The federal poverty level is set each year by Health and Human Services (HHS). The government uses these guidelines to determine your household’s eligibility for government health insurance programs like Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and premium tax credits.
The government deals with you in the context of your household. If you’re single and file taxes as an individual, you’re a household of one. If you have a family of four and file a single tax return for you, your spouse, your two dependents, you’re a household of four.
The federal poverty level increases with household size. I’ve listed the latest federal poverty level (FPL) numbers below.
2023 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) amounts
2023 Federal Poverty Levels (FPLs) for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia
- $14,580 for a household of 1
- $19,720 for a household of 2
- $24,860 for a household of 3
- $30,000 for a household of 4
- $35,140 for a household of 5
- $40,280 for a household of 6
- $45,420 for a household of 7
- $50,560 for a household of 8
If your household has more than eight people in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia, add $5,140 for each additional person.
2023 Poverty Guidelines for Alaska
- $18,210 for a household of 1
- $24,640 for a household of 2
- $31,070 for a household of 3
- $37,500 for a household of 4
- $43,930 for a household of 5
- $50,360 for a household of 6
- $56,790 for a household of 7
- $63,220 for a household of 8
If your household has more than eight people in Alaska, add $6,430 for each additional person.
2023 Poverty Guidelines for Hawaii
- $16,770 for a household of 1
- $22,680 for a household of 2
- $28,590 for a household of 3
- $34,500 for a household of 4
- $40,410 for a household of 5
- $46,320 for a household of 6
- $52,230 for a household of 7
- $58,140 for a household of 8
If your household has more than eight people in Hawaii, add $5,910 for each additional person.
How to calculate your income and household size
When applying for a program that uses federal poverty levels to decide eligibility, be sure to verify how it defines income and household size. The federal poverty levels do not set a standard definition of “income” or “household” size. Programs using these poverty guidelines to define eligibility define these terms. For example, the Marketplace and the IRS use MAGI (modified adjusted gross income) for income and “tax household” for a household.[1]
Notes:
[1] A tax household includes all individuals listed on a single federal income tax return.
