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

District of Columbia benefit figures: $4,554 (SNAP gross income limit, 3 people, a month); $7,376 (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 District of Columbia, SNAP’s gross income limit for 3 people is $4,554 a month, and children keep Medicaid or CHIP up to $7,376 a month in a family of 3.

Work out your household in District of Columbia

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.

District of Columbia income limits at a glance

District of Columbia: monthly income limits and amounts by household size (number of people across the top)
Program12345678
SNAPGross income limit (200% of poverty)$2,660$3,607$4,554$5,500$6,447$7,394$8,340$9,287
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 (324% of poverty, counting the baby)$4,309$5,843$7,376$8,910$10,444$11,977$13,511$15,044
Medicaid and CHIPChildren 6 to 18 (324% of poverty)$4,309$5,843$7,376$8,910$10,444$11,977$13,511$15,044
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
TANFMost DC TANF pays a month$504$629$803$983$1,136$1,335––
Child care helpIncome limit to start–$5,110$6,455$7,800$9,145$10,490$11,835$13,180
Energy help (LIHEAP)Income limit$5,252$6,868$8,484$10,100$11,716$13,332––

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)); ESA SNAP Policy Manual (FY2026, dated 9-24-26) (District of Columbia Department of Human Services, Economic Security Administration); Public Benefits: Apply for Benefits (How Do I Apply?) (District of Columbia Department of Human Services); 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); DHCF: How to Qualify for DC Medicaid? (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.gov)); DHCF: Infants & Children (0-20) (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.gov)); DHCF: Pregnant Individual (asked as /node/892412) (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.gov)); DHCF Medicaid Director Letter MDL 25-02, D.C. Medicaid Income Eligibility Changes Effective January 1, 2026 (Oct 16, 2025) (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.gov)); HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; and Basic Health Program, final rule (91 FR, 20 May 2026), FR Doc 2026-10050 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services via the Federal Register (read as the govinfo.gov PDF)); 42 CFR 600.305 Eligible individuals (Basic Health Program) (eCFR (Office of the Federal Register)); DHCF: DC Healthy Families (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.gov)); DHCF: Federal Changes to Medicaid (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.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)); Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) / DC TANF page, 'Income Limits and Maximum Monthly TANF Benefit Amounts' (DC Department of Human Services); DC TANF State Plan 2026-2028 (file 'DC TANF State Plan_October 2026_Final.pdf'; the DHS page says it is open for public comment) (DC Department of Human Services); TANF Programs by State (Help for Families map) (HHS/ACF/Office of Family Assistance); Sliding Fee Scale, effective Oct. 25, 2024 (OSSE); DC Child Care Subsidy Program (program page with waitlist notice) (DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)); CCDF FFY 2025-2027 Plan for the District of Columbia (OSSE); DOEE's LIHEAP Regular Benefits Table for FY 2027 (Benefit Matrix 9/29/26, Word file) (District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE)). 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 a District of Columbia 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−$44/mo−$339/mo−$31/mo$0$2k$4k$6k$0 pay$2.5k$5k−$44/mo−$339/mo−$31/mo
  • $3,228 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $44 less a month than just below it.
  • $3,415 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $339 less a month than just below it.
  • $4,555 a month: SNAP ends or drops, and the family has $31 less a month than just below it.

Worked out by this site's calculator with District of Columbia'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 District of Columbia

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (SNAP)

District of Columbia lets every household with gross income up to 200% of the poverty line (no limit on savings) apply (broad-based categorical eligibility). The amount still depends on income after deductions. A household that pays for heating or cooling counts a standard utility allowance of $397 a month with its rent. Where to apply.

Sources: ESA SNAP Policy Manual (FY2026, dated 9-24-26) (District of Columbia Department of Human Services, Economic Security Administration); Public Benefits: Apply for Benefits (How Do I Apply?) (District of Columbia Department of Human Services). Checked October 31, 2026.

DC Medicaid and CHIP

District of Columbia has expanded Medicaid, so adults 19 to 64 qualify up to 138% of the poverty line. From January 1, 2027, adults 19 to 64 covered through the District of Columbia’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.

DC Medicaid and CHIP income limits in District of Columbia (as of October 2026)
Who% of poverty1 person2 people3 people4 people
Babies under 1324%$4,309$5,843$7,376$8,910
Children 1 to 5324%$4,309$5,843$7,376$8,910
Children 6 to 18324%$4,309$5,843$7,376$8,910
Pregnant women324%$4,309$5,843$7,376$8,910
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); DHCF: How to Qualify for DC Medicaid? (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.gov)); DHCF: Infants & Children (0-20) (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.gov)); DHCF: Pregnant Individual (asked as /node/892412) (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.gov)); DHCF Medicaid Director Letter MDL 25-02, D.C. Medicaid Income Eligibility Changes Effective January 1, 2026 (Oct 16, 2025) (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.gov)); HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; and Basic Health Program, final rule (91 FR, 20 May 2026), FR Doc 2026-10050 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services via the Federal Register (read as the govinfo.gov PDF)); 42 CFR 600.305 Eligible individuals (Basic Health Program) (eCFR (Office of the Federal Register)); DHCF: DC Healthy Families (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.gov)); DHCF: Federal Changes to Medicaid (State of District of Columbia site (dhcf.dc.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.

DC TANF

Cash help for families with children: at most $803 a month for a family of three with no other income. Where to apply.

Sources: Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) / DC TANF page, 'Income Limits and Maximum Monthly TANF Benefit Amounts' (DC Department of Human Services); DC TANF State Plan 2026-2028 (file 'DC TANF State Plan_October 2026_Final.pdf'; the DHS page says it is open for public comment) (DC Department of Human Services); TANF Programs by State (Help for Families map) (HHS/ACF/Office of Family Assistance). Checked October 31, 2026.

DC Child Care Subsidy Program

Help paying for child care while parents work or study. Since October 1, 2026, DC puts new working families with income at 150% of the poverty line or more on its waiting list (opened May 12, 2026). Where to apply.

Sources: Sliding Fee Scale, effective Oct. 25, 2024 (OSSE); DC Child Care Subsidy Program (program page with waitlist notice) (DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)); CCDF FFY 2025-2027 Plan for the District of Columbia (OSSE). Checked October 31, 2026.

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Help with heating and cooling bills, while the year's money lasts.

Source: DOEE's LIHEAP Regular Benefits Table for FY 2027 (Benefit Matrix 9/29/26, Word file) (District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE)). Checked October 31, 2026.

State tax credits

For tax year 2026, District of Columbia has the District of Columbia earned income tax credit worth 85% of the federal EITC, paid even if you owe no state tax. The calculator works it out from your household's federal credits.

Sources: EITC FAQs (District Earned Income Tax Credit) (DC Office of Tax and Revenue); 2025 D-40 Booklet (published August 2026) (DC Office of Tax and Revenue). Checked October 31, 2026.

Phone numbers and where to go in District of Columbia

Each number and address below is the one District of Columbia'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?

Start here

District of Columbia's benefits website

Online
District Direct districtdirect.dc.govSource: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Call
(202) 727-5355 DHS Economic Security Administration Public Benefits Call Center (apply, renew, address changes)Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday to FridaySource: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

SNAP (food benefits)

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

DC Department of Human Services (DHS), Economic Security Administration

Call
(202) 727-5355 DHS Economic Security Administration Public Benefits Call Center (apply, renew, address changes)Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday to FridaySource: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Apply
Where to apply districtdirect.dc.govSource: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

Medicaid and CHIP

DC Medicaid (including DC Healthy Families and the DC Healthcare Alliance)

DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF); applications go through the DHS Economic Security Administration

Call
(202) 727-5355 DHS Economic Security Administration Public Benefits Call Center (apply, renew, address changes)Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday to FridaySource: dhcf.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Apply
Where to apply districtdirect.dc.govSource: dhcf.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

TANF cash help

Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

DC Department of Human Services (DHS)

Call
(202) 727-5355 DHS Economic Security Administration Public Benefits Call Center (apply, renew, address changes)Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday to FridaySource: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Apply
Where to apply districtdirect.dc.govSource: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

WIC

DC WIC

Call
202-442-9397 DC WIC Headquarters (Administrative Office)Source: dcwic.org, checked November 1, 2026
Apply
Where to apply dcwic.orgSource: dcwic.org, checked November 1, 2026
Clinics
Find a WIC clinic dcwic.orgSource: dcwic.org, checked November 1, 2026

Child care help

DC Child Care Subsidy Program

Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE); DHS service centers and Level II providers take applications

Call
(202) 829-2500 DC Child Care Connections: help completing the application or finding a child development facility (no cost)(202) 576-7011 Anacostia Service Center: schedule an appointment(202) 576-8776 Taylor Street Service Center: schedule an appointmentSource: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Apply
Where to apply data.osse.dc.govSource: osse.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Open or closed
Only some families now …children eligible under Priority Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 may enroll in the program and receive subsidies. Children in Priority Groups 5 and 6 will be placed on the waitlist.While you wait, the calculator above shows what else your household can likely get now.Source: osse.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

Help with energy bills (LIHEAP)

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

DC Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE)

Call
311 DOEE Energy Services team: questions, status, scheduling in-person appointments(202) 737-4404 DOEE Energy Services team: questions, status, scheduling in-person appointmentsSource: doee.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Apply
Where to apply doee.dc.govSource: doee.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Open or closed
Taking applications Starting on October 20, 2026, you may apply online for the FY27 LIHEAP by using the link below.Source: doee.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

Your benefits card (EBT)

EBT card (DC's cardholder app and website are called ebtEDGE)

Call
888-304-9167 FIS: activate card, change PIN, check balance, request a replacement cardSource: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Card account
The card's website cardholder.ebtedge.comSource: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Lost or stolen
Request a replacement card from FIS by calling (888) 304-9167 or at an EBT Card Distribution Center (645 H Street NE or 1649 Marion Barry Avenue SE); call FIS to change your PIN. If benefits were stolen by skimming or cloning, file a Request for Replacement of Stolen Benefits (DHS-1697) within thirty (30) days of when you became aware of the loss. DHS OPRMI: (202) 671-4460 option 1 (live, 8:15 a.m.-4:45 p.m.), 24-hour hotline (202) 673-4464.Source: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

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 District of Columbia

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 District of Columbia 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
In writing (DHS Benefits Hearing Request form), in person, or by phone: call OAH, press 3 for a case filing, then 3 again for public benefits
Phone
(202) 442-9094
Who hears it
DC Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), 441 4th Street NW, Suite 450 North, Washington DC 20001
Deadline
Within 90 days from the postmark date of DHS's notice regarding your benefits

Source: oah.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

Medicaid

Phone
202-442-9094
Who hears it
DC Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), 441 4th Street NW, Suite 450 North, Washington DC 20001
Deadline
No more than ninety (90) days from the postmark of the letter notifying you of the action; to keep a benefit during the hearing, ask before the 30-day notice ends

Source: dhcf.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

TANF cash help

How to ask
By phone: call (202) 442-9094, press 3, then 3 for Public Benefits; or in writing with the DHS benefits hearing request form
Phone
(202) 442-9094
Who hears it
DC Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH)

Source: oah.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

Each state sets the days its SNAP benefits arrive. This is District of Columbia'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)

1st through 10th of the month

The day your benefits are available on your EBT Card is based on the first letter of your last name.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): the day benefits arrive, as the state's page lists it
IfBenefits arrive on
First letter of last name: A or B1st of month
First letter of last name: C2nd of month
First letter of last name: D, E, or F3rd of month
First letter of last name: G or H4th of month
First letter of last name: L or M6th of month
First letter of last name: N, O, P, or Q7th of month
First letter of last name: R or S8th of month
First letter of last name: T, U, or V9th of month
First letter of last name: W, X, Y, or Z10th of month

Source: dhs.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) in 2026

District of Columbia took part in 2026, paying $120 for each child who qualified. The state calls it DC SUN Bucks.

Benefits are issued as a one-time $120 payment.

Source: sunbucks.dc.gov, checked November 1, 2026

Free help from a person in District of Columbia

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

Medicare questions

DC State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

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

Call
202-727-8370Source: shiphelp.org, checked November 1, 2026
Online
Its website dacl.dc.gov

A denial, a cut, an eviction

Free legal aid

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

Groups
Neighborhood Legal Services Program of the District of ColumbiaSource: 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.govDistrict of Columbia is under the heading DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, on pages 43–45; 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