What is the poverty range for 1 person
Executive summary
The federal poverty line for a single person in 2026 is $15,960 for the 48 contiguous states and D.C., with higher fixed amounts for Hawaii ($18,360) and Alaska ($19,950) set by HHS (annual figures) [1]. These baseline figures are adjusted annually using the CPI-U and are often used as the 100% anchor for program eligibility, while actual program cutoffs typically apply multiples of that baseline (e.g., 138% or 150%) [2] [3].
1. What “poverty range” means in government practice
The HHS poverty guidelines are a simplified annual income figure used to determine eligibility for many federal programs and to provide a standardized “100%” poverty anchor; the guidelines are derived from Census Bureau poverty thresholds and are adjusted yearly by changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) — the 2026 update reflects a 2.63% price increase between 2024 and 2025 [2]. Agencies and programs frequently define eligibility using percentages of the guideline (for example, programs may set thresholds at 138%, 150%, 185% or higher), so the practical “poverty range” for a single person depends on which program’s multiple is applied [3].
2. The plain numbers for a one‑person household in 2026
The HHS 2026 poverty guideline for a single-person household in the 48 contiguous states and D.C. is $15,960 annually; Hawaii’s guideline for one person is $18,360 and Alaska’s is $19,950 — these are the official annual poverty guideline figures published for use beginning January 2026 [1] [2] [4].
3. How programs create the “range” around that baseline
Because programs use percentages of the HHS guideline, a one-person “poverty range” commonly quoted in policy contexts spans from 100% of FPL ($15,960 in the contiguous U.S.) to higher multiples — for instance, 138% of FPL (used by many Medicaid expansion rules) would place a one‑person cutoff near $22,025 using the 2026 baseline, and 150% of FPL equals $23,940 on an annual basis for the contiguous U.S. [3] [5]. Different programs (Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, ACA subsidies, fee‑waiver rules) specify which percentage applies and may round or define income differently for households [3] [2].
4. Regional differences and why they matter
HHS issues three separate guideline amounts precisely because cost-of-living differs — Alaska and Hawaii receive higher poverty guidelines and thus any percentage cutoffs (e.g., 138% or 150%) produce higher dollar thresholds in those states; for example, 150% of the HHS guideline for a single person is $29,925 in Alaska and $27,540 in Hawaii compared with $23,940 for the contiguous U.S. [5] [1]. That matters because eligibility for state-administered programs or fee waivers can hinge on the state‑specific dollar amount rather than a single national number [6].
5. Limits of the public reporting and practical takeaway
Official sources make clear that the poverty guideline is an annual income figure and that individual programs define household composition, what counts as income, and rounding rules, so the “poverty range” for a one‑person household cannot be stated as a single universal dollar span without naming the program or percentage multiple [2] [4]. The documented, verifiable facts are: 100% FPL (one person) = $15,960 in the contiguous U.S., $18,360 in Hawaii, $19,950 in Alaska ; common program thresholds often use 138% (~$22,025) or 150% ($23,940) of those baselines [1] [3] [5]. Where reporting did not specify monthly conversions, state-by-state program rules, or exactly which program’s multiple a reader might mean, those details remain outside the scope of these sources and require consulting the administering program or the HHS detailed tables [4] [2].