If the official charts left you unsure, here's the plain answer. How much you'll get in SNAP each month depends on your household size and your net income. On October 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets a new maximum for each household size. Most households get that maximum minus about 30% of their net income.
SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It puts grocery money on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card each month. Below, we'll show you how to estimate your own number.
How much SNAP will I get each month for my household size?
Your starting point is the maximum benefit for your household size. The USDA calls this the maximum allotment. It's the most a household of that size can get in a month, and it rises with each person you add.
The USDA updates these amounts every fiscal year (FY), which is the government's budget year. The FY 2027 amounts take effect October 1, 2026, and run through September 30, 2027. The USDA bases them on the Thrifty Food Plan, its estimate of what a healthy, low-cost diet costs.
You'll find the exact dollar figures on the USDA's SNAP FY 2027 cost-of-living adjustments page. A cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is the yearly update to those amounts. The table lists households of one through eight people, plus an amount to add for each extra person. Use the column for the 48 states and Washington, D.C. unless you live in Alaska or Hawaii.
Only households with zero net income get the full maximum. For everyone else, income brings the number down.
How does my income lower my SNAP benefit?
SNAP expects a household to spend about 30% of its net income on food. Net income is what's left after certain costs are subtracted from your total income. The USDA explains these standards on its SNAP COLA and income standards page.
Your benefit is the maximum for your household size, minus 30% of your net income, per the USDA's FY 2027 allotment guidance. In practice, each dollar of net income lowers your benefit by about 30 cents.
Use this worksheet to estimate your own amount:
Step | What to do | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|
1 | Write down your household size | Everyone who buys and makes food with you |
2 | Find your FY 2027 maximum | The USDA FY 2027 table for your size |
3 | Estimate your monthly net income | Your total income minus the deductions below |
4 | Multiply your net income by 0.3 | The share SNAP expects you to spend on food |
5 | Subtract step 4 from step 2 | Your estimated monthly benefit |
Here's how that plays out. Picture a mother of two who was laid off last month and has no money coming in yet. Her net income is zero, so her estimate is the full FY 2027 maximum for a household of three. If she takes a part-time job, her net income rises and her benefit drops by about 30% of it. She keeps most of her paycheck, and SNAP keeps helping with groceries.
Keep in mind that this worksheet gives you an estimate. Your state does the official math, and your state's number is the one that counts.
What costs lower my net income for SNAP?
Deductions are costs SNAP subtracts from your gross income, which is your income before anything is taken out. The more deductions you qualify for, the lower your net income. A lower net income can mean a higher benefit.
Deduction | Who can use it | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
Standard deduction | Every household | A set amount based on household size |
Earned income deduction | Households with someone working | A share of wages from a job |
Dependent care | Households paying for care | Child or adult care so someone can work or go to school |
Medical expenses | Members 60 or older, or with a disability | Out-of-pocket medical costs above a set amount |
Child support | Households paying legally owed support | Support paid to someone outside the home |
Shelter costs | Households with high housing costs | Rent or mortgage, plus utilities, that are high compared with income |
The standard deduction and the cap on shelter costs change every year. Check the current amounts, including the special shelter rules for households with someone 60 or older or with a disability, on the USDA's SNAP COLA and income standards page.
Utilities work differently depending on where you live. Many states use a standard utility allowance, a set amount for utility costs, in place of your actual bills. That amount varies by state.
Social Security, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and unemployment count as unearned income. They don't get the earned income deduction. If you're still waiting to learn your SSDI amount, our guide to how much disability pays per month walks through that calculation.
Whether your household qualifies at all is a separate question. Our 2026 SNAP eligibility guide covers the income limits.
What is the minimum SNAP benefit?
Sometimes the math lands at or near zero. For eligible households of one or two people, SNAP sets a floor called the minimum benefit. It equals 8% of the maximum for a one-person household, rounded to the nearest dollar, and the FY 2027 minimum is listed on the USDA's FY 2027 COLA page.
Households of three or more don't have a minimum. If their math reaches zero, they can still be eligible and receive no monthly benefit. That's worth knowing before a notice arrives.
Are SNAP benefits higher in Alaska and Hawaii?
Yes, they are. Food costs more in both states, so the USDA sets separate, higher maximums there. Alaska and Hawaii also have their own deduction amounts, listed on the USDA's FY 2027 page.
Where you live | Which FY 2027 table to use | How it compares |
|---|---|---|
48 states and D.C. | 48 states and D.C. | The baseline |
Alaska, urban areas | Alaska urban | Higher than the baseline |
Alaska, rural areas | Alaska Rural 1 or Rural 2 | Higher still, with Rural 2 highest |
Hawaii | Hawaii | Higher than the baseline |
In Alaska, your state agency decides which area level applies to your community.
What this means for you
You can get a working estimate today, before any letter arrives. Here's the order to do it in:
- Count your household. Include everyone who buys and makes food with you.
- Gather this month's income. Pull recent pay stubs and any benefit or award letters.
- Collect your costs. Rent or mortgage, utility bills, child or adult care costs, and any child support you pay. If someone in your home is 60 or older or has a disability, add their out-of-pocket medical bills too.
- Run the worksheet above. Subtract 30% of your estimated net income from the FY 2027 maximum for your household size.
- Compare your estimate with your notice. When your state sends your benefit amount, check it against your own math. A big gap is worth a question to your caseworker.
If you haven't applied yet, our guide on how to apply for SNAP and how long it takes covers the process and your state's decision timeline.
Your estimate won't match your state's number to the dollar, and that's normal. States apply their own utility allowances and verify each cost. What the estimate gives you is a sense of the range, so a notice doesn't catch you off guard.
If you'd rather talk it through with a person, you can email our team at hello@turnout.co.
FAQ
Will my SNAP amount change on October 1, 2026?
It might change. The FY 2027 maximums and deduction amounts take effect October 1, 2026, so your state will recalculate using the new figures. Your benefit can shift a little even if your income stays the same, so check your next notice.
Why is my SNAP less than the maximum for my household size?
Most households get less than the maximum because SNAP subtracts 30% of net income, as the USDA's FY 2027 page explains. Only households with zero net income get the full amount. If your number seems low, make sure your state has every deduction you qualify for, especially housing and care costs.
What happens to my SNAP if my income goes up or down?
Your benefit is recalculated based on your new net income. When income rises, your benefit drops by about 30 cents per dollar of net income. Each state has its own rules for when and how to report changes, so ask your caseworker what yours requires.
What can I buy with my SNAP benefits?
You can buy most food your household will eat at home, including fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread, and even seeds that grow food. Hot prepared food, alcohol, vitamins, and household supplies aren't covered. Our guide to what you can buy with SNAP benefits has the full list.
Where can I find more help with SNAP and other benefits?
The Turnout blog has plain-language guides on SNAP, disability benefits, Medicaid, and more. Start with the one closest to your question, then use the next step at the end of each guide.
Turnout is not a law firm and does not provide legal or tax advice.
It's your turn
SNAP may be only one of the programs your household can use. Run Turnout's free benefits scan to see which programs you may qualify for in your state. You'll come away with a list of where to look next.