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What is the current federal poverty level
Executive summary
The federal poverty level (FPL) used for many federal programs is reported here as two contemporaneous figures: the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) 2024 poverty guidelines and a widely cited 2025 update used for program eligibility. The 2024 HHS guideline values range from $15,060 for a single person to $52,720 for an eight-person household, while several 2025 sources list the 48-contiguous-states guideline beginning at $15,650 for one person and $54,150 for eight people, with Alaska and Hawaii scaled higher [1] [2] [3] [4].
1. What people are claiming — a tangle of 2024 and 2025 figures
Multiple analyses present two different sets of federal poverty figures, reflecting the HHS 2024 guidelines and what is reported as the 2025 guidelines. The 2024 HHS values commonly cited show a 100% poverty guideline of $15,060 for one person and $52,720 for eight, with per-person additions of roughly $5,380 beyond eight [1] [5]. By contrast, sources identifying 2025 guidelines report $15,650 for one person and $54,150 for eight people in the 48 contiguous states, with Alaska and Hawaii carrying larger amounts — e.g., Alaska starting at $19,550 for one person — and an additive $5,500 per extra person [3] [4]. These two sets yield different eligibility thresholds for income-tested programs, creating the appearance of an update between years.
2. Where the numbers come from — HHS, ASPE and program-specific use
The 2024 figures align with HHS-published poverty guidelines that many federal programs and statutes reference directly; they are the official HHS poverty guideline values reproduced by state and agency handouts [1] [5]. The 2025 numbers appear in documents and summaries by agencies and policy analysts applying an updated HHS/ASPE guideline or program-specific thresholds for the current year; one source explicitly notes its 2025 guidance for affidavits of support and Medicaid relevance [6] [7]. Program administrators sometimes apply different definitions — the Census Bureau’s official poverty thresholds (used for statistical measurement) differ from HHS poverty guidelines (used for program eligibility), and states or programs may adopt the most recent guideline they have available, producing variation [8] [2].
3. How the differences affect people — eligibility and income tests
A shift from $15,060 to $15,650 for a one-person household or from $52,720 to $54,150 for eight people may appear small, but it can change eligibility for subsidized healthcare, Medicaid expansions, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) categoricals, and immigration affidavit-of-support minimums because programs reference particular percentiles (e.g., 100%, 138%, 150% of FPL). The 2025 values reported include standardized increases of $5,500 per additional household member, which slightly differ from the 2024 per-person increments [3] [2]. Agencies that still list 2024 guidelines will base enrollee determinations on those figures, while others adopting 2025 values will raise income thresholds and potentially expand access to benefits.
4. Which figure to use right now — reconcile and verify before acting
To determine the operative FPL for a specific benefit, consult the administering agency’s current guidance because some federal programs explicitly reference HHS guidelines for a particular year or a fixed percent of the most recently published guideline. If an agency materials page cites 2025 figures, those are the operational thresholds for that program; if it cites 2024 HHS guidelines, the lower 2024 values apply [6] [1]. For statistical comparisons or research, use the Census Bureau’s official poverty thresholds, which differ from the HHS guidelines and are updated on a different schedule [8]. Always confirm the publication date on the program or agency page to avoid applying an outdated guideline.
5. Bottom line and recommended next steps for readers seeking the “current” FPL
The practical current FPL depends on whether you need the HHS guideline for 2024 or the commonly cited 2025 guideline figures that many programs began applying; both sets are in circulation and cited in official materials [1] [3] [4]. For an immediate, authoritative answer for a specific benefit, check the administering agency’s published eligibility rules and notice the year cited; for federal program-wide policy, reference HHS/ASPE releases or the agency’s 2025 guidance if available. If you want, provide the program or state you care about and I will cite the exact FPL figure that agency currently uses with source references.