California Low Income Limits by County and Household Size

In California, your household is considered low income if it earns 80% or less of the area median income for your county, adjusted for how many people live with you. That 80% threshold is one of five tiers the state uses, and because median incomes swing hard between counties, the dollar cutoff for “low income” in San Francisco County ($156,650 for a family of four in 2025) is more than double the cutoff in Fresno County ($75,100). California low income limits by county are published each year by the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the chart for your specific county and household size is what controls eligibility for state-funded housing programs.

The Five Income Tiers

California law splits qualifying households into five brackets, each pegged to a percentage of the area median income (AMI) in your county. AMI is the midpoint of local earnings: half of households earn more, half earn less. HUD calculates the median for every metropolitan area and rural county, and HCD then publishes California-specific limits.1Department of Housing and Community Development. 2025 State Income Limits Briefing Materials

The tier matters because some programs prioritize deeper need. Section 8 vouchers, for example, must go primarily to extremely low income households, while first-time homebuyer assistance often runs up through moderate income.

2025 Dollar Limits in Selected Counties

The current figures are the 2025 state income limits, based on HUD data released April 1, 2025, and updated annually.1Department of Housing and Community Development. 2025 State Income Limits Briefing Materials The numbers below are for a four-person household, the baseline HUD uses.

San Francisco County

  • Acutely low: $28,000
  • Extremely low: $58,750
  • Very low: $97,900
  • Low: $156,650
  • Moderate: $223,900

Los Angeles County

  • Extremely low: $45,450
  • Very low: $75,750
  • Low: $121,150

Sacramento County

  • Very low: $64,300
  • Low: $102,900

Fresno County

  • Very low: $46,950
  • Low: $75,100

The gap between the coastal counties and the Central Valley is why California can’t use a single statewide figure. A household earning $80,000 is very low income in San Francisco but above the low income ceiling in Fresno. HUD pegged California’s statewide median family income at $118,100 for 2025, but individual counties run far above and below that.1Department of Housing and Community Development. 2025 State Income Limits Briefing Materials

Adjusting for Household Size

Every published limit is scaled to household size. HUD sets the baseline at four people and adjusts up or down from there. A single person’s ceiling is lower than a couple’s; a family of five’s is higher than a family of four’s. For households of more than eight, HUD adds 8% of the four-person figure for each additional member.5HUD Exchange. CPD Income and Rent Limits

The scaling is significant enough to change outcomes. A single person in Los Angeles County might qualify as low income at a salary that would disqualify a childless couple in the same county. When you look up your number, read across the row for your county and down the column for your actual household size, not the four-person default.

Looking Up Your Own County

You need three pieces of information: your county, your household size, and your total gross annual household income before taxes or deductions. Gross income includes wages, salaries, and other earnings from every adult in the home.

The authoritative source is the HCD State Income Limits chart, published as a PDF on the Department of Housing and Community Development’s website. Find your county on the left, read across to your household size, and check which tier’s dollar ceiling your gross income falls at or below.6California Department of Housing and Community Development. Official State Income Limits for 2025

A common mistake is using HUD’s federal income limits instead of HCD’s state limits. California’s figures are derived from HUD data, but HCD applies additional state-level adjustments. For any California state-funded program, the HCD chart is the one that governs.

The Hold Harmless Floor

Income limits don’t necessarily fall when the economy does. Under HUD’s methodology, limits cannot decrease by more than 5% from the prior year’s level, even if the local median drops further.7Federal Register. Changes to the Methodology Used for Calculating Section 8 Income Limits Under the United States Housing Act of 1937 For properties financed with Low Income Housing Tax Credits, the effective limits cannot decrease at all after a property is placed in service. The rule exists so that a sharp drop in median income doesn’t suddenly disqualify tenants who were eligible the year before.

What These Limits Unlock

The categories aren’t paperwork. They’re the gatekeepers for real housing and real money.

Section 8 and Public Housing

The Housing Choice Voucher Program uses income limits to determine who gets rental assistance and in what order. HUD requires that at least 75% of new voucher admissions go to extremely low income households, so the very low and low income tiers apply mostly to continued eligibility rather than the front of the waiting list. Local public housing authorities manage those lists using the same brackets.8HUD USER. Income Limits

CalHFA Homebuyer Programs

The California Housing Finance Agency offers below-market interest rates and down payment assistance to low and moderate income first-time buyers. CalHFA sets its own income ceilings, which cannot exceed certain federal maximums but are sometimes set lower to hit specific policy goals. Each loan product has its own cap, so the ceiling for a first mortgage may differ from the ceiling for a down payment assistance loan.9California Housing Finance Agency. Income Limits

Density Bonus and Deed-Restricted Units

California’s density bonus law lets developers build more units than local zoning allows in exchange for reserving a share of units for income-restricted households. Under Government Code Section 65915, set-asides can target lower, very low, or moderate income buyers and tenants.10California Legislative Information. California Government Code 65915 Property managers at those developments verify tenant income against the HCD chart for the county and household size before signing a lease.

The 30% Affordable Housing Cost Rule

Qualifying as low income also caps what you can be charged. California defines “affordable housing cost” for lower income households as no more than 30% of gross household income. For very low income owner-occupied units receiving state assistance, the cap is calculated as 30% of 50% of AMI, adjusted for unit size.11California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 50052.5 If you’re paying more than 30% of gross income on housing, federal standards consider you cost-burdened, which can affect your priority on waiting lists and eligibility for emergency assistance.

When Your Income Changes

Eligibility isn’t permanent. Most affordable housing and voucher programs require annual recertification, where you report current income and household composition.12California Department of Housing and Community Development. Income Calculation and Determination Guide – Chapter Four – Recertification of Eligibility

A raise doesn’t automatically end your assistance. If your income stays within your tier, nothing changes. If it rises into the next tier, your rent portion typically increases while you keep your housing. Losing eligibility altogether usually requires exceeding the ceiling by a sustained margin across consecutive recertifications, though the exact rules depend on the program. Failing to report an income change is the costly move, because a later discovery can trigger repayment or termination.

If your income drops, recertification is how you get your rent lowered or qualify for more help. Report changes promptly rather than waiting for the annual review; many programs allow interim adjustments.