WIC income guidelines 2026–2027 by household size
WIC gives pregnant and new parents, babies and children under 5 healthy food, nutrition help and breastfeeding support. Here are USDA's income limits for every household size and pay period, and how to apply in your state.
Limits in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 · Checked October 2026
Short answer
Check your household
The checker counts your unborn baby and compares your income with WIC and your state's pregnancy Medicaid limit.
Open the benefits checkerWIC income limits by household size
USDA's income eligibility guidelines for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Use the column that matches how often you're paid. Phones show annual and monthly; wider screens show every pay period.
| Household | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $29,526 | $2,461 |
| 2 | $40,034 | $3,337 |
| 3 | $50,542 | $4,212 |
| 4 | $61,050 | $5,088 |
| 5 | $71,558 | $5,964 |
| 6 | $82,066 | $6,839 |
| 7 | $92,574 | $7,715 |
| 8 | $103,082 | $8,591 |
| Each extra person | +$10,508 | +$876 |
| Household | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $36,908 | $3,076 |
| 2 | $50,043 | $4,171 |
| 3 | $63,178 | $5,265 |
| 4 | $76,313 | $6,360 |
| 5 | $89,448 | $7,454 |
| 6 | $102,583 | $8,549 |
| 7 | $115,718 | $9,644 |
| 8 | $128,853 | $10,738 |
| Each extra person | +$13,135 | +$1,095 |
| Household | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $33,966 | $2,831 |
| 2 | $46,047 | $3,838 |
| 3 | $58,127 | $4,844 |
| 4 | $70,208 | $5,851 |
| 5 | $82,288 | $6,858 |
| 6 | $94,369 | $7,865 |
| 7 | $106,449 | $8,871 |
| 8 | $118,530 | $9,878 |
| Each extra person | +$12,081 | +$1,007 |
185% of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines, rounded up to the next dollar. State agencies may set lower limits, but not above these or below 100% of the guidelines. For a household larger than 8, add the "each extra person" amount for each additional member.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register). Data as of October 2026.
Who can get WIC
You need to meet the income rule, live in the state where you apply, and be in one of these groups.
| Who | How long |
|---|---|
| Pregnant | Through the pregnancy |
| Postpartum, not breastfeeding | Up to 6 months after the pregnancy ends |
| Breastfeeding | Up to the baby's first birthday |
| Infants | Birth to first birthday |
| Children | Up to their fifth birthday |
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration
Healthy foods on an eWIC card (fruits and vegetables, baby food, milk, eggs, beans, cheese and more), nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health care and community services, at no cost. Many WIC clinics offer breastfeeding peer counselors, and some WIC clinics provide or rent breast pumps to participants who cannot get one through insurance or Medicaid.
Sources: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration; USDA WIC Breastfeeding Support
Does your unborn baby count in your household size?
If someone in your household is pregnant, you may increase your household size by one for each expected birth.
Do Medicaid, SNAP or TANF count toward the income rule?
If you or the children in your care get Medicaid, SNAP or TANF, you may already meet WIC's income rule and do not need to show income under the limit.
How to apply for WIC
Contact a WIC agency where you live to start, by phone or online. The agency schedules an in-person or virtual appointment to finish the application and nutrition check.
Find your state's WIC agency
Every state runs WIC through its own agency. Your state's phone line and online form are in the table.Call, or start the online form
27 states, counting DC, take an online form to start. Staff then contact you.Go to your WIC appointment
In person or virtual. WIC staff finish your application and do a free health and nutrition check.
Check means we couldn't confirm whether the state takes an online form; call the number listed. Phone numbers come from each state's WIC page, or USDA's state agency list where the state page shows none.
Sources: State WIC agency websites; USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Data as of October 2026.
Questions about WIC
What is the WIC income limit for 2026?
From July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, a household meets WIC's income rule with gross income at or below 185% of the poverty guidelines: $29,526 a year for one person, $40,034 for two, $50,542 for three and $61,050 for four in the 48 contiguous states, DC and the territories. Alaska ($50,043 for two) and Hawaii ($46,047 for two) have their own, higher limits.
Does WIC count an unborn baby in household size?
If someone in your household is pregnant, you may increase your household size by one for each expected birth.
Can I get WIC if I'm on Medicaid, SNAP or TANF?
If you or the children in your care get Medicaid, SNAP or TANF, you may already meet WIC's income rule and do not need to show income under the limit.
Who can get WIC?
Women who are pregnant, postpartum (up to 6 months after the end of a pregnancy) or breastfeeding (up to the infant's first birthday), infants, and children up to their fifth birthday. You apply through a WIC agency where you live, and every applicant gets a free health and nutrition check from WIC staff.
What does WIC give you?
Healthy foods on an eWIC card (fruits and vegetables, baby food, milk, eggs, beans, cheese and more), nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health care and community services, at no cost. Many WIC clinics offer breastfeeding peer counselors, and some WIC clinics provide or rent breast pumps to participants who cannot get one through insurance or Medicaid.
Can I apply for WIC online?
In 27 states, counting DC, the state WIC site has an online application, pre-application or interest form to start; you still finish at a WIC appointment. 16 say to apply by phone or in person, and we couldn't confirm 8. Contact a WIC agency where you live to start, by phone or online. The agency schedules an in-person or virtual appointment to finish the application and nutrition check.
Guides for pregnancy and feeding
How to get a breast pump through insurance (free) in 2026Most health plans must cover a breast pump with no copay. How to order one through insurance in 2026, which pumps are covered, and when you pay extra.
When to see a lactation consultantSee a lactation consultant if feeding hurts, your baby isn't latching or gaining, supply is a worry, or you'll pump at work. What to expect and how to pay.
How much does it cost to have a baby in 2026?With employer insurance, having a baby adds about $20,400 in health costs, and families pay $2,743 of it. See vaginal vs C-section costs and how to pay less.How we built this
Income limits are USDA's WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (Federal Register, April 29, 2026): 185% of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines, rounded up to the next dollar, with separate tables for Alaska and Hawaii. State agencies may set lower limits, but not above these or below 100% FPL. State records start from USDA's WIC state agency contact list (fna.usda.gov/wic/apply) and were checked against each state's WIC website on October 9, 2026.
A state is listed as offering an online application when its WIC site has an online application, pre-application, interest, referral or appointment-request form to start enrollment (you still complete a WIC appointment). It is listed as not offering one when the state says to apply by phone or in person, and left blank when we could not confirm. Phone numbers come from the state WIC page where it lists one, otherwise from USDA's state agency list.
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service web pages now appear under the Food and Nutrition Administration name (fna.usda.gov).
51
state WIC agencies, counting DC
Checked October 2026
27
states with an online form to start
State WIC sites, October 2026
185%
of the poverty guidelines is WIC's income limit
USDA, Federal Register
133
sources, including each state's WIC page
Linked on each state page
Sources
- 1.WIC: 2026/2027 Income Eligibility Guidelines (91 FR 23050, Apr. 29, 2026) USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register). Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 2.WIC Eligibility USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 3.WIC Benefits USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 4.How to Apply for WIC (state agency contacts) USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 5.Get Support from WIC (peer counselors) USDA WIC Breastfeeding Support. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 6.Finding a Breast Pump USDA WIC Breastfeeding Support. Accessed October 9, 2026.