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Benefits in Illinois
2026 income limits and how to apply for SNAP, WIC, Medicaid and other help in Illinois. A family of four can earn up to $3,575 a month before taxes and still meet the SNAP gross income test.
- People below poverty
- 1,464,937
- 11.8% of residents (ACS 2020-2024)
- Median household income
- $83,390
- ACS 2020-2024
- Medicaid expansion
- Yes
- Adults up to 138% qualify
- Poverty guideline, 4 people
- $33,000
- 2026, 48 states and D.C.
Food assistance income limits in Illinois
SNAP limits apply 10/01/2026 to 09/30/2027. WIC limits apply 07/01/2026 to 06/30/2027.
| Household size | Poverty guideline (2026, yearly) | SNAP gross (monthly) | SNAP net (monthly) | WIC (yearly) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $15,960 | $1,729 | $1,330 | $29,526 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $2,345 | $1,804 | $40,034 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $2,960 | $2,277 | $50,542 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $3,575 | $2,750 | $61,050 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $4,191 | $3,224 | $71,558 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $4,806 | $3,697 | $82,066 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $5,421 | $4,170 | $92,574 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $6,037 | $4,644 | $103,082 |
For each additional person, add $5,680 to the yearly poverty guideline. Figures are rounded up to the next dollar, as agencies do. Source: HHS 2026 poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and D.C.
Health, energy and phone income limits in Illinois
Medicaid adult limit is 138%. LIHEAP shows the federal maximum; Illinois may use a different limit.
| Household size | Medicaid adults (yearly) | Lifeline (yearly) | LIHEAP max (yearly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $22,025 | $21,546 | $23,940 |
| 2 people | $29,864 | $29,214 | $32,460 |
| 3 people | $37,702 | $36,882 | $40,980 |
| 4 people | $45,540 | $44,550 | $49,500 |
| 5 people | $53,379 | $52,218 | $58,020 |
| 6 people | $61,217 | $59,886 | $66,540 |
| 7 people | $69,056 | $67,554 | $75,060 |
| 8 people | $76,894 | $75,222 | $83,580 |
For each additional person, add $5,680 to the yearly poverty guideline. Figures are rounded up to the next dollar, as agencies do. Source: HHS 2026 poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states and D.C.
Where to apply in Illinois
Official finders that list the agency for your state
- State agencies
- Illinois on USA.gov
- Medicaid
- Apply through HealthCare.gov
- SSDI
- Apply at SSA.gov
- LIHEAP
- Find your LIHEAP office
- Unemployment
- Find your state unemployment office
- Pell Grant
- Start the FAFSA
- Section 8
- Find your public housing agency
Food
- SNAP: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance ProgramSNAP, once called food stamps, gives monthly benefits on an EBT card to buy groceries at authorized stores.
- WIC: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and ChildrenWIC provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals for pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children under 5.
Health care
- MedicaidMedicaid provides free or low-cost health coverage to people with low incomes, including children, pregnant women, parents, seniors and people with disabilities.
- CHIP: Children's Health Insurance ProgramCHIP gives low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. Some states also cover pregnant women.
Income
- SSI: Supplemental Security IncomeSSI pays monthly benefits to people with limited income and resources who are 65 or older, blind or disabled, including children with disabilities.
- SSDI: Social Security Disability InsuranceSSDI pays monthly benefits to people who cannot work because of a disability expected to last at least a year or result in death, and who have worked long enough in jobs covered by Social Security.
Utilities and phone
Housing
School and work
- Unemployment: Unemployment InsuranceUnemployment insurance replaces part of your wages for a limited time if you lose your job through no fault of your own.
- Pell Grant: Federal Pell GrantsPell Grants help undergraduate students with financial need pay for college. Unlike loans, they usually do not need to be repaid.
Households getting benefits by county in Illinois
Share of households that received each benefit in the last 12 months (ACS 2020-2024). Select a county for details.
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| County | Households getting SNAP | SSI | Social Security | Cash assistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 12.4% | 3.7% | 32.3% | 1.9% |
| Alexander County | 26.8% | 9.0% | 48.2% | 14.0% |
| Bond County | 12.9% | 6.7% | 35.8% | 1.5% |
| Boone County | 14.3% | 6.6% | 32.7% | 4.6% |
| Brown County | 12.1% | 6.5% | 32.3% | 2.1% |
| Bureau County | 13.5% | 3.6% | 38.7% | 1.8% |
| Calhoun County | 7.7% | 4.5% | 44.6% | 1.4% |
| Carroll County | 15.1% | 5.7% | 39.4% | 2.7% |
| Cass County | 14.7% | 3.7% | 33.5% | 2.5% |
| Champaign County | 9.1% | 3.0% | 21.7% | 2.2% |
| Christian County | 15.3% | 4.5% | 38.5% | 2.1% |
| Clark County | 13.4% | 3.9% | 35.9% | 1.7% |
| Clay County | 18.5% | 5.2% | 38.4% | 2.5% |
| Clinton County | 9.0% | 3.7% | 33.5% | 1.5% |
| Coles County | 19.0% | 6.1% | 31.0% | 2.3% |
| Cook County | 15.7% | 5.1% | 26.2% | 3.2% |
| Crawford County | 13.7% | 5.8% | 35.0% | 1.8% |
| Cumberland County | 9.2% | 5.1% | 40.2% | 1.2% |
| De Witt County | 13.1% | 4.8% | 37.2% | 2.3% |
| DeKalb County | 14.7% | 3.6% | 25.4% | 3.5% |
| Douglas County | 12.4% | 3.3% | 33.3% | 1.8% |
| DuPage County | 7.4% | 2.4% | 28.0% | 1.9% |
| Edgar County | 19.3% | 7.6% | 42.1% | 1.5% |
| Edwards County | 17.1% | 5.6% | 36.1% | 3.0% |
| Effingham County | 12.2% | 3.8% | 34.0% | 2.9% |
| Fayette County | 11.6% | 6.0% | 36.4% | 2.6% |
| Ford County | 14.4% | 7.2% | 31.6% | 4.8% |
| Franklin County | 25.8% | 7.2% | 39.1% | 4.8% |
| Fulton County | 17.3% | 6.0% | 38.0% | 2.5% |
| Gallatin County | 21.8% | 6.5% | 44.9% | 3.6% |
| Greene County | 15.5% | 6.3% | 39.3% | 2.4% |
| Grundy County | 10.9% | 4.1% | 28.9% | 1.5% |
| Hamilton County | 15.2% | 4.2% | 40.9% | 1.8% |
| Hancock County | 13.3% | 4.9% | 41.5% | 2.3% |
| Hardin County | 18.5% | 10.6% | 49.6% | 3.0% |
| Henderson County | 13.8% | 4.6% | 48.2% | 2.7% |
| Henry County | 13.3% | 3.8% | 36.9% | 2.2% |
| Iroquois County | 14.2% | 4.9% | 36.9% | 2.3% |
| Jackson County | 18.5% | 6.2% | 28.3% | 3.2% |
| Jasper County | 14.0% | 3.2% | 38.2% | 1.0% |
| Jefferson County | 17.1% | 4.7% | 37.8% | 2.5% |
| Jersey County | 11.9% | 4.3% | 37.6% | 2.6% |
| Jo Daviess County | 8.4% | 4.4% | 42.6% | 2.2% |
| Johnson County | 12.9% | 6.2% | 40.6% | 3.0% |
| Kane County | 11.0% | 2.9% | 28.5% | 2.2% |
| Kankakee County | 15.9% | 5.2% | 34.2% | 2.5% |
| Kendall County | 8.6% | 3.5% | 24.1% | 1.9% |
| Knox County | 15.4% | 6.3% | 36.9% | 3.0% |
| Lake County | 9.4% | 3.2% | 27.4% | 2.7% |
| LaSalle County | 14.8% | 4.9% | 35.8% | 2.7% |
| Lawrence County | 14.7% | 5.6% | 36.1% | 2.6% |
| Lee County | 15.4% | 5.7% | 36.9% | 2.7% |
| Livingston County | 14.7% | 4.0% | 35.4% | 2.2% |
| Logan County | 18.4% | 3.7% | 36.6% | 1.7% |
| Macon County | 19.8% | 5.3% | 36.4% | 2.8% |
| Macoupin County | 15.4% | 6.2% | 39.0% | 2.7% |
| Madison County | 13.7% | 5.4% | 32.6% | 2.3% |
| Marion County | 19.8% | 6.7% | 37.2% | 2.8% |
| Marshall County | 13.5% | 5.3% | 39.1% | 3.4% |
| Mason County | 15.5% | 4.6% | 43.0% | 3.4% |
| Massac County | 17.1% | 6.5% | 39.5% | 3.7% |
| McDonough County | 14.2% | 5.3% | 30.5% | 1.9% |
| McHenry County | 7.4% | 3.4% | 29.4% | 2.1% |
| McLean County | 10.3% | 3.4% | 23.6% | 1.9% |
| Menard County | 14.5% | 4.5% | 39.1% | 1.8% |
| Mercer County | 9.9% | 3.8% | 37.3% | 2.0% |
| Monroe County | 4.4% | 4.2% | 35.0% | 2.3% |
| Montgomery County | 15.4% | 5.9% | 38.7% | 3.0% |
| Morgan County | 16.2% | 5.6% | 38.3% | 2.6% |
| Moultrie County | 11.8% | 5.0% | 31.9% | 1.1% |
| Ogle County | 10.7% | 4.4% | 36.7% | 2.9% |
| Peoria County | 18.0% | 5.0% | 31.1% | 3.8% |
| Perry County | 19.0% | 6.4% | 41.3% | 3.0% |
| Piatt County | 6.3% | 2.5% | 34.7% | 1.1% |
| Pike County | 15.9% | 4.7% | 38.7% | 1.8% |
| Pope County | 9.1% | 5.8% | 56.4% | 2.9% |
| Pulaski County | 22.9% | 8.0% | 45.2% | 14.4% |
| Putnam County | 8.3% | 4.7% | 40.6% | 2.0% |
| Randolph County | 12.9% | 5.4% | 39.4% | 1.9% |
| Richland County | 15.7% | 5.1% | 35.9% | 1.3% |
| Rock Island County | 15.9% | 4.2% | 34.6% | 3.3% |
| Saline County | 26.2% | 7.6% | 41.3% | 3.1% |
| Sangamon County | 15.5% | 4.6% | 33.4% | 2.3% |
| Schuyler County | 11.6% | 2.9% | 42.4% | 1.6% |
| Scott County | 16.2% | 4.0% | 39.2% | 3.4% |
| Shelby County | 14.0% | 6.0% | 39.7% | 2.9% |
| St. Clair County | 16.2% | 5.5% | 31.9% | 2.6% |
| Stark County | 11.6% | 3.5% | 36.2% | 2.1% |
| Stephenson County | 17.0% | 4.4% | 35.7% | 4.2% |
| Tazewell County | 10.4% | 4.4% | 33.6% | 2.1% |
| Union County | 17.3% | 7.0% | 41.2% | 5.9% |
| Vermilion County | 19.5% | 5.4% | 37.0% | 2.7% |
| Wabash County | 20.4% | 7.1% | 42.3% | 1.0% |
| Warren County | 16.0% | 3.8% | 36.5% | 1.7% |
| Washington County | 9.5% | 3.0% | 39.4% | 1.6% |
| Wayne County | 14.0% | 4.4% | 40.8% | 2.1% |
| White County | 18.7% | 5.9% | 45.4% | 2.8% |
| Whiteside County | 14.1% | 4.6% | 37.6% | 1.6% |
| Will County | 10.1% | 3.4% | 27.8% | 2.1% |
| Williamson County | 16.6% | 4.2% | 34.6% | 3.0% |
| Winnebago County | 20.4% | 5.7% | 35.0% | 3.5% |
| Woodford County | 5.5% | 2.9% | 34.1% | 1.7% |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the SNAP income limit in Illinois?
- For 10/01/2026 to 09/30/2027, a household of one in Illinois can have gross monthly income up to $1,729, and a household of four up to $3,575. Net income after deductions must be at or below $1,330 and $2,750. Households with an elderly or disabled member only need to meet the net limit.
- Did Illinois expand Medicaid?
- Yes. Illinois covers adults ages 19 to 64 with incomes up to 138% of the poverty guidelines, or $22,025 a year for one person in 2026.
- What is the WIC income limit in Illinois?
- A household of four in Illinois can earn up to $61,050 a year (185% of the 2026 poverty guidelines) to qualify for WIC. A pregnant woman counts as two or more people.
- How many people in Illinois live below the poverty line?
- About 1,464,937 people in Illinois, or 11.8% of residents, had incomes below the poverty level in the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.