SC · benefits by state
South Carolina benefits: SNAP, Medicaid, ACA, WIC and Section 8
One of the 10 states that have not adopted the Medicaid expansion: a parent here loses coverage at roughly two-thirds of the poverty line.
Federal and South Carolina 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
- $2,960/mo
- 130% of poverty (BBCE)
- Medicaid, single adult
- not expanded
- no adult group
- Children, family of 3
- $4,849/mo
- 213% of poverty, Medicaid
- WIC limit, 3 people
- $50,542/yr
- 185% of poverty, to June 30, 2027
- Section 8 very low income, 4 people
- $37,300 to $58,750
- 46 counties or towns, FY 2026
South Carolina has not expanded Medicaid, so the line that matters most for working adults is the one for parents and caretaker relatives: 67% of the poverty guideline with the disregard, about $1,525 a month for a family of three in 2026, and nothing at all for adults without children at home. Children are covered far higher, up to 213% ($4,849 a month for three), and pregnant women up to 199%. SNAP is run by the South Carolina Department of Social Services with the federal 130% gross test and no asset limit, $2,960 a month for three in fiscal year 2027. A 62-year-old grandmother in Columbia raising two grandchildren on $1,400 of Social Security, with $750 in rent, would get about $617 a month in SNAP, and her income is low enough for Medicaid as their caretaker.
Household income in South Carolina
105% of poverty
$28,800 a year against the 2026 guideline of $27,320 for 3 people
- SNAP food benefitsFY 2027 amounts; $388 utility allowance usedLikely eligible$488/mo
- Medicaid for the parentsSouth Carolina: 67% of the poverty guidelineAbove the limitlimit $1,525/mo
- Medicaid or CHIP for the childrenChildren 6 to 18, 213% of the guidelineWithin the Medicaid limitlimit $4,849/mo
- Marketplace premium tax creditAmount depends on the benchmark premium where you liveIn the 100% to 400% window108% 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.
Who falls between Medicaid and the marketplace in South Carolina
In the CMS table of eligibility levels, South Carolina covers parents up to 62% of the poverty guideline, 67% once the 5% disregard is added, and lists no group for adults 19 to 64 without dependent children. CMS also notes a section 1115 demonstration that covers some additional low-income adults, with limits; the Department of Health and Human Services decides who fits it. Two consequences follow. A mother of two who earns more than $1,525 a month leaves Medicaid while her children stay. And a single adult earning $1,000 a month, $12,000 a year, is below the $15,650 floor of the premium tax credit on HealthCare.gov: no Medicaid, no subsidy. That is the coverage gap described in Medicaid expansion states. From $15,650 upward, the same adult can buy a subsidized plan.
Medicaid, tax credit or coverage gap?
Where this income lands
Coverage gap
| Income vs 2025 guideline (credit) | 77% |
| Income vs 2026 guideline (Medicaid) | 75% |
| Credit starts at | $15,650 |
Below 100% of poverty in a state without expansion, adults get neither Medicaid nor the credit, unless a parent, pregnancy or disability group applies.
A grandmother raising two grandchildren
Caretaker relatives count as parents for Medicaid, which helps the Columbia grandmother. Her $1,400 a month puts the household of three at 61% of poverty, under the $1,525 line, so she qualifies, and the grandchildren qualify easily. Social Security counts as income under MAGI rules for her.
For SNAP her age matters. At 62 she is treated as an elderly member, so the household skips the gross income test, the $769 cap on the shelter deduction no longer applies, and medical bills above $35 a month would be deductible too. Rent plus South Carolina's heating and cooling allowance of $388 makes $1,138; after the standard deduction of $217, the shelter deduction is $547 and net income $637, below the $2,277 net limit. The estimate: $617 of the $808 maximum for three. South Carolina's allowance is among the lower ones in the USDA table, which trims the deduction for households that pay their own power bill. The SNAP calculator handles other cases.
Charleston's limits and the rest of the state
HUD splits South Carolina's 46 counties into 38 areas. The very low income limit for four is highest in the Charleston metro area, $58,750 in both Charleston County and Berkeley County. Greenville County follows at $53,150, Richland County (Columbia) at $46,200 and Horry County, around Myrtle Beach, at $43,000. Abbeville County has the lowest limit, $37,300.
North Carolina expanded Medicaid and tests SNAP at 200%; Georgia shares South Carolina's 130% SNAP line and has not expanded either.
SNAP rules in South Carolina, FY 2027
Run by the South Carolina Department of Social Services · apply online. All households: gross income up to 130% of the poverty guideline, no asset limit.
| Household | Gross income limit | Net income limit | Maximum benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,729 | $1,330 | $306 |
| 2 | $2,345 | $1,804 | $562 |
| 3 | $2,960 | $2,277 | $808 |
| 4 | $3,575 | $2,750 | $1,023 |
| 5 | $4,191 | $3,224 | $1,217 |
| 6 | $4,806 | $3,697 | $1,463 |
| 7 | $5,421 | $4,170 | $1,616 |
| 8 | $6,037 | $4,644 | $1,841 |
| Allowance area | Heating or cooling (HCSUA) | Other utilities (LUA) | Telephone |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $388 | $265 | $27 |
Medicaid and CHIP income limits in South Carolina
South Carolina has not adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion. CMS note 9: section 1115 demonstration covering some additional low-income adults, with limits. Agency: South Carolina Department of 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 | not covered | – | – | – | – |
| Parents and caretakers | 67% | Medicaid | $1,208 | $1,525 | $1,842 |
| Pregnant women | 199% | Medicaid | $3,588 | $4,530 | $5,472 |
| Babies under 1 | 213% | Medicaid | $3,841 | $4,849 | $5,857 |
| Children 1 to 5 | 213% | Medicaid | $3,841 | $4,849 | $5,857 |
| Children 6 to 18 | 213% | Medicaid | $3,841 | $4,849 | $5,857 |
Section 8 income limits by county in South Carolina
HUD sets the limits for each of the 46 counties or towns of South Carolina (38 HUD areas). For a family of four, the very low income limit that opens a Housing Choice Voucher ranges from $37,300 (Abbeville County) to $58,750 (Berkeley County).
Abbeville County, SC: FY 2026 income limits
Within the voucher limit
Very low income limit for 3: $33,600 a year
| Extremely low income (ELI), 3 people | $27,320 |
| Very low income (50%), the voucher limit | $33,600 |
| Low income (80%) | $53,750 |
| 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.