WA · benefits by state
Washington benefits: SNAP, Medicaid, ACA, WIC and Section 8
Washington names SNAP Basic Food and Medicaid Apple Health, and its children's coverage reaches more than three times the poverty line.
Federal and Washington 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
- $7,217/mo
- 317% of poverty, CHIP
- WIC limit, 3 people
- $50,542/yr
- 185% of poverty, to June 30, 2027
- Section 8 very low income, 4 people
- $47,900 to $82,200
- 39 counties or towns, FY 2026
Washington's SNAP program is called Basic Food and is run by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. It tests gross income at 200% of the poverty guideline, $4,554 a month for three people in fiscal year 2027, with no asset test, and uses a heating and cooling allowance of $515. In Spokane, a family of three living on one paycheck of $3,100, with $1,400 of rent and $400 of daycare, would receive about $479 a month; without the daycare deduction the figure would be $359. Medicaid goes by Apple Health: adults qualify up to 138% of poverty, pregnant women up to 215% and children up to 317%, about $8,717 a month for a family of four. Above Medicaid, Washington Healthplanfinder sells 2026 plans with federal premium tax credits.
Household income in Washington
105% of poverty
$28,800 a year against the 2026 guideline of $27,320 for 3 people
- SNAP (Basic Food)FY 2027 amounts; $515 utility allowance usedLikely eligible$526/mo
- Medicaid for the parentsWashington: 138% of the poverty guidelineWithin the limitlimit $3,141/mo
- Medicaid or CHIP for the childrenChildren 6 to 18, 317% of the guidelineWithin the CHIP limitlimit $7,217/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.
Child care is a full deduction in Basic Food
Dependent care that lets a parent work, look for work or attend training comes off income dollar for dollar, with no cap, before the shelter deduction is computed (7 CFR 273.9). That double effect is easy to miss. For the Spokane family, $400 of daycare lowers adjusted income from $2,263 to $1,863; because half of a smaller income is subtracted from shelter costs, the shelter deduction grows from $769 to $769. Net income ends at $1,094 instead of $1,494, and the benefit rises by $120 a month. Keep receipts or a statement from the provider: the agency asks for them.
Apple Health lines for each age
CMS lists Washington children in Medicaid up to 210% of the poverty guideline at every age and in a separate CHIP up to 312%, which is 317% with the disregard. For a family of four, that means the children keep Apple Health up to about $8,717 a month of household income. Pregnant women qualify up to $3,877 a month for a household of two, and adults 19 to 64 up to $1,835 for one person, under the ACA expansion. Washington runs its own marketplace, Washington Healthplanfinder, where people above those lines buy coverage; the ACA subsidy calculator applies the 2026 federal table.
317% of the 2026 poverty guideline for your household
317% of poverty, per year
$86,604
| Per month | $7,217 |
| Per week | $1,665 |
| 100% guideline (2026) | $27,320 |
Seattle and the rest of the state
HUD's FY 2026 file gives King County, which includes Seattle, a very low income limit of $82,200 for a family of four, the same as Snohomish County. Spokane County is at $55,250, Yakima County at $48,500, and the lowest county in the state at $47,900. A Seattle family of four earning $75,000 a year is still very low income by HUD's standard and can join a voucher waiting list; the same income would be above the limit in Spokane. The lookup below covers all 39 counties.
For comparison, Oregon uses the same 200% SNAP test, and Idaho keeps an asset limit under its broad-based rule. SNAP deductions explains each line of the Basic Food budget.
Basic Food (SNAP) rules in Washington, FY 2027
Run by the Washington State Department of Social and Health 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $515 | $406 | $58 |
Apple Health (Medicaid) and CHIP income limits in Washington
Washington covers adults up to 138% of the poverty guideline under the ACA expansion. Apple Health now covers pregnant individuals up to 210% of FPL (215% with the 5% disregard), up from 193%; the HCA standards show the new level from the January 1, 2025 edition, while children (210%), CHIP (312%) and adults (133%) are unchanged. Agency: Washington State Health Care Authority · apply. Marketplace for 2026: Washington Healthplanfinder.
| 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 | 215% | Medicaid | $3,877 | $4,894 | $5,912 |
| Babies under 1 | 317% | CHIP | $5,716 | $7,217 | $8,717 |
| Children 1 to 5 | 317% | CHIP | $5,716 | $7,217 | $8,717 |
| Children 6 to 18 | 317% | CHIP | $5,716 | $7,217 | $8,717 |
Section 8 income limits by county in Washington
HUD sets the limits for each of the 39 counties or towns of Washington (35 HUD areas). For a family of four, the very low income limit that opens a Housing Choice Voucher ranges from $47,900 (Asotin County) to $82,200 (King County).
Adams County, WA: FY 2026 income limits
Within the voucher limit
Very low income limit for 3: $43,650 a year
| Extremely low income (ELI), 3 people | $27,320 |
| Very low income (50%), the voucher limit | $43,650 |
| Low income (80%) | $69,850 |
| 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.