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2019 Health & Human Services Poverty Guidelines / Federal Poverty Levels

Page Reviewed / Updated - June 08, 2019

Table of Contents


The 2019 Poverty Guidelines, commonly referred to as the Federal Poverty Level or FPL, follow in the tables below.  Note that these amounts change based on the number of individuals in the household and the state in which one resides. 

Federal Poverty Levels are used by many assistance programs as a way to set eligibility criteria.  Often programs limit participant's income to some percentage of the FPL, such as $138% or 200%. 

Looking for Financial Help for Elder Care? There are many programs that provide financial assistance for home care or assisted living.  Search our database of over 350 programs. 

2019 Poverty Guidelines - Annual

48 Contiguous States and D.C.

Persons in Household 48 Contiguous States and D.C. Poverty Guidelines (Annual)
100% 133% 138% 150% 200% 250% 300% 400%
1 $12,490 $16,612 $17,236 $18,735 $24,980 $31,225 $37,470 $49,960
2 $16,910 $22,490 $23,336 $25,365 $33,820 $42,275 $50,730 $67,640
3 $21,330 $28,369 $29,435 $31,995 $42,660 $53,325 $63,990 $85,320
4 $25,750 $34,248 $35,535 $38,625 $51,500 $64,375 $77,250 $103,000
5 $30,170 $40,126 $41,635 $45,255 $60,340 $75,425 $90,510 $120,680
6 $34,590 $46,005 $47,734 $51,885 $69,180 $86,475 $103,770 $138,360
7 $39,010 $51,883 $53,834 $58,515 $78,020 $97,525 $117,030 $156,040
8 $43,430 $57,762 $59,933 $65,145 $86,860 $108,575 $130,290 $173,520
Add $4,320 for each person over 8

Alaska

Persons in Household

Alaska Poverty Guidelines (Annual)

100%

133%

138%

150%

200%

250%

300%

400%

1

$15,600

$20,748

$21,528

$23,400

$31,200

$39,000

$46,800

$62,400

2

$21,130

$28,103

$29,160

$31,695

$42,260

$52,825

$63,390

$84,520

3

$26,660

$35,458

$36,791

$39,990

$53,320

$66,650

$79,980

$106,640

4

$32,190

$42,813

$44,423

$48,285

$64,380

$80,475

$96,570

$128,760

5

$37,720

$50,168

$52,054

$56,580

$75,440

$94,300

$113,160

$150,880

6

$43,250

$57,523

$59,685

$64,875

$86,500

$108,125

$129,750

$173,000

7

$48,780

$64,878

$67,317

$73,170

$97,560

$121,950

$146,340

$195,120

8

$54,310

$72,233

$74,948

$81,465

$108,620

$135,775

$162,930

$217,240

Add $5,530 for each person over 8

Hawaii

Persons in Household

Hawaii Poverty Guidelines (Annual)

100%

133%

138%

150%

200%

250%

300%

400%

1

$14,380

$19,126

$19,845

$21,570

$28,760

$35,950

$43,140

$57,520

2

$19,460

$25,882

$26,855

$29,190

$38,920

$48,655

$58,380

$77,840

3

$24,540

$32,639

$33,866

$36,810

$49,080

$61,350

$73,620

$98,160

4

$29,620

$39,395

$40,876

$44,430

$59,240

$74,050

$88,860

$118,480

5

$34,700

$46,151

$47,886

$52,050

$69,400

$86,750

$104,100

$138,800

6

$39,780

$52,908

$54,897

$59,670

$79,560

$99,450

$119,340

$159,120

7

$44,860

$59,664

$61,907

$67,290

$89,720

$112,150

$134,580

$179,440

8

$49,940

$66,421

$68,918

$74,910

$99,880

$124,850

$149,820

$199,760

Add $5,080 for each person over 8

2019 Poverty Guidelines - Monthly

48 Contiguous States and D.C.

Persons in Household

48 Contiguous States and D.C. Poverty Guidelines (Monthly)

100%

133%

138%

150%

200%

250%

300%

400%

1

 $1,041

 $1,384

 $1,436

 $1,561

 $2,082

 $2,602

 $3,123

 $4,163

2

 $1,409

 $1,874

 $1,945

 $2,114

 $2,818

 $3,523

 $4,228

 $5,637

3

 $1,778

 $2,364

 $2,453

 $2,666

 $3,555

 $4,444

 $5,333

 $7,110

4

 $2,146

 $2,854

 $2,961

 $3,219

 $4,292

 $5,365

 $6,438

 $8,583

5

 $2,514

 $3,344

 $3,470

 $3,771

 $5,028

 $6,285

 $7,543

 $10,057

6

 $2,883

 $3,834

 $3,978

 $4,324

 $5,765

 $7,206

 $8,648

 $11,530

7

 $3,251

 $4,324

 $4,486

 $4,876

 $6,502

 $8,127

 $9,753

 $13,003

8

 $3,619

 $4,813

 $4,994

 $5,429

 $7,138

 $9,048

 $10,858

 $14,477

Add $368 for each person over 8

Alaska

Persons in Household

Alaska Poverty Guidelines (Monthly)

100%

133%

138%

150%

200%

250%

300%

400%

1

 $1,300

 $1,729

 $1,794

 $1,950

 $2,600

 $3,250

 $3,900

 $5,200

2

 $1,761

 $2,342

 $2,430

 $2,642

 $3,522

 $4,402

 $5,283

 $7,044

3

 $2,222

 $2,956

 $3,066

 $3,333

 $4,444

 $5,555

 $6,665

 $8,887

4

 $2,683

 $3,568

 $3,702

 $4,024

 $5,365

 $6,707

 $8,048

 $10,730

5

 $3,144

 $4,181

 $4,338

 $4,715

 $6,287

 $7,859

 $9,430

 $12,574

6

 $3,605

 $4,796

 $4,974

 $5,407

 $7,209

 $9,011

 $10,813

 $14,417

7

 $4,065

 $5,407

 $5,610

 $6,098

 $8,130

 $10,163

 $12,195

 $16,260

8

 $4,526

 $6,020

 $6,246

 $6,789

 $9,052

 $11,315

 $13,578

 $18,104

Add $461 for each person over 8

Hawaii

Persons in Household

Hawaii Poverty Guidelines (Monthly)

100%

133%

138%

150%

200%

250%

300%

400%

1

 $1,199

 $1,594

 $1,654

 $1,798

 $2,397

 $2,996

 $3,595

 $4,794

2

 $1,622

 $2,157

 $2,238

 $2,433

 $3,244

 $4,055

 $4,865

 $6,487

3

 $2,045

 $2,720

 $2,823

 $3,068

 $4,090

 $5,113

 $6,135

 $8,180

4

 $2,469

 $3,283

 $3,407

 $3,703

 $4,937

 $6,171

 $7,405

 $9,874

5

 $2,892

 $3,846

 $3,991

 $4,338

 $5,784

 $7,230

 $8,675

 $11,567

6

 $3,315

 $4,409

 $4,575

 $4,973

 $6,630

 $8,288

 $9,945

 $13,260

7

 $3,739

 $4,972

 $5,159

 $5,608

 $7,477

 $9,346

 $11,215

 $14,954

8

 $4,162

 $5,535

 $5,744

 $6,243

 $8,234

 $10,405

 $12,485

 $16,647

Add $424 for each person over 8

Importance of Poverty Guidelines / What These Numbers Mean

Many state programs that offer financial assistance to elderly or disabled individuals use the Federal Poverty Levels to calculate their annual or monthly income limits for program eligibility. State Medicaid programs also use these limits, or a percentage thereof, to determine eligibility for different constituent groups (such as the Aged, Blind or Disabled, Children Under 18 or Pregnant Women).

The Department of Health and Human Services publishes this information and updates it each January for the current year. The numbers are based on data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau.  

Note that there is no difference between the Federal Poverty Guidelines and the Federal Poverty Levels.  These terms are used interchangeably. However, these guidelines should not be confused with the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR) / Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Limit.  Those numbers are published by the Social Security Office and are available here.

Did You Know? The Federal Poverty Level (FPL) is a measurement of the minimum amount of annual income that is needed for individuals and families to pay for essentials, such as room and board, clothes, and transportation. The FPL takes into account the number of people in a household, their income, and the state in which they reside. On the other hand, the Federal Benefit Rate, a monthly cash benefit, is the maximum payment that an aged, blind or disabled adult can be paid via Supplemental Security Income. As a point of reference, at the time of this writing, the annual FPL for a household of one is $12,490 ($1,041 / month), and the maximum annual SSI benefit amount for a single individual is $9,252 ($771 / month). As with the FPL, many assistance programs use SSI figures to determine if an applicant is income eligible. While a percentage of the FPL is often used to determine income eligibility for categorically aged, blind and disabled Medicaid, a percentage of the FBR is often used to determine if one is income eligible for a Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Medicaid waiver or nursing home Medicaid.