What Is the Poverty Line in Mississippi: 2026 Income Limits

In 2026, the poverty line in Mississippi is $15,960 a year for a single person and $33,000 for a family of four, using the federal poverty guidelines that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services publishes each January.¹ Mississippi applies the same guidelines as the other 47 contiguous states and the District of Columbia, and uses them to set eligibility for Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, TANF, energy assistance, and related programs.

2026 Poverty Guidelines by Household Size

HHS updates these figures every January using changes in the Consumer Price Index.² The 2026 annual amounts are:¹

1 person: $15,960
2 people: $21,640
3 people: $27,320
4 people: $33,000
5 people: $38,680
6 people: $44,360
7 people: $50,040
8 people: $55,720

For households larger than eight, add $5,680 for each additional person.¹

What the Poverty Line Actually Decides

These dollar amounts represent 100% of the federal poverty level, or FPL. Few benefit programs cut eligibility off right at 100%. Most use a multiplier such as 130%, 185%, or 200% of the guideline, which means a household earning well above the poverty line can still qualify for one or more programs. The sections below walk through the thresholds that matter most in Mississippi.

Medicaid and CHIP Income Limits in Mississippi

Mississippi Medicaid does not cover all low-income adults. Coverage is restricted to specific categories, and the income ceiling depends on which category you fall into. The Mississippi Division of Medicaid publishes updated income limits each March using Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) rules.³

Children and Pregnant Women

Infants under one qualify at up to 194% FPL. Children ages one through five qualify at 143% FPL, and children six through eighteen at 133% FPL. Pregnant women qualify at 194% FPL and keep coverage for twelve months after giving birth. For a family of four, the 194% threshold works out to a monthly income of $5,473.³

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) covers uninsured children up to age nineteen at up to 209% FPL, or $5,886 a month for a family of four. CHIP picks up where Medicaid stops, catching children whose families earn too much for Medicaid but lack private coverage.³

Adults

Adult coverage is much narrower. Parents and caretaker relatives of children under eighteen can qualify, but only at very low income, roughly $498 per month for a family of three. Adults who are aged, blind, or disabled and receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are automatically eligible. Working adults with disabilities can qualify up to 250% FPL, though a monthly premium applies above 150% FPL.⁴

Non-disabled adults without dependent children generally do not qualify for Mississippi Medicaid at all. Many Mississippians fall into this coverage gap: too much income for the parent/caretaker category, too little to afford a marketplace plan.

SNAP Income and Asset Limits

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program uses two income tests. Your household must pass both: a gross income limit at 130% FPL and a net income limit at 100% FPL. The monthly limits for fiscal year 2026 are:⁵

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

Mississippi still enforces the federal SNAP asset test. Countable resources such as cash and bank balances cannot exceed $3,000, or $4,500 if a household member is 60 or older or has a disability. Your home and most vehicles do not count.⁶ Many states have dropped this test; Mississippi has not, so a family that meets the income limits can still be denied over assets.

Net income is what remains after allowable deductions. SNAP’s standard deduction in FY 2026 is $209 a month for households of one to three, $223 for four, $261 for five, and $299 for six or more. Earned income, dependent care, medical expenses for elderly or disabled members, and excess shelter costs can bring the net figure down further.⁵ A household that looks over the gross limit may still qualify after the deductions are applied.

WIC Income Limits

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children sets its income ceiling at 185% FPL. From July 2025 through June 2026, a family of four can earn up to $59,478 a year and still qualify.⁷ Updated figures tied to the 2026 poverty guidelines generally take effect each July. Anyone already receiving SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF is automatically income-eligible for WIC.

TANF Cash Assistance

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families provides direct cash aid, and Mississippi sets some of the strictest income limits of any program. A family of three cannot have gross monthly income above about $1,074, which is roughly 47% of the federal poverty level. Applicants also need dependent children under eighteen in the home and must cooperate with child support enforcement.⁸

Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps households pay heating and cooling bills. Federal law lets states set the cutoff at the higher of 150% FPL or 60% of state median income.⁹ In Mississippi, 60% of state median income is higher, so those annual limits apply for fiscal year 2026:¹⁰

1 person: $26,740
2 people: $34,968
3 people: $43,196
4 people: $51,424
5 people: $59,651
6 people: $67,879

A family of four earning up to $51,424 can apply, which is well above the $33,000 poverty line.

Earned Income Tax Credit

The federal Earned Income Tax Credit is refundable, so you receive the money even if you owe no federal income tax. For tax year 2025, filed in the 2026 season, the maximum credit and single-filer income limits are:¹¹

No children: up to $649, income limit $19,104
1 child: up to $4,328, income limit $50,434
2 children: up to $7,152, income limit $57,310
3 or more children: up to $8,046, income limit $61,555

Married couples filing jointly have higher ceilings, reaching $68,675 with three or more children.¹¹ You need earned income from wages or self-employment, and investment income cannot exceed $11,950. Mississippi does not have its own state earned income credit, so the federal credit is the only version Mississippi residents can claim. If your income is low enough that you aren’t otherwise required to file a return, file anyway to collect the EITC.

If Your Application Is Denied

If an agency denies your application or cuts your benefits, you can request a fair hearing. For SNAP, federal rules give you 90 days from the date of the adverse action to file.¹² If you request the hearing before the effective date on the notice, your current benefits usually continue at the prior level until the hearing is decided.

Medicaid and the other programs follow similar fair hearing procedures, though deadlines and forms differ by agency. The denial notice itself explains how to appeal and how long you have to do it. Keep copies of every pay stub, bank statement, and bill you submit, because most disputes come down to how the agency calculated your income.

1
Health and Human Services Department. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines
2
GovInfo. 42 USC 9902 – Definitions
3
Mississippi Division of Medicaid. Income Limits for Medicaid and CHIP Programs
4
Mississippi Division of Medicaid. Who Qualifies for Coverage
5
USDA Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP FY 2026 COLA Memo
6
USDA Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Eligibility
7
Health and Human Services Department. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children WIC 2025-2026 Income Eligibility Guidelines
8
Mississippi Department of Human Services. TANF
9
The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Income Eligibility for States and Territories
10
The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Mississippi State Median Income for FFY 2026
11
Internal Revenue Service. Earned Income and Earned Income Tax Credit EITC Tables
12
eCFR. 7 CFR 273.15 – Fair Hearings