Oregon Food Stamp Income Limits by Household Size

Oregon food stamp income limits by household size are set at 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which lets a single person earn up to $2,660 per month in gross income and a family of four earn up to $5,500 and still qualify as of March 2026. Oregon’s ceiling runs well above the 130 percent federal baseline because the state uses Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility, a policy that raises the income threshold and removes the asset test entirely.¹

Gross Monthly Income Limits by Household Size

These limits apply to Oregon SNAP households from March 2026 through February 2027:²

1 person: $2,660
2 people: $3,607
3 people: $4,554
4 people: $5,500
5 people: $6,447
6 people: $7,394
7 people: $8,340
8 people: $9,287
Each additional person: add $947

Oregon derives these numbers from the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, which set the poverty line at $15,960 per year for one person and add $5,680 for each additional household member.³

What Counts as Gross Income

Gross income is everything your household brings in before taxes, retirement contributions, or any other withholdings come out. Wages count. So do Social Security payments, unemployment benefits, child support you receive, and self-employment earnings. The figure on your pay stub before deductions is the number Oregon measures against the limit, not what lands in your bank account.

Who Counts in Your Household

Because the income limit scales with household size, who the state groups together on your application matters as much as the dollar figures. Oregon defines your filing group as the people in your home who customarily buy and prepare meals together, with some mandatory groupings that apply even when people keep separate groceries.⁴

Three categories must always file together:

Spouses living in the same home.
A parent and any of their children under age 22 in the same home.
Any adult responsible for the care, supervision, or financial support of a child under 18 in the household, together with that child.

An elderly person who is permanently and severely disabled and cannot purchase or prepare their own food may file separately from other household members, as long as those other members’ combined income falls below 165 percent of the federal poverty level. Outside that narrow exception, the state adds up income from everyone in the filing group and measures the total against the limit for that group’s size. Two working spouses cannot split themselves into two one-person households to each claim a higher benefit.

A Second Limit for Seniors and Disabled Members

Most Oregon households face only the gross income test above. If your household includes someone age 60 or older or a person with a disability, the state may also apply a net income limit set at 100 percent of the federal poverty level, which works out to $1,305 per month for one person or $2,680 for a household of four.⁵ The deductions described below usually bring net income well under that threshold for households that passed the gross test.

No Asset or Resource Limit

Oregon does not count savings, checking balances, or vehicles against you. Under Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility, there is no asset limit for SNAP in the state.¹ The federal default would cap countable resources at $3,000 for most households or $4,500 for households with an elderly or disabled member, but that rule does not apply in Oregon.⁵ A few thousand dollars in a savings account or an owned vehicle will not disqualify you.

Deductions That Can Bring You Under the Limit

If your gross income is close to the limit, deductions can determine both whether you qualify under the senior/disabled net test and how much you receive each month.

Standard and Earned Income Deductions

Every household gets a flat standard deduction of $209 per month for households of one to three people, with higher amounts for larger households.⁵ On top of that, 20 percent of all earned income is automatically excluded. If you bring home $2,000 per month from a job, $400 comes off your countable income before anything else is considered.

Shelter, Dependent Care, and Medical Expenses

Housing costs often produce the largest deduction. Rent or mortgage payments, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and a standardized utility allowance all count toward shelter costs. If your shelter expenses exceed half of your income after other deductions, the excess is deductible, capped at $744 per month unless your household includes an elderly or disabled member, in which case there is no cap.⁵

Verified childcare or dependent care costs you pay so a household member can work or attend training are deductible with no cap. For households with a member age 60 or older or with a disability, out-of-pocket medical expenses above $35 per month that aren’t reimbursed by insurance can be deducted. Prescription copays, medical equipment, and transportation to appointments all count.⁶ Many eligible households never report their medical costs because they don’t realize it affects their benefit.

How the Benefit Amount Is Calculated

Qualifying is one question; the size of your monthly benefit is another. Oregon takes the maximum allotment for your household size and subtracts 30 percent of your net income (gross income minus all applicable deductions). The maximum monthly allotments for October 2025 through September 2026 are:⁷

1 person: $298
2 people: $546
3 people: $785
4 people: $994
5 people: $1,183
6 people: $1,421
7 people: $1,571
8 people: $1,789
Each additional person: add $218

A single person with a net income of $900 after all deductions would see 30 percent of that, or $270, subtracted from the $298 maximum, leaving a $28 monthly benefit. A household of four with zero net income would receive the full $994. Most households land somewhere in between.

If Your Income Is Close to the Limit

Gross income is measured against the limit for your household size before any deductions are applied, so being a few hundred dollars over on paper doesn’t always mean you’re out. If your household includes an elderly or disabled member, the state applies the net test rather than the gross test, and the deductions above can pull a household well under the threshold.

The fastest way to find out where you stand is to apply through Oregon’s ONE system at one.oregon.gov, request a paper application by calling 1-800-699-9075, or pick one up at a local Oregon Department of Human Services office. The state generally issues a decision within 30 days of your filing date.⁸ Document your rent, utilities, childcare, and (if applicable) medical costs when you apply; those are the figures that determine whether a borderline household qualifies and how much it receives.

1
Food and Nutrition Service. Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE)
2
Oregon Department of Human Services. SNAP Food Benefits
3
HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
4
Oregon Department of Human Services. Oregon Administrative Rule 461-110-0370 – Filing Group, SNAP
5
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Eligibility
6
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Medical Expenses Handbook
7
Oregon Department of Human Services. Oregon Administrative Rule 461-155-0190 – Income and Payment Standards, SNAP and DSNAP
8
eCFR. 7 CFR 273.2 – Office Operations and Application Processing