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Arkansas Benefits Calculator: SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and Other Income Limits (2026–27)

Arkansas benefit figures: $2,960 (SNAP gross income limit, 3 people, a month); $4,918 (Children’s Medicaid or CHIP limit, family of 3, a month); and a line of a single parent's money left each month at every level of pay, dropping where benefits end
In Arkansas, SNAP’s gross income limit for 3 people is $2,960 a month, and children keep Medicaid or CHIP up to $4,918 a month in a family of 3.

Work out your household in Arkansas

Who lives with you
For housing help, which is set county by county.

Everyone who lives with you and shares meals.

A partner you are not married to goes in as another adult: they file their own tax return. If they are a parent of a child here, tick "Parent of a child here".

Children are worked out on their own: Medicaid and CHIP cover children at higher incomes than parents in most states (42 CFR 435.118), and an adult can apply for a child without applying for themselves (42 CFR 435.907).

Optional. For FDPIR, the USDA Foods program some Tribes run beside SNAP.

Money coming in

Before tax. Leave a box blank when there is none.

Bank accounts and cash, not your home or one car.

Have savings? SSI's limit is $2,000, or $3,000 for a couple (20 CFR 416.1205), but WIC has no savings test (7 CFR 246.7(c)).

Have a car? SSI leaves out one car used to get around (20 CFR 416.1218), and Medicaid that goes by income alone has no savings test (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(14)(C)).

Costs each month
The whole rent, even if a voucher pays part. In public housing, what you pay.
So you can work or study.
Counts only for people 60 or older or with a disability.

Own your home? The home you live in does not count for SNAP (7 CFR 273.8(e)(1)) or SSI (20 CFR 416.1212), and Medicaid for children, pregnant women, parents and adults under 65 that goes by income alone has no savings test (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(14)(C)).

What you have now

Programs you already get can have different rules for staying on them.

The second-lowest-cost silver plan for everyone here who needs coverage. HealthCare.gov's tax tool shows it for your ZIP code. With it, the marketplace tax credit shows in dollars.

Worked out in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or saved.

Your month

Start with your state

Then add who lives with you and the money coming in. Everything is worked out here in your browser; nothing you type is sent or saved.

Arkansas income limits at a glance

Arkansas: monthly income limits and amounts by household size (number of people across the top)
Program12345678
SNAPGross income limit (165% of poverty), households with someone 60 or older or with a disability$2,195$2,976$3,757$4,538$5,319$6,100$6,881$7,662
SNAPGross income limit (130% of poverty), other households$1,729$2,345$2,960$3,575$4,191$4,806$5,421$6,037
SNAPMost SNAP a month$306$562$808$1,023$1,217$1,463$1,616$1,841
MedicaidAdults 19 to 64 (138% of poverty)$1,835$2,489$3,142$3,795$4,448$5,101$5,755$6,408
MedicaidPregnant women (214% of poverty, counting the baby)$2,846$3,859$4,872$5,885$6,898$7,911$8,924$9,937
Medicaid and CHIPChildren 6 to 18 (216% of poverty)$2,873$3,895$4,918$5,940$6,962$7,985$9,007$10,030
WICIncome limit (185% of poverty)$2,461$3,337$4,212$5,088$5,964$6,839$7,715$8,591
School mealsFree meals (130% of poverty)$1,729$2,345$2,960$3,575$4,191$4,806$5,421$6,037
Child care helpIncome limit to start–$4,348$5,372$6,395$7,418$8,441$8,633$8,825
Child care helpIncome limit to keep it–$4,348$5,372$6,395$7,418$8,441$8,633$8,825

Income is before taxes. Each program counts income its own way (some take off deductions first), so a household just over a limit here can still qualify: the calculator works it out properly.

Sources: SNAP – Fiscal Year 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (memo and tables, signed August 21, 2026) (USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (formerly Food and Nutrition Service)); 7 CFR 273.9 Income and deductions (eCFR up to date as of 2026-10-29) (eCFR / National Archives (USDA rule)); 7 CFR 273.10 Determining household eligibility and benefit levels (eCFR 2026-10-29) (eCFR / National Archives (USDA rule)); 7 CFR 273.8 Resource eligibility standards (eCFR 2026-10-29) (eCFR / National Archives (USDA rule)); Public Law 119-21 (the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"), 4 July 2025, Title I Subtitle A "Nutrition", sections 10101-10108 (139 Stat. 81-85) (U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo)); SNAP Appendices (Appendix D: Current Standards, SNAP Basis of Issuance October 2026 - September 2027) (Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of County Operations); SNAP Overview and How to Apply (Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of County Operations); MACStats Exhibit 35. Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Children and Pregnant Women by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); MACStats Exhibit 36. Medicaid Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Non-Aged, Non-Disabled, Non-Pregnant Adults by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); ARHOME (Arkansas DHS) (State of Arkansas site (humanservices.arkansas.gov)); ARKids First (Arkansas DHS) - income eligibility table effective April 01, 2026 (State of Arkansas site (humanservices.arkansas.gov)); Medicaid Quick Reference Chart (Arkansas DHS, Division of County Operations); page metadata modified 2026-04-15 (State of Arkansas site (humanservices.arkansas.gov)); Important Points About ARKids First and Medicaid (Arkansas DHS) (State of Arkansas site (humanservices.arkansas.gov)); ARHOME Community Engagement and Work Requirement (State of Arkansas site (humanservices.arkansas.gov)); Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals, interim final rule with comment period, 91 FR 33348 (3 June 2026), CMS-2454-IFC, RIN 0938-AV98, effective 31 July 2026 (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services via the Federal Register (read as the govinfo.gov PDF)); Public Law 119-21 (4 July 2025; 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'; CMS now calls it the 'Working Families Tax Cut' legislation), Title VII Subtitle B Chapter 1 sections 71101-71121 (Medicaid) and 71201, 71301-71303 (U.S. Congress via the Government Publishing Office); Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): 2026/2027 Income Eligibility Guidelines (91 FR 23050-23052, FR Doc. 2026-08323, 29 Apr 2026) (USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register notice)); The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report (Economic Information Bulletin 304, June 2026) (USDA Economic Research Service); Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (91 FR 17932-17935, FR Doc. 2026-06842, 9 Apr 2026) (USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register notice)); Arkansas State Median Income Chart (40% - 100% Monthly Income), effective October 1, 2025 (Arkansas DESE Office of Early Childhood); Help Paying for Child Care (School Readiness Assistance) (Arkansas Department of Education (DESE), Office of Early Childhood); 45 CFR 98.20(a)(2)(i), 98.21(b), 98.45(l) (eCFR current as of 2026-10-29) (eCFR); OEC Fast Facts, May 2026 (figures to 4/15/2026) (Arkansas DESE Office of Early Childhood). Checked October 31, 2026.

Download every state's limits (CSV, opens in Excel) Every state and DC, households of 1 to 8 people: each program's monthly income limit and the most TANF pays, as the state pages show them, with the period each figure is for.

Where the cliffs are for an Arkansas family

Worked exampleA single parent with two children (ages 4 and 8), paying $1,100 rent, heating, and $700 a month for child care
$0$2k$4k$6k$0 pay$2k$4k$6k−$590/mo−$8/mo−$65/mo$0$2k$4k$6k$0 pay$2.5k$5k−$590/mo−$8/mo−$65/mo
  • $2,961 a month: SNAP ends or drops, and the family has $590 less a month than just below it.
  • $3,348 a month: Lifeline ends or drops, and the family has $8 less a month than just below it.
  • $4,213 a month: WIC ends or drops, and the family has $65 less a month than just below it.

Worked out by this site's calculator with Arkansas's rules as of November 1, 2026. Money left means pay, and benefits counted as money, after federal taxes, the child care bill and health insurance premiums. Your own household will differ: put it in the calculator above.

Each program in Arkansas

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (SNAP)

Arkansas lets households with someone 60 or older or with a disability with gross income up to 165% of the poverty line (savings up to $5,500) apply (broad-based categorical eligibility). Other households are under the federal limits. The amount still depends on income after deductions. A household that pays for heating or cooling counts a standard utility allowance of $354 a month with its rent. Where to apply.

Sources: SNAP Appendices (Appendix D: Current Standards, SNAP Basis of Issuance October 2026 - September 2027) (Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of County Operations); SNAP Overview and How to Apply (Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of County Operations). Checked October 31, 2026.

Arkansas Medicaid and ARKids First-B

Arkansas has expanded Medicaid, so adults 19 to 64 qualify up to 138% of the poverty line. From July 1, 2026 (a soft start, with penalties from January 1, 2027), adults 19 to 64 covered through Arkansas’s Medicaid expansion must show 80 hours a month of work, community service, a work program or half-time school, or household income of at least $580 a month, to get or keep this coverage, unless they are exempt (for example, parents of a child 13 or under, people with a disability, and pregnant women). Where to apply.

Arkansas Medicaid and ARKids First-B income limits in Arkansas (as of October 2026)
Who% of poverty1 person2 people3 people4 people
Babies under 1147%$1,955$2,651$3,347$4,043
Children 1 to 5147%$1,955$2,651$3,347$4,043
Children 6 to 18147%$1,955$2,651$3,347$4,043
Children in CHIP216%$2,873$3,895$4,918$5,940
Pregnant women214%$2,846$3,859$4,872$5,885
Parents and caretakers138%$1,835$2,489$3,142$3,795
Other adults 19 to 64138%$1,835$2,489$3,142$3,795

Monthly income before taxes, counted the way Medicaid counts it (modified adjusted gross income); a pregnant woman counts the baby she expects. The percents include the 5 points of income Medicaid disregards.

Sources: MACStats Exhibit 35. Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Children and Pregnant Women by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); MACStats Exhibit 36. Medicaid Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Non-Aged, Non-Disabled, Non-Pregnant Adults by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); ARHOME (Arkansas DHS) (State of Arkansas site (humanservices.arkansas.gov)); ARKids First (Arkansas DHS) - income eligibility table effective April 01, 2026 (State of Arkansas site (humanservices.arkansas.gov)); Medicaid Quick Reference Chart (Arkansas DHS, Division of County Operations); page metadata modified 2026-04-15 (State of Arkansas site (humanservices.arkansas.gov)); Important Points About ARKids First and Medicaid (Arkansas DHS) (State of Arkansas site (humanservices.arkansas.gov)); ARHOME Community Engagement and Work Requirement (State of Arkansas site (humanservices.arkansas.gov)); Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals, interim final rule with comment period, 91 FR 33348 (3 June 2026), CMS-2454-IFC, RIN 0938-AV98, effective 31 July 2026 (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services via the Federal Register (read as the govinfo.gov PDF)); Public Law 119-21 (4 July 2025; 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'; CMS now calls it the 'Working Families Tax Cut' legislation), Title VII Subtitle B Chapter 1 sections 71101-71121 (Medicaid) and 71201, 71301-71303 (U.S. Congress via the Government Publishing Office). Checked October 31, 2026.

Arkansas Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Cash help for families with children. Where to apply.

Source: TANF Programs by State (Help for Families map) (HHS/ACF/Office of Family Assistance). Checked October 31, 2026.

School Readiness Assistance

Help paying for child care while parents work or study. Arkansas has had a waiting list for new families since February 2025; it was still in place in the state’s April 2026 figures. Where to apply.

Sources: Arkansas State Median Income Chart (40% - 100% Monthly Income), effective October 1, 2025 (Arkansas DESE Office of Early Childhood); Help Paying for Child Care (School Readiness Assistance) (Arkansas Department of Education (DESE), Office of Early Childhood); 45 CFR 98.20(a)(2)(i), 98.21(b), 98.45(l) (eCFR current as of 2026-10-29) (eCFR); OEC Fast Facts, May 2026 (figures to 4/15/2026) (Arkansas DESE Office of Early Childhood). Checked October 31, 2026.

Phone numbers and where to go in Arkansas

Each number and address below is the one Arkansas's own page printed when we checked it, with that page and the day under it. Where we could not read the state's page, it says "Not checked yet". Numbers change: if one does not work, the state's main page has the current one.

Applying is free. Start from the addresses here or the state's own page, not an ad or a link someone texts you, and never pay anyone to apply for you. Is this real?

SNAP (food benefits)

SNAP (food benefits)

Call
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office fns.usda.gov
Apply
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office fns.usda.gov

Medicaid and CHIP

Medicaid and CHIP

Call
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office healthcare.gov
Apply
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office healthcare.gov

TANF cash help

TANF cash help

Call
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office acf.hhs.gov
Apply
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office acf.hhs.gov

WIC

WIC

Call
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office fns.usda.gov
Apply
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office fns.usda.gov

Child care help

School Readiness Assistance (SRA), Arkansas's CCDF child care assistance (replaced the KidCare voucher system)

Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Early Childhood (OEC)

Call
501-682-8947 Office of Early Childhood questions about child care in Arkansas1-800-322-8176Source: dese.ade.arkansas.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Apply
Where to apply sra.ade.arkansas.govSource: dese.ade.arkansas.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Your case
Sign in to your account portal-sra.ade.arkansas.govSource: sra.ade.arkansas.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Open or closed
Waiting list The state established a waitlist in February 2025 so that seats can be offered as funding becomes available.While you wait, the calculator above shows what else your household can likely get now.Source: sra.ade.arkansas.gov, checked November 1, 2026

Help with energy bills (LIHEAP)

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Arkansas Energy Office (AEO), Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ); applications go to your county's community-based organization

Call
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office acf.hhs.gov
Apply
Where to apply adeq.state.ar.usSource: adeq.state.ar.us, checked November 1, 2026
Open or closed
Closed LIHEAP Program Closed The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is now closed.While you wait, the calculator above shows what else your household can likely get now.Source: adeq.state.ar.us, checked November 1, 2026

Your benefits card (EBT)

EBT card

Call
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office fns.usda.gov

Keep your PIN to yourself and change it often. The federal program that paid back SNAP stolen by card skimming covered thefts only up to December 20, 2024 (Georgia DFCS), so lock your card in its app when you can and report a lost card at once. How to protect your card

How to ask for a hearing in Arkansas

If you think a decision on your benefits is wrong, you can ask for a fair hearing: a meeting with someone outside the office that decided. Asking is free. Here is how Arkansas says to ask, program by program.

Federal rules set the outer limits: a SNAP household can ask about anything the office did in the past 90 days (7 CFR 273.15), and for Medicaid a state must allow a reasonable time of up to 90 days from the day the notice was mailed (42 CFR 431.221), so a state can set a shorter Medicaid limit. Whether your benefits keep coming while you wait depends on how soon you ask: your notice says by when. Only the agency and the hearing officer decide your case.

SNAP

How to ask
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office fns.usda.gov

Medicaid

How to ask
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office healthcare.gov

TANF cash help

How to ask
Not checked yet The national page that leads to each state's office acf.hhs.gov

Each state sets the days its SNAP benefits arrive. This is Arkansas's rule as its own page states it; the exact day for your case is on your approval notice. SSI, Social Security and tax refund dates, and every state's SNAP rule, are on the payment dates page.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (SNAP)

Not checked yet Arkansas's own page with its SNAP payment days could not be read, or it prints no rule. The day is on your approval notice; the state's EBT line can tell you too.

Free help from a person in Arkansas

These are free. None of them can approve benefits, but they can help you apply, answer a letter or get ready for a hearing.

Any question

211

A free line run by more than 200 local groups across the country, such as United Ways.

Call
211 Free help finding local services, such as food, housing, bills and health careSource: 211.org, checked November 1, 2026
Online
Arkansas 211 arkansas211.orgSource: 211.org, checked November 1, 2026

Medicare questions

Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)

Free, one-to-one help with Medicare from Arkansas's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).

Call
1-800-224-6330Source: shiphelp.org, checked November 1, 2026
Online
Its website insurance.arkansas.gov

A denial, a cut, an eviction

Free legal aid

Legal aid groups in Arkansas paid by the Legal Services Corporation, which Congress set up to fund civil legal help for people with low incomes.

Groups
Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc.Source: lsc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Find yours
LSC's finder (type a city or address there) lsc.gov

Immigration questions

Free or low-cost immigration legal help

Nonprofit groups the Justice Department has recognized to give immigration legal help, with their accredited representatives. A notary public ("notario") is not a lawyer in the United States and cannot represent you (USCIS).

The list
Recognized organizations by state justice.govArkansas is under the heading ARKANSAS, on pages 4–5; the list says it was updated October 25, 2026.Source: justice.gov, checked November 1, 2026

Taxes and tax credits

Free tax help (VITA and TCE)

IRS-trained volunteers prepare tax returns free for people who qualify, which matters for the EITC and the Child Tax Credit.

Call
800-906-9887 IRS: find the nearest VITA or TCE siteSource: irs.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Online
The IRS page with the site finder irs.gov

Updated

Where to go next