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

South Dakota income limits at a glance

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)); Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Policy and Procedure Manual (cover: 'Updated October 2026') (South Dakota Department of Social Services); Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), South Dakota Department of Social Services (South Dakota Department of Social 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); 2026 Ballot Question Pamphlet (SD Secretary of State; redirects to the PDF) (State of South Dakota site (sdsos.gov)); State plan S30 (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.gov)); South Dakota Medicaid Coverage Groups (DSS) (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.gov)); State plan S54 (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.gov)); South Dakota Medicaid: Eligibility Changes Coming Soon (DSS) (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.gov)); Medicaid General Information (DSS) (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.gov)); South Dakota Medicaid: Eligibility Changes Coming Soon (DSS) (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.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)); Child Care Assistance - Eligibility: Sliding Fee Scale 'Based on 209% of Federal Poverty Level, Effective March 1, 2026' (South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS)); CCDF Policies Database Book of Tables, policies as of October 1, 2023 (OPRE Report 2025-054, May 2025) (HHS/ACF/OPRE (Urban Institute)); South Dakota 2026 Child Care Subsidy Co-Payments (sliding fee scale PDF), effective March 1, 2026 (South Dakota DSS). 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 South Dakota family

• $2,961 a month: SNAP ends or drops, and the family has $392 less a month than just below it.
• $4,259 a month: WIC, Lifeline end or drop, and the family has $74 less a month than just below it.
• $4,269 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $5 less a month than just below it.
• $4,388 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $6 less a month than just below it.
• $4,625 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $6 less a month than just below it.
• $4,743 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $5 less a month than just below it.
• $4,957 a month: Child care ends or drops, and the family has $656 less a month than just below it.

Worked out by this site's calculator with South Dakota'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 South Dakota

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (SNAP)

South Dakota uses the federal limits: gross income up to 130% of the poverty line (no gross test for households with someone 60 or older or with a disability), and a limit on savings. A household that pays for heating or cooling counts a standard utility allowance of $984 a month with its rent. Where to apply.

Sources: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Policy and Procedure Manual (cover: 'Updated October 2026') (South Dakota Department of Social Services); Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), South Dakota Department of Social Services (South Dakota Department of Social Services). Checked October 31, 2026.

South Dakota Medicaid and CHIP

South Dakota 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 South Dakota’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).

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); 2026 Ballot Question Pamphlet (SD Secretary of State; redirects to the PDF) (State of South Dakota site (sdsos.gov)); State plan S30 (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.gov)); South Dakota Medicaid Coverage Groups (DSS) (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.gov)); State plan S54 (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.gov)); South Dakota Medicaid: Eligibility Changes Coming Soon (DSS) (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.gov)); Medicaid General Information (DSS) (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.gov)); South Dakota Medicaid: Eligibility Changes Coming Soon (DSS) (State of South Dakota site (dss.sd.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.

South Dakota Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Cash help for families with children: at most $672 a month for a family of three with no other income, for up to 60 months in a lifetime. Where to apply.

Sources: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) FAQ page (South Dakota Department of Social Services); TANF Programs by State (Help for Families map) (HHS/ACF/Office of Family Assistance). Checked October 31, 2026.

Child Care Assistance

Help paying for child care while parents work or study. Where to apply.

Sources: Child Care Assistance - Eligibility: Sliding Fee Scale 'Based on 209% of Federal Poverty Level, Effective March 1, 2026' (South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS)); CCDF Policies Database Book of Tables, policies as of October 1, 2023 (OPRE Report 2025-054, May 2025) (HHS/ACF/OPRE (Urban Institute)); South Dakota 2026 Child Care Subsidy Co-Payments (sliding fee scale PDF), effective March 1, 2026 (South Dakota DSS). Checked October 31, 2026.

State tax credits

For tax year 2026, South Dakota has no state income tax, so no state earned income or child tax credit.

Source: Taxes (South Dakota Department of Revenue, individuals) (South Dakota Department of Revenue). Checked October 31, 2026.

Phone numbers and where to go in South Dakota

Each number and address below is the one South Dakota'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?

How to ask for a hearing in South Dakota

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 South Dakota 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.

When benefits are paid in South Dakota

Each state sets the days its SNAP benefits arrive. This is South Dakota'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)

The 10th of the month, even if the 10th falls on a weekend or a holiday (ongoing recipients); new applicants get a notice from their Benefits Specialist with the date

If you are an ongoing recipient, you will receive your benefits in your EBT account on the 10th of the month, even if the 10th falls on a weekend or a holiday.

Source: dss.sd.gov, checked November 1, 2026

Free help from a person in South Dakota

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

Updated November 1, 2026