SNAP Benefits by State 2026-27: Averages, Max + EBT Cards

SNAP benefits vary in three important ways from state to state. The first is the maximum allotment, fixed at $808 for a family of three in the 48 contiguous states and DC.

The second is the average benefit per person, which swings from $159 in Minnesota to $355 in Hawaii in FY 2025 data. The third is the name of the EBT card (Bridge in Michigan, Lone Star in Texas, Golden State Advantage in California, Quest in Colorado).

This guide compiles all three. Maximum benefits are for federal fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027), checked against the USDA’s FY2027 cost-of-living memo on October 9, 2026. Average benefits come from CBPP and KFF, the most recent figures available.

SNAP runs in all 50 states, DC, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands, and benefits issued from October 2026 on use the FY2027 amounts below.

How we compiled this: Maximum allotments, minimum benefits, deductions, and asset limits come from the USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (formerly the Food and Nutrition Service) FY2027 cost-of-living memo dated August 21, 2026, checked on October 9, 2026.

National averages are CBPP’s FY2027 estimates (Quick Guide, updated October 6, 2026). State per-person averages are KFF State Health Facts data for FY 2025, rechecked October 9, 2026. We also reflect the July 2025 reconciliation law’s SNAP changes.

What is SNAP?

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is the federal food-purchasing benefit funded by the US Department of Agriculture and administered by state human services agencies.

Benefits load monthly to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which works like a debit card at authorized grocery stores, farmers markets, and some restaurants in participating states. It was called the Food Stamp Program before 2008.

Key facts at a glance

• Max benefit for a family of three (48 states + DC): $808/month for FY2027 (USDA, effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027)
• Highest max allotment nationally: $1,602/month for a family of three in Alaska Rural 2 (USDA, FY2027)
• National average benefit per person: about $192/month, or $6.30/day (CBPP FY2027 estimate, October 2026)
• 48-state minimum benefit for 1-2 person households: $25/month in FY2027, up from $24 (USDA)
• Asset limit: $3,000 general; $4,750 if a household member is 60+ or has a disability (USDA, FY2027)
• Income tests: Gross monthly income at or below 130% FPL; net at or below 100% FPL (USDA)
• Program changes from July 2025 megabill: Three-month time limit expanded to broader group, some lawful immigrants cut, standard utility allowance auto-qualification restricted to elderly/disabled households (CBPP)

What is the maximum SNAP benefit for 2026-27?

In FY2027, the maximum monthly SNAP benefit in the 48 contiguous states and DC is $306 for one person, $562 for two, $808 for three, and $1,023 for four, per the USDA’s SNAP FY2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027). Each additional household member adds $225 to the cap.

These are ceilings, not typical checks. A household receives the maximum only if it has zero net income after standard SNAP deductions. CBPP estimates the average FY2027 benefit for a family of three at about $600, against the $808 maximum. To estimate your own amount, use our SNAP benefit calculator.

For larger families, the max keeps growing: $1,217 for five people, $1,463 for six, $1,616 for seven, and $1,841 for eight, plus $225 for each additional member (USDA, FY2027 COLA). A household of ten would top out at $2,291.

Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin Islands use different, higher caps because the Thrifty Food Plan (the USDA market basket that drives SNAP benefit calculations) costs more in those locations.

What is the SNAP minimum benefit?

The 48-state minimum benefit for one and two-person households is $25 per month in FY2027, up from $24 in FY2026, per the USDA COLA memo.

Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin Islands have higher minimums because their maximum allotments are higher: $31 to $49 across the Alaska tiers, $40 in Hawaii, $36 in Guam, and $32 in the Virgin Islands.

Households of three or more do not have a fixed minimum; their benefit is calculated using the 30% net-income rule described later in this guide.

How much does SNAP pay in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin Islands?

For FY2027, a family of three in Alaska can receive up to $1,032 (Urban), $1,316 (Rural 1), or $1,602 (Rural 2), per the USDA COLA memo. Hawaii pays $1,307, Guam pays $1,191, and the Virgin Islands pays $1,039. All of these amounts exceed the $808 cap that applies across the 48 contiguous states and DC.

Why are SNAP maximums higher outside the 48 contiguous states?

Alaska Rural 2, which covers the most remote parts of the state, is the highest-benefit tier in the country: nearly 2x the 48-state maximum ($1,602 versus $808 for a family of three in FY2027). The reason comes down to grocery-cost math.

SNAP maximums are pegged to the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan. Federal rules set the Rural 2 food plan 56.42% above the Anchorage plan (7 CFR 272.7), so the Rural 2 maximum for three ($1,602) is nearly double the 48-state maximum ($808).

Hawaii’s maximums went down for FY2027. Its family-of-three cap ($1,307) is the highest outside Alaska and now sits just below Alaska Rural 1 ($1,316). The additional shipping and import costs for fresh produce, meat, and dairy push the Thrifty Food Plan cost far above mainland levels.

Guam ($1,191) and the Virgin Islands ($1,039) sit in the middle, still above the 48-state amount but below the Alaska Rural tiers. The Virgin Islands cap is slightly higher than Alaska Urban ($1,032) this year (USDA, FY2027 COLA).

What are the Alaska SNAP tiers?

Alaska splits into three SNAP zones for benefit calculation: Urban (including the Anchorage, Fairbanks North Star, and Juneau boroughs), Rural 1, and Rural 2 (including the North Slope Borough and the Nome and Bethel census areas). Federal rules list each zone’s places (7 CFR 272.7).

A one-person household’s maximum ranges from $392 (Urban) to $608 (Rural 2) in FY2027, per USDA. Your tier depends on where in Alaska you live.

Average SNAP benefit by state: all 50 states, DC, Guam and USVI

SNAP benefits by state show wide variation in what recipients actually receive. The average monthly SNAP benefit per person ranged from $159 in Minnesota to $355 in Hawaii in FY 2025, according to KFF’s State Health Facts dataset drawing on USDA Food and Nutrition Service data.

For FY2027, CBPP estimates the national average at about $192 a month per person, or $6.30 a day.

The table lists every state, DC, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. Averages are per person for federal FY2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), from KFF, rounded to the dollar. Maximums are FY2027 USDA figures for a household of three.

Location	Average per person, FY2025	FY2027 maximum for 3
Alabama	$195	$808
Alaska	$318	$1,032 to $1,602 (by zone)
Arizona	$183	$808
Arkansas	$176	$808
California	$191	$808
Colorado	$193	$808
Connecticut	$192	$808
Delaware	$183	$808
District of Columbia	$192	$808
Florida	$184	$808
Georgia	$165	$808
Hawaii	$355	$1,307
Idaho	$179	$808
Illinois	$196	$808
Indiana	$196	$808
Iowa	$170	$808
Kansas	$178	$808
Kentucky	$178	$808
Louisiana	$187	$808
Maine	$175	$808
Maryland	$182	$808
Massachusetts	$200	$808
Michigan	$175	$808
Minnesota	$159	$808
Mississippi	$181	$808
Missouri	$197	$808
Montana	$172	$808
Nebraska	$182	$808
Nevada	$171	$808
New Hampshire	$168	$808
New Jersey	$194	$808
New Mexico	$178	$808
New York	$217	$808
North Carolina	$178	$808
North Dakota	$195	$808
Ohio	$186	$808
Oklahoma	$188	$808
Oregon	$182	$808
Pennsylvania	$180	$808
Rhode Island	$198	$808
South Carolina	$199	$808
South Dakota	$198	$808
Tennessee	$205	$808
Texas	$181	$808
Utah	$193	$808
Vermont	$193	$808
Virginia	$181	$808
Washington	$185	$808
West Virginia	$170	$808
Wisconsin	$164	$808
Wyoming	$183	$808
Guam	$297	$1,191
Virgin Islands	$260	$1,039
United States	$188	$808 (48 states and DC)

Note that these are per-person averages, not per-household. New York’s average ($217) is about $57 a month more per person than Minnesota’s ($159).

Averages sit well below the maximum because most households have some earned income or Social Security that reduces the benefit under the 30% net-income rule.

Which state has the highest SNAP benefits?

Hawaii has the highest average benefit, at $355 per person a month in FY 2025, followed by Alaska at $318 (KFF). Both use the higher Thrifty Food Plan maximums explained above. Guam ($297) and the Virgin Islands ($260) are also above every contiguous state.

Among the 48 contiguous states and DC, New York led at $217 per person, then Tennessee ($205) and Massachusetts ($200). By maximum allotment, Alaska Rural 2 is highest at $1,602 for a family of three in FY2027.

Which states have the lowest average SNAP benefit per person?

In FY 2025 KFF data, Minnesota had the lowest average at $159 per person a month, followed by Wisconsin ($164) and Georgia ($165).

The maximum benefit is the same in all 48 contiguous states, so a lower average means more households there have countable income. Each household gets the maximum minus 30% of its net income, and higher net income leaves a smaller benefit.

EBT card names by state

Every state uses an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to distribute SNAP benefits, and many give the card a branded name. In Michigan you use a Bridge Card. In Texas it is the Lone Star Card.

California uses the Golden State Advantage Card, Ohio the Ohio Direction Card, Illinois the Link Card, and Oregon the Oregon Trail Card. The table lists each name we confirmed on the state agency’s own website.

State	EBT card name	Notes
Alaska	Alaska QUEST Card	SNAP and Temporary Assistance (Division of Public Assistance)
California	Golden State Advantage (GSA) Card	Works at SNAP retailers in all 50 states, DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
Colorado	Colorado Quest Card	Cardholders can block online or out-of-state transactions
Delaware	Delaware Food First Card	Used with a PIN at grocery retailers
Illinois	Illinois Link Card	Help line: 1-800-678-LINK
Indiana	Hoosier Works Card	Indiana FSSA EBT card
Kansas	Kansas Benefits Card	Kansas DCF EBT card
Louisiana	Louisiana Purchase Card	In-state purchases only since May 26, 2026, with some border zip codes counted as in-state
Maryland	Independence Card	Food supplement and cash benefits
Michigan	Bridge Card	Food and cash benefits
New Jersey	Families First Card	NJ Division of Family Development
New York	Common Benefit Identification Card (CBIC)	SNAP and Temporary Assistance
Ohio	Ohio Direction Card	Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Oregon	Oregon Trail Card	Food and cash benefits
Pennsylvania	ACCESS Card	Also used for cash assistance
Texas	Lone Star Card	Same card for SNAP + TANF
Utah	Horizon Card	Managed by Workforce Services
Wisconsin	Wisconsin QUEST Card	By default works only in WI, IL, IA, MI, and MN since March 1, 2026
All other states + DC	EBT card	Check your state SNAP agency for its card name

The card name does not change what you can buy. Most cards also work at SNAP retailers in other states, but some states now limit out-of-state use to fight benefit theft.

Louisiana cards work only at in-state retailers since May 26, 2026 (Louisiana Department of Health). Wisconsin QUEST cards work only in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota by default since March 1, 2026.

Wisconsin cardholders can change the security settings to shop elsewhere (Wisconsin DHS). Check your own card’s settings before you travel.

Can you double your SNAP benefits at farmers markets?

Yes, in more than 25 states, matching programs give you extra fruit and vegetable purchasing power when you spend SNAP dollars. Daily caps vary; Oklahoma and Oregon cap the match at $20. The largest network is Double Up Food Bucks (Double Up America).

The program name changes by state. In Hawaii it is DA BUX and offers a 50% discount on local fruits and vegetables instead of a dollar match. In Oklahoma it is Double Up Oklahoma (DUO), capped at $20 per day.

In New Jersey it is Good Food Bucks. In Minnesota it operates alongside Market Bucks. New Hampshire also runs Granite State Market Match at farmers markets.

Participating states include Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts (Boston), Michigan, Minnesota (Winona), Mississippi, and Missouri.

The list continues with Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina (Western), North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah (Double Up America).

You do not need to sign up separately: any SNAP recipient is automatically eligible. Ask at the farmers market info booth or check the participating grocery store’s SNAP tokens.

SNAP deposit dates by state

SNAP benefits load to your EBT card on a state-specific schedule between the 1st and the 28th of each month. Most states stagger deposits by the last digit of your Social Security number, your case number, or the first letter of your last name.

The table lists only states whose schedule we confirmed on the state agency’s own site or manual.

State	Benefits load on	Based on
Alaska	1st of the month	All cases
Arizona	1st to 13th	First letter of last name (A or B on the 1st, through Y or Z on the 13th)
California	1st to 10th	Last digit of case number (0 loads on the 10th)
Georgia	5th to 23rd	Last two digits of client ID
Illinois	1st to 10th for new cases	Last digit of head of household’s ID; older cases keep legacy dates up to the 20th
Michigan	3rd to 21st	Last digit of recipient ID (odd-numbered days)
North Carolina	3rd to 21st	Last digit of case head’s SSN
Texas	1st to 28th	Last two digits of EDG number

Texas households certified before May 1, 2023 keep their earlier issuance date (Texas Works Handbook B-251).

USDA publishes a monthly issuance schedule for every state and territory. It was last revised in July 2024, so confirm your date on your state portal.

Your state’s SNAP portal will also show your specific deposit date once you are enrolled. Benefits from previous months remain on the card if you have not spent them, so you never lose an unused balance mid-month.

How are 2026-27 SNAP benefits calculated?

SNAP expects families to spend 30% of their net income on food. Your monthly benefit equals the maximum allotment for your household size minus 30% of your net monthly income, per CBPP’s SNAP Quick Guide (October 2026). Families with zero net income receive the full maximum benefit.

Net income is your gross income after allowed deductions. The standard deduction for 48 states and DC in FY2027 is $217 for 1-3 person households, $229 for 4-person, $268 for 5-person, and $308 for 6+ (USDA COLA memo).

Other deductions include 20% of earned income, dependent-care costs, legally obligated child support, and out-of-pocket medical costs above $35 for elderly or disabled members (CBPP, October 2026).

The excess-shelter deduction is capped at $769 for 48 states and DC in FY2027, and the cap does not apply to households with an elderly or disabled member (USDA COLA memo).

Example: a family of three in Ohio with $600 in net monthly income receives $808 minus 30% of $600, or $808 minus $180, which equals $628 a month. If the same family had zero net income, they would receive the full $808 maximum.

At $2,277 in net income (the FY2027 net income limit for three, 100% of the poverty line), 30% is $684 after rounding up $683.10, leaving a benefit of $124. Any higher net income and they would no longer qualify. Gross income limits by household size are in our SNAP income limits guide.

What changed for SNAP in 2025 and 2026?

The reconciliation law signed on July 4, 2025 made four major changes to SNAP that take effect between 2025 and 2028, per the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ updated Quick Guide.

Who lost SNAP eligibility under the July 2025 law?

First, the three-month time limit (formally the ABAWD limit, which applies to able-bodied adults without dependents) expanded to a broader group. It now covers many adults ages 18 to 64 without children under 14 in the home, unless they can document a disability or 20 hours a week of work or training activity (CBPP).

Second, certain lawful immigrants were cut from SNAP eligibility. Under the new rules, only US citizens, lawful permanent residents (after a five-year waiting period where applicable), Cuban and Haitian entrants, and people living under a Compact of Free Association qualify (CBPP).

How did the 2025 law change SNAP benefit amounts?

Third, automatic Standard Utility Allowance qualification was restricted. Households that receive LIHEAP payments previously qualified automatically for the heating and cooling SUA, which raises the excess-shelter deduction and thus the benefit.

Under the new law, only households with an elderly or disabled member still qualify automatically through an energy assistance payment. Other households must document their heating and cooling costs instead (CBPP).

Fourth, the law creates a cost shift to states. Starting in FY2027, the federal share of SNAP administrative costs drops from 50% to 25% (Public Law 119-21).

Starting in FY2028, states with a payment error rate of 6% or more must pay 5% to 15% of benefit costs, which the federal government previously paid in full. States with very high error rates get a one- or two-year delay.

That change does not alter the FY2027 maximum allotments in this guide, which come from the USDA’s annual cost-of-living adjustment, but it will shape state SNAP policies going forward.

How to check your current SNAP benefit amount

Three methods let you check your SNAP balance and see the deposit history. The first is your state’s online SNAP portal. Each state has one: New York City uses ACCESS HRA, California uses BenefitsCal, Texas uses YourTexasBenefits.com, and Georgia uses Georgia Gateway.

The second is the toll-free EBT customer service number printed on the back of your card. The third is a receipt at any authorized SNAP retailer when you swipe the card.

To see your calculated benefit amount for the current certification period, log into your state portal and look for “case details,” “eligibility summary,” or “benefit amount.” Your recertification notice also lists your monthly benefit.

If your benefit is lower than you expect, three common issues explain most of the gap. First, your net income is higher than you realize because you did not claim available deductions.

Second, your household size on record is wrong (a new baby or a member who moved out was never reported). Third, under the July 2025 law, a LIHEAP payment alone no longer qualifies your household for the heating and cooling utility allowance.

Checking a SNAP amount for your own state

Start with the cap, because it barely changes from state to state. Through September 30, 2027, a household of three can get at most $808 a month in any of the 48 states or DC, and a household of four $1,023. Only Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands set higher caps of their own.

Next, find your state’s gross income line, which is where states really differ. The federal test is 130% of the poverty line, $2,960 a month for three, but many states raise it. Texas uses 165%, New Jersey 185%, and California, Ohio and Maryland 200%, while Alabama, Missouri and Kansas keep 130%.

Then run the 30% rule on your own net income instead of leaning on a state average. A per-person average of $159 in Minnesota or $217 in New York mixes working families, retirees and people with no income at all. A household of three with $1,000 in net income would get $808 minus $300, or $508.

Already on SNAP and October’s deposit changed? The FY2027 figures that took effect October 1 are one likely reason. One- and two-person households in the 48 states and DC now get at least $25, up from $24. If the amount still looks wrong, ask your caseworker which income and deductions were counted.

Not on SNAP yet? Do not wait until you have every document. Federal rules let you file with just your name, address and a signature, and benefits run from the date of application, so filing early can add days of benefits to your first month.

State SNAP guides with deposit dates and income limits

Our state guides list each state’s own SNAP rules: who runs the program, the gross income limit, the deposit schedule by digit, and how to apply. They use the FY2027 federal figures that took effect October 1, 2026. These 29 states have a guide so far, grouped by region.

South

• Alabama Food Assistance rules from DHR
• Florida Food Assistance Program guide
• Georgia SNAP and the Gateway application
• Louisiana SNAP through LDH
• Maryland Food Supplement Program limits
• Mississippi SNAP eligibility
• North Carolina FNS benefits guide
• Oklahoma SNAP income and deposit dates
• South Carolina SNAP guide
• How Tennessee SNAP works
• Texas SNAP and Lone Star Card dates
• Virginia SNAP and the November soda rule

Midwest

• Kansas food assistance rules
• Michigan Bridge Card food assistance
• Illinois Link benefits guide
• Iowa Food Assistance and its 160% line
• Minnesota SNAP guide
• Missouri Food Stamp Program limits
• Ohio food assistance and Direction Card dates

Northeast

• Massachusetts SNAP from DTA
• NJ SNAP eligibility in New Jersey
• New York SNAP rules
• Pennsylvania SNAP guide

West

• Arizona Nutrition Assistance guide
• California CalFresh guide
• Hawaii SNAP on its own federal tables
• Nevada SNAP through Access Nevada
• New Mexico SNAP eligibility
• Oregon SNAP and Oregon Trail Card loads

Related reading

• SNAP Income Limits 2026: State Eligibility by Household Size
• How Much SNAP Will I Get? Free Calculator + Formula
• How to Apply for SNAP: Step-by-Step by State
• SNAP Work Requirements 2026: ABAWD Rules Explained
• How to Use Your EBT Card: What SNAP Buys + Where
• Summer EBT 2026: $120 Per Child Food Benefit