Food Stamps in 2025: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) runs the food stamps program, officially called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), with help from state agencies. These local offices check who can get the benefits and send out the payments across the country. To receive SNAP benefits, families must meet certain income rules that stay in place through the fiscal year, ending on September 30, 2025.
To qualify, families need to meet both gross and net income limits. Gross income means all money the household earns before taxes or deductions. This number must be at or below 130% of the federal poverty level. For example, in 2025, a family of three can’t earn more than about $2,798 a month before deductions to stay under the limit.
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Net income is what’s left after taking away certain deductions, like housing costs or medical expenses. If someone makes $3,000 a month, they likely won’t qualify based on income alone, unless they live in a larger household. Still, a $3,000 income may fall under the asset limit, which is important too. A family that doesn’t have a member who is 60 or older or disabled must have assets under $2,750. If someone in the household is older or disabled, the limit increases to $4,500.
The USDA explains that some families automatically qualify for SNAP even without going through the full income test. The USDA says, “If everyone in your household receives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or, in some places, other general assistance, your household may be considered ‘categorically eligible’ for SNAP because it has already been determined to be eligible for another means-tested program.”
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The USDA made a chart for 2025 showing the income limits based on how many people live in the household. The chart lists the monthly income limit for households with one to eight people. If more than eight people live in the home, the allowed income increases by a set amount for each extra person. These limits apply in 48 states. Alaska and Hawaii have different figures because of higher living costs.
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So, for example, if someone earns $3,000 per month, they can only qualify for food stamps if they live in a household with at least four people, reported by Marca. That’s because the bigger the family, the higher the income limit.
Home 48 states Alaska Hawaii
- 1 $1632 $2,038 $1,876
- 2 $2,215 $2,767 $2,546
- 3 $2,798 $3,496 $3,217
- 4 $3,380 $4,225 $3,887
- 5 $3,963 $4,955 $4,558
- 6 $4,546 $5,684 $5,229
- 7 $5,129 $6,413 $5,899
- 8 $5,712 $7,142 $6,570
- Extra $583 $730 $671
