ND · benefits by state
North Dakota benefits: SNAP, Medicaid, ACA, WIC and Section 8
A generous SNAP income line, one Medicaid limit for children of every age since the 2026 manual, and housing limits pushed up by the western oil counties.
Federal and North Dakota figures read on official sources on · Checked by Radif Partners · How we calculate
- SNAP maximum, 4 people
- $1,023
- FY 2027, from October 1, 2026
- SNAP gross income limit, 3 people
- $4,554/mo
- 200% of poverty (BBCE)
- Medicaid, single adult
- $1,835/mo
- 138% of poverty
- Children, family of 3
- $4,667/mo
- 205% of poverty, Medicaid
- WIC limit, 3 people
- $50,542/yr
- 185% of poverty, to June 30, 2027
- Section 8 very low income, 4 people
- $53,550 to $65,400
- 53 counties or towns, FY 2026
North Dakota lets households earn up to 200% of the poverty guideline before SNAP stops, $3,607 a month for two people and $5,500 for four in fiscal year 2027, with no asset limit. North Dakota Health and Human Services runs the program and gives anyone paying for heat a utility allowance of $772. A retired couple in Bismarck living on $2,100 of Social Security, renting for $900 and paying $150 a month in medical bills would get about $268; without the medical costs the figure falls to $216. Medicaid follows the ACA expansion: adults qualify up to 138% of poverty, $1,835 a month alone, while children of every age and pregnant women share a single line of 205%, $4,667 a month for a family of three.
Household income in North Dakota
105% of poverty
$28,800 a year against the 2026 guideline of $27,320 for 3 people
- SNAP food benefitsFY 2027 amounts; $772 utility allowance usedLikely eligible$527/mo
- Medicaid for the parentsNorth Dakota: 138% of the poverty guidelineWithin the limitlimit $3,141/mo
- Medicaid or CHIP for the childrenChildren 6 to 18, 205% of the guidelineWithin the Medicaid limitlimit $4,667/mo
- Marketplace premium tax creditAmount depends on the benchmark premium where you liveMedicaid comes first108% of 2025 FPL
- Earned income tax credit (2026)2 qualifying children, single or head of householdCredit at tax time$6,282/yr
- WIC (pregnancy or a child under 5)Nutrition risk is assessed at the WIC clinicWithin 185% of povertylimit $50,542/yr
- Section 8 housing voucherLimits are set by county: check yours in the Section 8 lookup.
A first screening under each program's published 2026 rules; every agency counts income and household its own way and decides on your application. How this is calculated.
Medical bills turn into food money for older North Dakotans
SNAP treats a household with someone aged 60 or more, or disabled, differently from everyone else, and the Bismarck couple shows how much that is worth. Their $2,100 of Social Security is well under the 200% line, but what decides the amount is the list of deductions. Out-of-pocket medical spending above $35 a month is deductible for them ($115 of their $150), and their shelter deduction is not capped at $769: it reaches $788 once the $772 heating allowance is added to the rent. Net income ends at $980, far below the $1,804 net limit, and the estimate is $268 a month out of a maximum of $562. Leave the medical bills out and it is $216. Pharmacy co-pays, Medicare premiums, dental work and mileage to appointments all count, so keeping receipts pays off. The rules are in SNAP for seniors.
The allowance itself depends on the bills: $772 with a heating or cooling cost, $286 for a household that pays only other utilities, according to the USDA allowance table. In a state with long winters, most renters who pay for heat directly claim the larger figure.
SNAP for a person 60 or older living alone
Estimated SNAP, FY 2027
$306 a month
| Medical deduction | $65 |
| Shelter deduction (no cap) | $1,113 |
| Net income | $0 (limit $1,330) |
One Medicaid line for children of every age
Many states use a ladder: a high line for babies, a lower one for school-age kids, CHIP on top. North Dakota uses one line for babies under one and children 1 to 18: its Medicaid manual release effective April 1, 2026 sets it at 200% plus the 5% disregard, 205% (North Dakota Medicaid manual). For a family of three that is $4,667 a month whatever the children's ages. Pregnancy keeps its own line, 175%, or $3,155 a month for a woman counted as two. Parents and other adults fall under the expansion group: $2,488 a month for a couple without children. Above that, adults shop on HealthCare.gov, where the 2026 premium tax credit starts at $15,650 a year for one person and ends at 400% of the 2025 guideline.
Oil country sets the housing ceiling
North Dakota has 53 counties in the HUD file, 51 of them treated as separate areas. The highest very low income limit for four, $65,400, belongs to Dunn County in the western oil region; Barnes County has the lowest at $53,550. The cities sit close together: $57,600 in Cass County (Fargo), $56,500 in Burleigh County (Bismarck) and $55,600 in Williams County (Williston). Each housing authority keeps its own waiting list.
Across the borders, South Dakota still applies the federal SNAP asset test, Minnesota adds a Basic Health Program above Medicaid, and Montana uses the same 200% SNAP line.
SNAP rules in North Dakota, FY 2027
Run by the North Dakota Health and Human Services · apply online. All households: gross income up to 200% of the poverty guideline, no asset limit.
| Household | Gross income limit | Net income limit | Maximum benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,660 | $1,330 | $306 |
| 2 | $3,607 | $1,804 | $562 |
| 3 | $4,554 | $2,277 | $808 |
| 4 | $5,500 | $2,750 | $1,023 |
| 5 | $6,447 | $3,224 | $1,217 |
| 6 | $7,394 | $3,697 | $1,463 |
| 7 | $8,340 | $4,170 | $1,616 |
| 8 | $9,287 | $4,644 | $1,841 |
| Allowance area | Heating or cooling (HCSUA) | Other utilities (LUA) | Telephone |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $772 | $286 | $35 |
Medicaid and CHIP income limits in North Dakota
North Dakota covers adults up to 138% of the poverty guideline under the ACA expansion. North Dakota now covers uninsured children through the Medicaid CHIP group (optional targeted low-income children) up to 200% of FPL (205% with the 5% disregard), above the 170% in the CMS table; pregnant women (170%) and expansion adults (133%) are unchanged. Agency: North Dakota Health and Human Services · apply. Marketplace for 2026: HealthCare.gov.
| Group | Limit (% of poverty) | Program | 1 or 2 people | 3 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adults 19 to 64 without children | 138% | Medicaid (adult group) | $1,835 | $3,141 | $3,795 |
| Parents and caretakers | 138% | Medicaid (adult group) | $2,488 | $3,141 | $3,795 |
| Pregnant women | 175% | Medicaid | $3,155 | $3,984 | $4,812 |
| Babies under 1 | 205% | Medicaid | $3,696 | $4,667 | $5,637 |
| Children 1 to 5 | 205% | Medicaid | $3,696 | $4,667 | $5,637 |
| Children 6 to 18 | 205% | Medicaid | $3,696 | $4,667 | $5,637 |
Section 8 income limits by county in North Dakota
HUD sets the limits for each of the 53 counties or towns of North Dakota (51 HUD areas). For a family of four, the very low income limit that opens a Housing Choice Voucher ranges from $53,550 (Barnes County) to $65,400 (Dunn County).
Adams County, ND: FY 2026 income limits
Within the voucher limit
Very low income limit for 3: $48,400 a year
| Extremely low income (ELI), 3 people | $29,050 |
| Very low income (50%), the voucher limit | $48,400 |
| Low income (80%) | $77,400 |
| Your band | Very low income (50%) |
| Adjusted income after HUD deductions | $29,500 a year |
| Estimated tenant payment (30% of adjusted income) | $738 a month |
HUD FY 2026 limits (effective May 1, 2026) and 2026 deductions ($500 per dependent, $550 for an elderly or disabled family). The housing authority decides, and most have waiting lists. How this is calculated.