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What is 400% of the 2025 poverty level
Executive summary
400% of the 2025 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) depends on household size and state; for the 48 contiguous states and D.C., the 2025 guideline lists the 100% FPL for a one‑person household as $15,650, so 400% equals $62,600 for one person (other household sizes scale up) [1] [2]. Alaska and Hawaii use higher base figures—Alaska’s 100% FPL is $19,550 and Hawaii’s is $17,990—so their 400% values are correspondingly larger [3] [1].
1. What “400% of the FPL” actually means — a simple multiplier
“400% of the FPL” means four times the dollar amount listed in the HHS poverty guidelines for a given household size and geography for 2025; HHS publishes a table of the poverty guideline amounts (100% FPL) and many organizations and programs then quote percentages (125%, 150%, 200%, 400%, etc.) derived from those base figures [1] [4].
2. The headline number for a single person and how it’s derived
For the 48 contiguous states and D.C., HHS lists 100% FPL in 2025 for a one‑person household as $15,650; multiply that by 4 to get 400% = $62,600 annually for a one‑person household [1] [2]. That same source’s table also shows monthly equivalents (e.g., about $5,216.67 per month) when programs ask for monthly income rather than yearly [2].
3. Household size matters — examples from the 2025 table
The poverty guideline rises with each additional household member (HHS adds a fixed dollar increment per person). Sources reproduce the HHS table showing values by family size so 400% for a family of two, three, four, etc., will be higher than the single‑person figure; you must look up the exact household size on the 2025 HHS table to get the correct 400% amount for that family [1] [2].
4. Alaska and Hawaii use different baselines — adjust accordingly
HHS assigns higher poverty guideline amounts for Alaska and Hawaii to reflect higher living costs: for 2025 the 100% FPL is $19,550 in Alaska and $17,990 in Hawaii, so 400% would be $78,200 in Alaska and $71,960 in Hawaii for a one‑person household (these base figures are reported by HHS and reproduced in several 2025 summaries) [3] [1].
5. Where people see “400% FPL” used — programs and subsidies
Many federal and state programs use percentages of the HHS poverty guidelines as eligibility cutoffs or to scale benefits; for example, marketplace premium tax credit calculations historically used the 100–400% range as a key bracket, and many program rules cite 400% FPL as an eligibility or cost‑sharing marker [5] [6]. Note: recent policy changes temporarily altered how subsidies apply above 400% through 2025, but the numerical meaning of “400%” remains the same [7] [8].
6. Practical steps — how to get the exact 400% number you need
To calculate the 400% threshold for your household: find the 2025 HHS poverty guideline for your household size and state (48 contiguous states/D.C., Alaska, or Hawaii) and multiply by four. HHS publishes the detailed 2025 guideline tables and various legal, nonprofit, and benefits websites reproduce those tables for quick lookup [1] [4] [2].
7. Limits of available reporting and caveats to watch for
Available sources confirm the HHS 2025 tables and that programs use percentage multiples, but different programs may round figures differently, use monthly vs. annual calculations, or apply program‑specific income definitions (modified adjusted gross income, countable income rules, disregards). The HHS guidance and reproduced tables note rounding and program‑specific determinations, so always check the exact program rules rather than assuming one uniform treatment of “400%” [1] [9].
If you want, tell me your household size and state and I will extract the 100% FPL from the 2025 table in the provided sources and give you the precise 400% annual and monthly amounts cited in those tables [1] [2].