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Benefits in Louisiana
2026 income limits and how to apply for SNAP, WIC, Medicaid and other help in Louisiana. 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
- 848,967
- 18.9% of residents (ACS 2020-2024)
- Median household income
- $60,756
- 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 Louisiana
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 Louisiana
Medicaid adult limit is 138%. LIHEAP shows the federal maximum; Louisiana 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 Louisiana
Official finders that list the agency for your state
- State agencies
- Louisiana 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 Louisiana
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Parish | 24.4% | 11.6% | 34.4% | 1.2% |
| Allen Parish | 26.5% | 8.7% | 29.5% | 1.2% |
| Ascension Parish | 12.2% | 4.3% | 25.0% | 2.0% |
| Assumption Parish | 19.9% | 6.1% | 36.9% | 2.5% |
| Avoyelles Parish | 27.9% | 8.2% | 37.1% | 1.1% |
| Beauregard Parish | 17.5% | 6.3% | 33.6% | 1.5% |
| Bienville Parish | 22.9% | 12.6% | 40.8% | 2.0% |
| Bossier Parish | 10.6% | 6.4% | 29.3% | 1.6% |
| Caddo Parish | 21.6% | 9.1% | 34.1% | 2.0% |
| Calcasieu Parish | 15.7% | 5.5% | 33.6% | 1.7% |
| Caldwell Parish | 23.5% | 19.2% | 42.4% | 0.2% |
| Cameron Parish | 8.6% | 9.8% | 36.6% | 4.8% |
| Catahoula Parish | 19.3% | 6.8% | 31.8% | 0.0% |
| Claiborne Parish | 33.8% | 18.7% | 47.9% | 3.6% |
| Concordia Parish | 26.9% | 10.8% | 40.0% | 0.8% |
| De Soto Parish | 20.1% | 13.3% | 39.9% | 2.3% |
| East Baton Rouge Parish | 15.9% | 5.3% | 26.3% | 1.5% |
| East Carroll Parish | 29.6% | 5.2% | 36.0% | 2.3% |
| East Feliciana Parish | 14.5% | 8.2% | 38.3% | 0.1% |
| Evangeline Parish | 31.2% | 11.3% | 34.0% | 1.1% |
| Franklin Parish | 24.5% | 8.0% | 36.6% | 3.2% |
| Grant Parish | 18.5% | 7.3% | 35.6% | 0.5% |
| Iberia Parish | 23.8% | 7.2% | 35.3% | 1.4% |
| Iberville Parish | 21.1% | 6.4% | 28.7% | 2.1% |
| Jackson Parish | 15.2% | 9.2% | 39.6% | 4.1% |
| Jefferson Davis Parish | 20.3% | 7.9% | 38.2% | 1.8% |
| Jefferson Parish | 14.1% | 6.4% | 33.0% | 2.0% |
| Lafayette Parish | 12.5% | 5.0% | 26.7% | 0.9% |
| Lafourche Parish | 17.0% | 8.7% | 32.8% | 1.4% |
| LaSalle Parish | 16.7% | 10.9% | 34.7% | 3.1% |
| Lincoln Parish | 23.9% | 12.2% | 27.2% | 1.1% |
| Livingston Parish | 13.0% | 4.8% | 30.6% | 1.4% |
| Madison Parish | 30.4% | 14.1% | 39.1% | 1.3% |
| Morehouse Parish | 30.0% | 7.7% | 37.2% | 4.3% |
| Natchitoches Parish | 19.5% | 10.4% | 36.0% | 3.5% |
| Orleans Parish | 18.5% | 8.3% | 28.5% | 2.0% |
| Ouachita Parish | 19.8% | 8.2% | 30.5% | 4.6% |
| Plaquemines Parish | 14.8% | 5.0% | 26.2% | 1.8% |
| Pointe Coupee Parish | 12.0% | 5.8% | 39.1% | 0.2% |
| Rapides Parish | 19.1% | 8.5% | 33.0% | 1.2% |
| Red River Parish | 25.0% | 13.3% | 45.1% | 1.4% |
| Richland Parish | 24.6% | 11.3% | 37.5% | 3.6% |
| Sabine Parish | 22.0% | 10.3% | 40.2% | 2.0% |
| St. Bernard Parish | 25.1% | 8.2% | 29.1% | 3.0% |
| St. Charles Parish | 10.3% | 6.1% | 31.5% | 0.5% |
| St. Helena Parish | 30.7% | 16.6% | 39.8% | 0.4% |
| St. James Parish | 14.1% | 6.7% | 36.7% | 3.9% |
| St. John the Baptist Parish | 20.2% | 7.0% | 34.7% | 1.8% |
| St. Landry Parish | 21.7% | 12.3% | 35.7% | 1.2% |
| St. Martin Parish | 20.4% | 7.1% | 36.0% | 0.9% |
| St. Mary Parish | 22.8% | 9.1% | 35.9% | 0.8% |
| St. Tammany Parish | 9.0% | 4.6% | 32.9% | 1.1% |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 21.2% | 6.8% | 33.6% | 0.6% |
| Tensas Parish | 31.8% | 10.2% | 59.1% | 1.6% |
| Terrebonne Parish | 16.3% | 6.6% | 32.6% | 1.8% |
| Union Parish | 20.4% | 8.5% | 38.0% | 3.3% |
| Vermilion Parish | 17.9% | 7.5% | 33.4% | 0.9% |
| Vernon Parish | 14.6% | 5.6% | 29.1% | 0.8% |
| Washington Parish | 28.2% | 12.0% | 37.9% | 1.7% |
| Webster Parish | 27.0% | 15.9% | 40.6% | 3.0% |
| West Baton Rouge Parish | 12.4% | 5.7% | 28.7% | 2.0% |
| West Carroll Parish | 23.0% | 8.6% | 40.7% | 6.4% |
| West Feliciana Parish | 14.2% | 5.0% | 29.6% | 0.3% |
| Winn Parish | 18.4% | 9.1% | 36.8% | 1.9% |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the SNAP income limit in Louisiana?
- For 10/01/2026 to 09/30/2027, a household of one in Louisiana 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 Louisiana expand Medicaid?
- Yes. Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
- A household of four in Louisiana 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 Louisiana live below the poverty line?
- About 848,967 people in Louisiana, or 18.9% of residents, had incomes below the poverty level in the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.