025 Income-Eligibility Standards published by FNS provide the numeric tables that translate “130% gross / 100% net” into monthly dollar limits by household size and region [3].
2. Why state pages matter — local tweaks and BBCE
Although USDA issues the baseline FPL-based limits, most state SNAP agencies adopt Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) or state-specific policies that alter the practical gross-income test and asset considerations; that means state-published charts are the operative rule for applicants because they reflect BBCE adoption or other state choices [1]. For example, state SNAP pages (New York, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey and New Mexico in the available documents) provide the household-size charts and explain state application processes — applicants should consult their own state’s SNAP webpage for the exact dollar ceilings that apply locally [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9].
3. Net vs. gross — how deductions change the picture
Eligibility depends first on gross income (total, non‑excluded income), and then on net income after allowable deductions; the USDA calls out the distinction explicitly and notes net income is gross minus deductions used to compute benefits and eligibility [4] [7]. The FY2025 COLA memo raised standard deductions (e.g., to $204 for 1–3 person households in the 48 states and D.C.) and adjusted other deduction parameters, which can push a household’s net income under the 100% FPL threshold even when gross income is higher [2].
4. Assets, elderly/disabled exceptions, and special rules
States often waive or change resource tests for most households but maintain different rules for households with seniors or people with disabilities: the asset limit for households with at least one member age 60 or disabled was raised to $4,500 in the FY2025 guidance, while the general asset limit moved to $3,000 — rules states apply vary and are listed on state pages [2] [9]. The federal guidance also notes special calculations and exceptions for disaster SNAP (D‑SNAP), senior/disabled households, college students, gig workers and others — these categories can meaningfully alter eligibility calculations [10] [11] [1].
5. Practical advice for finding state-and-size specific numbers
Available federal sources define the methodology and national thresholds, but the actual dollar limits by state and household size appear on state SNAP pages and the USDA’s Income-Eligibility-Standards tables; users should consult their state’s official SNAP webpage or the USDA FY2025 tables to get the precise monthly dollar amounts for each household size [3] [4] [7]. Third‑party guides (e.g., Propel) compile state charts, but applicants should cross‑check with official state or USDA documents because states may implement BBCE or different presentation conventions [10].
6. Limitations, reporting gaps and what’s not in these sources
The supplied sources document the federal framework, FY2025 COLA adjustments, and a selection of state pages, but they do not present a single, consolidated table of every state’s gross and net dollar limits by household size in this set of results; therefore a state-by-state, household-size spreadsheet is not available among the provided documents and must be compiled from the USDA FY2025 tables and each state’s SNAP page (available sources do not mention a consolidated state-by-size list in these results) [3] [4] [5].
7. Bottom line for applicants
Use the USDA FY2025 Income-Eligibility Standards to understand national thresholds (130% gross / 100% net) and deduction/asset rules [3] [2], then check your state SNAP webpage for the exact monthly dollar limits and any BBCE adjustments that determine eligibility in practice [1] [4]. If you need a precise per‑state, per‑household-size table, compile numbers directly from the FNS FY2025 tables and your state’s official SNAP income limits page; the documents cited here are the authoritative starting points [3] [7].