SNAP Benefits by State 2026: Max Amounts + State EBT Card Names

SNAP benefits vary in three important ways from state to state: the maximum allotment (fixed at $785 for a family of three in the 48 contiguous states and DC), the average benefit per person (which swings from $159 in Minnesota to $355 in Hawaii), and the name of the EBT card (Bridge in Michigan, Lone Star in Texas, Quest in Arizona and Colorado, Hoosier Works in Indiana). This guide compiles all three for federal fiscal year 2026, verified against USDA, CBPP, and KFF primary sources on August 5, 2026.

How we compiled this: Every dollar figure comes from a single primary source. Maximum allotments and higher-jurisdiction amounts are from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service COLA table for FY 2026. Estimated average benefits are from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ updated Quick Guide (October 3, 2025). State-level per-participant averages are from KFF’s State Health Facts dataset for FY 2025, the most recent complete year. We cross-checked all three sources on August 5, 2026 and reflect the SNAP changes from the July 2025 reconciliation law that begin taking effect in late 2025 and 2026.

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): $785/month for FY 2026 (USDA, effective October 1, 2025)
• Highest max allotment nationally: $1,576/month for a family of three in Alaska Rural 2 (USDA)
• National average benefit per person: $188/month, or $6.17/day (CBPP, October 2025)
• 48-state minimum benefit for 1-2 person households: $24/month (CBPP, October 2025)
• Asset limit: $3,000 general; $4,500 if a household member is 60+ or has a disability (USDA)
• 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?

In FY 2026, the maximum monthly SNAP benefit in the 48 contiguous states and DC is $298 for one person, $546 for two, $785 for three, and $994 for four, per the USDA’s SNAP FY 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). Each additional household member adds $218 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. In practice, the average benefit runs about 70% of the maximum for most household sizes.

For larger families, the max keeps growing at $218 per additional member: $1,183 for five people, $1,421 for six, $1,571 for seven, and $1,789 for eight (USDA, FY 2026 COLA). A household of ten would top out at $2,225. 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 $24 per month in FY 2026, per the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin Islands have higher minimum amounts because their maximum allotments are higher. 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 FY 2026, a family of three in Alaska receives between $1,015 (Urban), $1,295 (Rural 1), and $1,576 (Rural 2), per the USDA FNS COLA table. Hawaii pays $1,334, Guam pays $1,157, and the Virgin Islands pays $1,009. All four amounts exceed the $785 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 remote off-road communities, is the highest-benefit tier in the country: 2.0x the 48-state maximum. The reason comes down to grocery-cost math. SNAP maximums are pegged to the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan, which is repriced regionally. In Barrow or Nome, the cost of a Thrifty Food Plan grocery basket is roughly double the cost in Atlanta, so the benefit doubles to match.

Hawaii’s per-household cap is second only to Alaska Rural 2. The additional shipping and import costs for fresh produce, meat, and dairy push the Thrifty Food Plan cost far above mainland levels. Guam and the Virgin Islands sit in the middle, still above the 48-state amount but below the Alaska Rural tiers (USDA, FY 2026 COLA).

What are the Alaska SNAP tiers?

Alaska splits into three SNAP zones for benefit calculation: Urban (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and other on-road communities), Rural 1 (accessible by road or major ferry but with higher grocery costs), and Rural 2 (off-road communities where food is flown or barged in). A one-person household ranges from $385 (Urban) to $598 (Rural 2) in FY 2026, per USDA. Your Alaska Division of Public Assistance caseworker assigns your household to a tier based on your street address.

What is the average SNAP benefit by state in 2025?

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. The national average was $188/month per person, or about $6.17 per day.

Note that these are per-person averages, not per-household. A three-person household in New York, at the high end, averages about $651 a month in actual received benefits. A three-person household in Minnesota, at the low end, averages about $477. Both are well below the $785 maximum allotment because most households have some earned income or Social Security that reduces the benefit under the 30% net-income rule.

Why do Alaska and Hawaii have higher average SNAP benefits?

Alaska averages $318/person and Hawaii averages $355/person in FY 2025 (KFF) because both jurisdictions use the higher Thrifty Food Plan maximums explained above. The averages are boosted even further by the higher share of remote-community households in Alaska and by Hawaii’s uniformly elevated food costs statewide. Guam averages $297/person and the Virgin Islands $260/person under similar cost-adjusted formulas.

Why does Georgia have the lowest average per-person SNAP benefit among states?

Georgia averaged $165/person in FY 2025 (KFF), the lowest of any state. Two factors drive the gap. First, Georgia has a higher share of working SNAP households than most states, which means more countable earned income and larger 30% deductions from the maximum. Second, Georgia applies broad-based categorical eligibility differently than higher-benefit states, which changes how deductions are calculated. Minnesota ($159) and Wisconsin ($164) sit at similar lows.

What is the EBT card called in each state?

Every state uses an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to distribute SNAP benefits, but eleven states give their card a branded name. In Michigan you use a Bridge Card. In Texas it is the Lone Star Card. Arizona and Colorado both use the Quest Card. Indiana calls it the Hoosier Works Card, Utah the Horizon Card, New Jersey the Families First Card, and Pennsylvania the ACCESS Card.

State	EBT card name	Notes
Arizona	Quest Card	Restaurant Meals Program state
Colorado	Quest Card	Same brand as Arizona; different issuers
Indiana	Hoosier Works Card	Shared with TANF cash benefits
Massachusetts	DTA EBT Card	Department of Transitional Assistance branding
Michigan	Bridge Card	Also used for TANF cash
Missouri	Missouri EBT	Recently rebranded; no legacy nickname
New Jersey	Families First Card	Also used for TANF (WFNJ) 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
Hawaii	EBT Card + DA BUX	DA BUX is a fruits-and-veggies match program, not the base card
All other 40 states + DC	EBT Card / SNAP EBT Card	Generic branding; some states use a state seal

The card names do not affect what you can buy or where you can shop. All SNAP EBT cards carry the Quest interoperability mark, which lets your card work at any Quest-branded merchant in any state. Individual states use different back-end processors (Fiserv, Conduent, and others), but the Quest mark enables full cross-state acceptance at all authorized SNAP retailers.

Can you double your SNAP benefits at farmers markets?

Yes, in more than 25 states, farmers-market matching programs give you an extra dollar of fruit and vegetable purchasing power for every SNAP dollar you spend, up to a daily cap of $10 to $20 depending on the program. The largest network is Double Up Food Bucks, active at more than 900 locations nationwide (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. In New Hampshire, you can stack Double Up with Granite State Market Match at farmers markets.

Participating states include Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts (partial), Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina (Western), North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, 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.

When are SNAP benefits deposited in each 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. California, for example, loads benefits on the 1st through the 10th. Texas loads on the 1st through the 15th based on the last digit of the Eligibility Determination Group number.

The USDA SNAP State Directory publishes the monthly benefit issuance schedule for every state, DC, Guam, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. 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 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 2025). Families with zero net income receive the full maximum benefit.

Net income is your gross income after allowed deductions: a standard deduction ($209 for 1-3 person households, $223 for 4-person, $261 for 5-person, and $299 for 6+ in FY 2026 for 48 states and DC), an earnings deduction equal to 20% of earned income, dependent-care costs, legally obligated child support, out-of-pocket medical costs above $35 for elderly or disabled members, and an excess-shelter deduction capped at $744 for 48 states and DC in FY 2026 (CBPP, October 2025).

Example: a family of three in Ohio with $600 in net monthly income receives $785 minus 30% of $600, or $785 minus $180, which equals $605 a month. If the same family had zero net income, they would receive the full $785 maximum. If they had $2,617 in net income (100% of the FPL for a family of three), their calculated benefit would be near zero and they would fall out of eligibility.

What changed for SNAP in 2025 and 2026?

The reconciliation law signed on July 4, 2025 made four major changes to SNAP that begin taking effect in late 2025 and 2026, 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 get the automatic qualification. Everyone else must document actual heating and cooling costs (CBPP).

Fourth, a cost shift to states begins in FY 2027, requiring states to cover a share of SNAP administrative and benefit costs that the federal government previously paid in full. That change does not affect FY 2026 amounts directly but 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: your state’s online SNAP portal (each state has one; New York uses ACCESS HRA, California uses BenefitsCal, Texas uses YourTexasBenefits.com, Georgia uses Georgia Gateway), the toll-free EBT customer service number printed on the back of your card, and 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, which arrives every 6 to 12 months depending on state rules, also lists your monthly benefit.

If your benefit is lower than you expect, three common issues explain most of the gap: your net income is higher than you realize because you did not claim available deductions, your household size on record is wrong (a new baby or a member who moved out was never reported), or your state is applying the reduced Standard Utility Allowance under the July 2025 rule changes.

Bottom line: SNAP benefits by state in 2026

The maximum SNAP allotment is fixed nationally by household size: $785 for a family of three in 48 states and DC, and higher in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. What varies most across states is not the maximum but the average benefit that households actually receive, which reflects local income levels, deduction patterns, and household composition. If you want to know what you personally will receive, the max allotment table is only the ceiling. Use your state portal to see your calculated benefit or run the numbers using the 30% net-income rule described above.

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