Federal Poverty Level in California: Medi-Cal and CalFresh Cutoffs

The federal poverty level in California for 2026 is $15,960 per year for a single person, rising with household size, and it is the same figure the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publishes for all 48 contiguous states.¹ California does not publish its own poverty line. Instead, state programs like Medi-Cal, CalFresh, Covered California, and utility discounts use the HHS number as a starting point and set their own eligibility cutoffs at a percentage above it, which is why a family earning more than the baseline often still qualifies for help.²

2026 Poverty Guidelines by Household Size

HHS published the current guidelines on January 15, 2026. The annual income figures for California households are:¹

1 person: $15,960 per year ($1,330 per month)
2 people: $21,640 per year ($1,803 per month)
3 people: $27,320 per year ($2,277 per month)
4 people: $33,000 per year ($2,750 per month)
5 people: $38,680 per year ($3,223 per month)
6 people: $44,360 per year ($3,697 per month)
7 people: $50,040 per year ($4,170 per month)
8 people: $55,720 per year ($4,643 per month)

Add $5,680 per year for each additional person beyond eight.³

2024 Guidelines Still in Use for Some Programs

Not every California agency switches to the new figures the day HHS publishes them. CalFresh, for example, updates its income limits each October rather than each January, so applications submitted early in the year may still be measured against the prior guidelines. The 2024 numbers:⁴

1 person: $15,060 per year
2 people: $20,440 per year
3 people: $25,820 per year
4 people: $31,200 per year
5 people: $36,580 per year
6 people: $41,960 per year
7 people: $47,340 per year
8 people: $52,720 per year

Each additional person adds $5,380 per year.⁴ When you apply for a California benefit, ask which year’s guidelines the program is currently using.

How to Count Your Household

Household size decides which row of the table applies to you, so count carefully before comparing your income to the guideline. For most California programs that use the FPL, the household is the tax filer, a spouse filing jointly, and anyone claimed as a tax dependent.⁵ Children under 21 who live with you count even if you don’t claim them.

In shared-custody situations, a child counts in the household of the parent who claims them on their tax return. Only one parent can claim a given child in a given year, and the IRS generally treats the parent with whom the child lived longer as the custodial parent.⁶ Elderly or disabled relatives count if you claim them as dependents. Roommates who aren’t spouses or dependents don’t count, even if you split the rent.

What Income Counts Toward the Limit

Most California programs measure income using Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). You start with your adjusted gross income from your tax return and add back tax-exempt interest, non-taxable Social Security benefits, and foreign earned income.⁷

MAGI includes wages, tips, self-employment earnings, taxable interest, dividends, capital gains, unemployment compensation, pensions, and rental income.⁸ Several income sources are excluded: Supplemental Security Income, veterans’ disability benefits, workers’ compensation, and child support received. Pre-tax payroll deductions for employer health insurance, 401(k) contributions, and flexible spending accounts also drop out before MAGI is calculated. A one-time lump sum, such as a legal settlement, counts only in the month you receive it.

California Programs and Their FPL Cutoffs

Here is where the baseline number actually matters. Each program sets its own percentage of FPL as the ceiling for eligibility.

Medi-Cal

Adults qualify for Medi-Cal with household income up to 138% of the federal poverty level.⁹ Using the 2026 guideline, a single adult can earn roughly $22,025 and still qualify. Children get far more generous limits. Infants under one are covered up to 208% of FPL. Children ages one through five are covered up to 261%, as are children ages six through eighteen when Medicaid and CHIP coverage are combined.¹⁰ In some counties, children are covered up to 317% of FPL, meaning a family of four earning well above $60,000 can still have the kids covered.

Covered California

Households earning between 138% and 400% of FPL can get federal premium tax credits that lower monthly insurance payments through Covered California, the state marketplace.¹¹ Below 138%, you’re routed to Medi-Cal. Enrollees under 250% of FPL also get cost-sharing reductions that cut deductibles and copays on Silver plans, and California layers on an additional state subsidy for households between 100% and 165% of FPL.

CalFresh

CalFresh is California’s SNAP program for grocery assistance. Under the state’s modified categorical eligibility rules, most households qualify with gross monthly income at or below 200% of FPL.¹² Households that don’t meet those criteria face a 130% gross income limit. If someone in the household is elderly or disabled, the gross income limit is 165% of FPL and there is no separate net income test.¹³ After the gross income test, CalFresh subtracts allowable deductions to get a net income figure, which must fall at or below 100% of FPL. Your actual benefit amount depends on that net calculation, so two families with identical gross incomes can receive different amounts.

CARE and FERA Utility Discounts

The California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program gives a 30% to 35% discount on electric bills and a 20% discount on natural gas bills for households at or below 200% of FPL.¹⁴ The discount size depends on utility size: utilities with 100,000 or more California accounts offer the higher range, smaller ones offer 20%.

Households of three or more that earn too much for CARE may still qualify for the Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) program, which covers 200% to 250% of FPL and applies an 18% discount on electricity.¹⁴ For 2025–2026, a family of four qualifies for FERA with annual income up to $80,375. Many families assume they earn too much for any utility help when they’d actually clear the FERA bar.

Lifeline Phone and Internet

The federal Lifeline program discounts phone or internet service for households at or below 135% of FPL, which works out to about $21,546 per year for a single person under the 2026 guideline.¹⁵ You can also qualify automatically by participating in Medi-Cal, CalFresh, SSI, or certain other programs. Survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking qualify at a higher 200% of FPL ceiling.

Guidelines Are Not the Same as Census Thresholds

If you’ve seen different poverty figures elsewhere, that may be because two separate measures exist. The HHS poverty guidelines are what California programs use for eligibility; they’re updated each January and organized by household size alone.¹⁶ The Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds, which vary by household composition and age, are used for statistical research, not benefits eligibility. When a California agency mentions “the federal poverty level,” it means the HHS guidelines every time.

1
Federal Register. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines
2
Covered California. What Is the Federal Poverty Level
3
ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
4
Federal Register. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines
5
HealthCare.gov. Who to Include in Your Household
6
Internal Revenue Service. Dependents
7
Covered California. How to Estimate Your Income
8
California Department of Health Care Services. Modified Adjusted Gross Income Under the Affordable Care Act
9
California Department of Health Care Services. Eligibility by Federal Poverty Level
10
MACPAC. Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Children and Pregnant Women by State
11
Covered California. Program Eligibility by Federal Poverty Level for 2026
12
Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. CalFresh Eligibility Criteria
13
County of Santa Clara Social Services Agency. CalFresh Program Monthly Allotment and Income Eligibility Standards Charts
14
California Public Utilities Commission. CARE/FERA Program
15
Universal Service Administrative Company. How to Qualify
16
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Poverty