Section 8 eligibility and income limits, explained county by county

Section 8 eligibility looks simple on paper — you need to be “low income” — but the actual numbers vary wildly by county. The same household can be over the limit in rural Mississippi and well under it in coastal California, even though the federal program is the same. Here is how the math works, and how to find your real number before you apply.

The three income tiers HUD uses

Every year, HUD publishes income limits for every county and metropolitan area in the country, based on local Area Median Income (AMI). For Section 8, three tiers matter:

• Low Income (80% of AMI): the broad eligibility ceiling for many HUD programs.
• Very Low Income (50% of AMI): the standard cutoff for the Housing Choice Voucher program.
• Extremely Low Income (30% of AMI): the priority tier — PHAs must reserve at least 75% of newly issued vouchers for households here.

So when a PHA says “you need to be low income,” for Section 8 they almost always mean very low income — below 50% AMI — and they prioritize extremely low income households below 30% AMI.

Why the same income is “too much” in one county and “poor” in another

HUD calculates AMI separately for each metro area or county. In a high-cost metro like San Francisco or Boston, the median household income is high enough that even a $90,000 family of four can qualify as “very low income” and a $120,000 family can qualify as “low income.” In a rural Mississippi county, the same family of four would be far over the limit at $50,000.

This is by design. Rent in expensive metros is so much higher that HUD adjusts the limits upward, otherwise the program would help almost no one in those areas.

Household composition matters

The income limit is per household, but it scales with family size. A common rule of thumb HUD uses:

• A 1-person limit is roughly 70% of the 4-person limit.
• A 2-person limit is roughly 80%.
• A 3-person limit is roughly 90%.
• A 4-person limit is the “base.”
• Each additional person adds 8–10%.

The PHA also defines who counts as a “member” of your household: legally documented spouses and children almost always count; live-in caregivers and foster children sometimes count; non-relatives who occasionally crash on the couch typically do not. If you are unsure, list everyone honestly — the PHA decides who gets included.

What income actually counts

HUD looks at annual gross income for everyone in the household, then applies adjustments to get “adjusted income.” Counted income includes:

• Wages, salary, tips, commissions, bonuses
• Self-employment net income
• Social Security, SSI, SSDI, pensions, retirement
• Unemployment, workers’ compensation
• TANF and other regular cash assistance
• Child support and alimony actually received
• Recurring gifts from people not living with you
• Interest, dividends, and other investment income

Things that are not counted include: SNAP benefits, lump-sum inheritances or settlements, scholarships and grants used for tuition, foster care payments, and most one-time gifts.

Deductions you should know about

Once HUD figures out your gross annual income, certain deductions reduce it before they calculate your rent share. These deductions can also affect whether you qualify for an income-based preference. The big ones:

• $480 per dependent child in the household.
• $525 elderly or disabled household deduction (recently raised).
• Medical expenses over 3% of annual income for elderly or disabled households.
• Reasonable child care expenses needed for a member to work or attend school.

How to find your county’s actual number

Don’t guess. HUD publishes the official FY Income Limits table every spring. You can:

1. Visit HUD User — Income Limits and download your state’s table.
2. Pick your county or metro area.
3. Find the row for your household size.
4. Look at the “Very Low Income” column — that is the Section 8 ceiling.

You can also browse our state-by-state directory, where each state page summarizes typical 1-person, 2-person, and 4-person income limits as a starting point.

If you’re close to the limit

Other eligibility rules besides income

You also need to clear:

• Citizenship or eligible immigration status. U.S. citizens and certain non-citizens (lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and others) qualify. Mixed-status households are eligible on a prorated basis.
• No outstanding debt to a previous PHA. If you owe a former housing authority money — for damages, unreported income, or anything else — you generally have to pay or set up a payment plan first.
• Background screening. Lifetime sex offender registration is an automatic disqualifier. Recent drug-manufacturing convictions on federally assisted property are too. Other criminal history is reviewed case-by-case under each PHA’s admissions policy.
• Truthful application. Misrepresenting income or household composition is a federal crime and the most common way people are removed from the program.

Bottom line

If you live in an expensive metro, your income limit is probably much higher than you think. If you live in a low-cost rural area, the limit is likely lower. The only way to know is to look up your county. And once you do — if you are anywhere within striking distance of the line — apply. Apply to multiple PHAs. The program rewards patience and paperwork; both are free.

I almost did not apply because I assumed we earned too much. Turns out the income limit in our county was way higher than I thought because rent here is brutal.— Devin O., San Diego, CA