What Is the Income Limit for Food Stamps in Ohio?

To qualify for food stamps in Ohio through September 30, 2026, a single person’s gross monthly income must be at or below $1,696, and a family of four must be at or below $3,483.¹ Most households have to pass two tests: a gross income limit set at 130% of the federal poverty level, and a net income limit set at 100% of the federal poverty level after allowable deductions. Households that include someone 60 or older or someone with a disability follow more generous rules and skip the gross test entirely.

Gross and Net Income Limits by Household Size

Gross income is everything the household brings in before deductions: wages, self-employment earnings, Social Security, child support, unemployment, and so on. Net income is what remains after Ohio subtracts the standard deduction, 20% of earned income, and shelter costs above a threshold.

The limits in effect from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026 are:¹

1 person: $1,696 gross / $1,305 net
2 people: $2,292 gross / $1,763 net
3 people: $2,888 gross / $2,221 net
4 people: $3,483 gross / $2,680 net
5 people: $4,079 gross / $3,138 net
6 people: $4,675 gross / $3,596 net
7 people: $5,271 gross / $4,055 net
8 people: $5,867 gross / $4,513 net
Each additional person: add $596 gross / $459 net

If your gross income is above the limit for your household size, you don’t qualify, no matter how large your deductions are. If you pass the gross test, Ohio then applies deductions and checks the net figure against the lower threshold.

Higher Limit for Households With Seniors or Disabled Members

Households with at least one member who is 60 or older, or who has a qualifying disability, are exempt from the gross income test and only need to meet the net income limit.¹ Ohio also lets these households qualify with countable monthly income up to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, well above the standard 130%.² They can also claim a medical expense deduction that other households cannot, which lowers countable income further.

Deductions That Can Bring You Under the Net Limit

A paycheck that looks too high at first glance often isn’t, once deductions are applied. Ohio uses several in a set order.

Standard deduction. Every household gets one based on size. For FY2026: $209 for households of 1 to 3, $223 for 4, $261 for 5, and $299 for 6 or more.³

Earned income deduction. Ohio subtracts 20% of gross earnings for anyone in the household who works. Someone earning $2,000 a month has $400 taken off before the net test.

Shelter costs. Rent or mortgage, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and utilities can be deducted when they exceed half of household income after the other deductions are applied. The excess shelter deduction is capped at $744 per month in FY2026, except for households that include an elderly or disabled member, where there is no cap.⁴ Ohio uses a Standard Utility Allowance in place of itemized utility bills. Homeless households get a standard shelter deduction of $198.99.¹

Medical expenses. Members who are 60 or older or disabled can deduct out-of-pocket medical costs above $35 per month. Qualifying items include prescription drugs, health and Medicare premiums, dental care, eyeglasses, hearing aids, service animal expenses, and transportation to appointments.⁵ Special diets do not count. Seniors on fixed incomes often skip this deduction and shouldn’t, because pharmacy and insurance costs can be enough on their own to pull net income under the threshold.

Asset Limits

Ohio has a resource limit of $3,000 for most households, or $4,500 if a member is 60 or older or disabled.¹ In practice, most Ohio households skip the asset test altogether through broad-based categorical eligibility, which waives the resource limit.⁶ The test mainly comes back into play for households where a member has been disqualified for an intentional program violation or failed to meet work requirements.

Even when the test applies, your primary home doesn’t count, vehicles are exempt under Ohio’s rules,⁷ and personal belongings, household goods, and income-producing property are excluded.⁸

How Benefits Are Calculated Once You Qualify

Benefit amounts depend on net income. Ohio multiplies your net income by 0.30 (the assumption that households spend 30% of income on food) and subtracts that figure from the maximum allotment for your household size. A household with zero net income gets the full maximum.

FY2026 maximum monthly allotments:³

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: $218

One- and two-person households that qualify but calculate to less than $24 still receive a $24 minimum benefit.

Income is one filter; work rules are another. Most adults must register for work, and able-bodied adults without dependents are limited to three months of benefits in any 36-month period unless they work or train at least 80 hours a month. Starting February 1, 2026, Ohio extended work requirements to adults aged 55 to 64, parents of children between 14 and 18, and several groups previously exempt including veterans, homeless individuals, and people aging out of foster care.⁹ Benefits can end on these grounds even when income still qualifies.

How to Apply in Ohio

You can apply online through the Ohio Benefits portal, or submit Form JFS 07200 (Request for Cash, Food, and Medical Assistance) to your county Department of Job and Family Services by mail, fax, or in person.¹⁰ Have identification, Social Security numbers for everyone in the household, 30 days of pay stubs or other income proof, rent or mortgage documentation, utility bills, and, for elderly or disabled members, medical receipts.

File the application even if you’re missing paperwork. The submission date is what Ohio uses to calculate when benefits start, so a delay in filing is a delay in money. Ohio must decide eligibility within 30 days. Households in severe financial distress (generally under $150 in monthly income and $100 or less in liquid assets) can receive expedited benefits within 7 days. If approved, your Ohio Direction Card arrives in the mail in 5 to 10 business days.

1
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Eligibility
2
Ohio.gov. SNAP – Ohio Benefits
3
USDA Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP FY 2026 COLA Memo
4
USDA Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Maximum Allotments and Deductions
5
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Administrative Code Rule 5101:4-4-23 – Deductions From Income
6
Food and Nutrition Service. Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility
7
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Administrative Code Rule 5101:4-4-03 – Food Assistance Exempt Resources
8
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Rule 5101:4-4-01 – Food Assistance Resource Standards
9
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. ODJFS Promotes Career Support for Ohioans as New SNAP Work Requirements Set to Take Effect in 2026
10
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. How To Apply