Millions of Americans who receive food assistance could see slightly higher benefits beginning Oct. 1 as new federal cost-of-living adjustments take effect for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The Department of Agriculture adjusts SNAP benefit levels and eligibility standards annually at the start of the federal fiscal year. For fiscal 2027, maximum benefits will increase by about 3% for households in the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., reflecting changes in food costs.
Maximum SNAP allotments are tied to the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan, an estimate of the cost of providing a nutritious diet on a limited budget. Federal law uses the plan’s June cost for a reference family of four to set maximum benefits for the following fiscal year.
The increases take effect automatically Oct. 1 and run through Sept. 20, 2027.
Here is what to know about the changes.
How much are SNAP benefits increasing?
Beginning Oct. 1, the maximum monthly benefit for a one-person household will rise from $298 to $306, an $8 increase. A family of four could receive up to $1,023 per month, up $29 from the current $994 maximum.
The maximum allotment for two people will increase to $562, while three people can receive up to $808. The maximum rises to $1,217 for five people, $1,463 for six, $1,616 for seven, and $1,841 for eight. Each additional person adds $225.
The minimum benefit for qualifying one- and two-person households will also increase by $1, from $24 to $25 per month.
The figures represent maximum benefits, meaning recipients should not necessarily expect their monthly payments to increase to those amounts. SNAP generally assumes households can spend 30% of their net income on food, with benefits making up part of the remaining costs. A household’s actual payment depends on factors including income, household size, and allowable deductions.
Who can qualify?
The income limits used to determine SNAP eligibility will also increase Oct. 1, allowing households to earn slightly more without necessarily losing access to the program.
For a one-person household, the standard gross monthly income limit will rise from $1,696 to $1,729. For a family of four, the limit will increase from $3,483 to $3,575.
The net income limit will also increase to $1,330 for one person and $2,750 for a family of four. Gross income generally refers to a household’s income before deductions, while net income is what remains after allowable deductions. Most households must fall below both limits to qualify, though different rules apply to some households with elderly or disabled members.
Those deductions are also adjusted annually. The standard deduction for households of one to three people will rise from $209 to $217, while the maximum excess shelter deduction will increase from $744 to $796.
What other SNAP changes are happening?
The changes are part of SNAP’s annual inflation adjustment and are separate from more substantial eligibility restrictions enacted under the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
That law expanded SNAP’s work requirement to more recipients. Under the changes, adults through age 64 may be required to work, volunteer, or participate in an approved training program for at least 80 hours per month to continue receiving benefits beyond the program’s time limit. Previously, the requirement generally applied through age 54.
The OBBBA also narrowed the exemption for parents to those with children under 14, rather than children under 18, and eliminated specific exemptions for veterans, homeless individuals, and some former foster youth.
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Implementation of those requirements has varied by state, meaning they should not be presented as a new nationwide change beginning Oct. 1. The law changed the federal requirements in 2025, and states have implemented them on different schedules.
Additionally, beginning with fiscal 2027, states will become responsible for 75% of SNAP administrative costs, up from 50%.