SNAP Benefit Amounts FY2027: Maximum by Household Size
Short answer
For the 48 contiguous states and DC, the FY2027 maximum is $306 for one person.
A household of four can get up to $1,023 a month at most.
A household of eight can get up to $1,841 a month at most.
These maximums run from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Most households get less than the maximum, because income counts too.
Maximum SNAP benefit amounts, FY2027
This table covers the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia.
Alaska and Hawaii have their own, higher tables, shown further down.
| Household size | Maximum monthly SNAP benefit, FY2027 |
|---|---|
| 1 | $306 |
| 2 | $562 |
| 3 | $808 |
| 4 | $1,023 |
| 5 | $1,217 |
| 6 | $1,463 |
| 7 | $1,616 |
| 8 | $1,841 |
| 9 to 17 | Add $225 for each additional person |
| 18 or more | $3,887 flat maximum |
| Minimum benefit, household of 1 or 2 | $25 |
Source & Last Checked
Last checked: October 24, 2026 against USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP Cost-of-Living Adjustment information, FY2027.
These figures apply from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What “maximum” really means
The maximum is a ceiling. It is not a promise, and it is not what everyone gets.
It is the highest monthly amount a household of that size can receive.
Your state agency works out your exact amount for your household.
It uses your household’s net income and the maximum for your size.
That is why two households of four can receive very different amounts.
One household of four, with little or no countable income, may reach $1,023.
Another household of four, with more income, will receive less than that.
Neither result means a mistake has been made by the agency.
The table simply shows the top of the scale for each size.
If your amount seems wrong, compare the notice from your state agency first.
The notice should show the household size and income the agency used.
If either one is wrong, tell the agency, because both change the amount.
How to read the table on your phone
Find your household size in the left-hand column first.
Then read across to see the highest amount for that size.
Do not use the row for a smaller or larger household.
A one-row mistake can change the figure by hundreds of dollars.
For example, the jump from three people to four is $215.
That is the difference between $808 and $1,023 a month.
If your household size changed recently, your row may have changed too.
Births, someone moving in, and someone moving out can all change it.
Tell your state agency about household changes through its official channels.
Only your agency can confirm which row applies to your case.
Households larger than eight
The table does not stop at eight people, but the rule changes.
For household sizes nine through seventeen, add $225 per additional person.
So a household of nine has a maximum of $2,066 a month.
That figure is $1,841 for eight, plus one extra $225.
A household of ten has a maximum of $2,291 a month.
That figure is $1,841 for eight, plus two lots of $225.
This add-on only runs from nine through seventeen people.
At eighteen or more people, the maximum stops rising altogether.
For those households, the flat maximum is $3,887 a month.
Do not keep adding $225 past seventeen people when you estimate.
That is one of the easiest mistakes to make with this table.
The minimum benefit
There is also a minimum monthly benefit, but only for small households.
It applies to households of one or two people only.
For FY2027, that minimum is $25 a month in the mainland table.
It was $24 a month in FY2026, so it rose by $1.
Households of three or more do not have this same minimum.
If a larger household qualifies for only a very small amount, ask the agency.
The agency notice is the record that explains your own figure.
Never assume the $25 minimum applies to every household size.
Amounts in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands
SNAP maximums are higher in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands.
The table below shows the four-person maximum for each place.
Use it to compare places, not to estimate other household sizes.
| Place, household of 4 | Maximum monthly SNAP benefit, FY2027 |
|---|---|
| Alaska, Urban | $1,306 |
| Alaska, Rural 1 | $1,666 |
| Alaska, Rural 2 | $2,027 |
| Hawaii | $1,655 |
| Guam | $1,507 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | $1,315 |
| 48 states and DC, for comparison | $1,023 |
Alaska is not one single amount, and it never should be quoted as one.
Where you live in Alaska changes the maximum a great deal.
For four people, the gap between Urban and Rural 2 is $721.
Always name the Alaska area when you use an Alaska figure.
Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands each have one table per place.
Their full tables cover every household size, just like the mainland table.
This page only prints their four-person figure, to keep things clear.
For another size in those places, check the USDA table for that place.
Do not guess a figure by scaling the four-person amount up or down.
What changed from FY2026
Most mainland maximums rose on October 1, 2026, the FY2027 start date.
The table below compares the two years, size by size.
| Household size | FY2026 maximum | FY2027 maximum | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $298 | $306 | +$8 |
| 2 | $546 | $562 | +$16 |
| 3 | $785 | $808 | +$23 |
| 4 | $994 | $1,023 | +$29 |
| 5 | $1,183 | $1,217 | +$34 |
| 6 | $1,421 | $1,463 | +$42 |
| 7 | $1,571 | $1,616 | +$45 |
| 8 | $1,789 | $1,841 | +$52 |
| Each additional person, 9 to 17 | +$218 | +$225 | +$7 |
| Minimum benefit, household of 1 or 2 | $24 | $25 | +$1 |
The largest dollar rise went to the largest households in the table.
A household of eight gained $52 at the maximum, for example.
A household of one gained $8 at the maximum.
Remember, these are changes to the maximum, not to your payment.
Your own payment only changes if your own calculation changes.
There is also one brand new line in the FY2027 table.
Households of eighteen or more now have a flat $3,887 maximum.
The FY2026 mainland table had no such flat cap row.
Hawaii went down, not up
Hawaii is the honest exception to the rises described above.
Its four-person maximum fell from $1,689 to $1,655 for FY2027.
That is a drop of $34 a month at the maximum.
Hawaii’s minimum benefit also fell, from $41 to $40 a month.
So never assume every place received an increase this year.
If you live in Hawaii, use the FY2027 Hawaii figure, not last year’s.
Alaska, Guam and the Virgin Islands did rise at the maximum.
But each place has its own table, so check yours directly.
Common mistakes with these figures
Mistake one: treating the maximum as your expected payment.
The maximum is the ceiling for a household with the lowest countable income.
Most households receive less, sometimes much less, than the ceiling.
Mistake two: using the mainland table in Alaska or Hawaii.
Alaska and Hawaii have separate tables, with higher amounts.
The mainland figures on this page do not apply in either state.
Mistake three: quoting one Alaska amount for the whole state.
Alaska has Urban, Rural 1 and Rural 2 maximums, all different.
Always say which area a figure belongs to before using it.
Mistake four: adding $225 for every person past eight.
The $225 add-on applies only from nine through seventeen people.
At eighteen or more, the flat $3,887 maximum takes over instead.
Mistake five: using last year’s figures after October 1.
FY2026 figures ended on September 30, 2026, for these tables.
From October 1, 2026, the FY2027 figures on this page apply.
Mistake six: expecting the $25 minimum at every size.
The minimum benefit is only for households of one or two.
It does not set a floor for households of three or more.
Work out your next step
Knowing the maximum helps, but it is only half the picture.
The other half is whether your income is within the limits.
Read our guide to SNAP income limits next.
It shows the gross and net limits for each household size.
Then use the SNAP calculator for a personal estimate.
The calculator is an estimate only, and it stores no personal data.
Finally, check when money actually lands, not just how much.
See the Payment Dates guides for schedules.
Payment dates work differently from amounts, and each state sets its schedule.
Your state agency remains the final word on your own payment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum SNAP benefit for a family of four in FY2027?
In the 48 states and DC, the maximum is $1,023 a month.
That applies from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands have higher four-person maximums.
How much can one person get at most?
One person can get up to $306 a month in the mainland table.
That is the FY2027 maximum for a household of one.
Many single people get less, because their income is counted.
Did SNAP amounts go up in October 2026?
Mainland maximums rose for every household size from one to eight.
For example, the four-person maximum rose from $994 to $1,023.
Hawaii went the other way, falling from $1,689 to $1,655 for four.
What is the most a very large household can get?
For nine to seventeen people, add $225 for each extra person.
At eighteen or more, the flat maximum is $3,887 a month.
That flat cap is new in the FY2027 mainland table.
Is there a minimum SNAP benefit?
Yes, for households of one or two people, in the mainland table.
The FY2027 minimum is $25 a month, up from $24.
There is no matching minimum shown for larger household sizes.
Why is my benefit lower than the maximum shown here?
The maximum is only reached at the lowest countable income levels.
Your agency works out your amount from your household’s net income.
It also uses the maximum for your household size in that calculation.
If the size or income on your notice looks wrong, contact the agency.
Unofficial Disclaimer
Benefit Calendar USA is an unofficial help site.
We are not affiliated with USDA, SNAP or any state agency.
Figures here are general information, checked against official sources.
Always confirm your own amount with your official state agency.