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Benefits in North Carolina
2026 income limits and how to apply for SNAP, WIC, Medicaid and other help in North Carolina. 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
- 1,360,882
- 13.0% of residents (ACS 2020-2024)
- Median household income
- $72,388
- 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 North Carolina
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 North Carolina
Medicaid adult limit is 138%. LIHEAP shows the federal maximum; North Carolina 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 North Carolina
Official finders that list the agency for your state
- State agencies
- North Carolina 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 North Carolina
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance County | 13.6% | 3.4% | 31.6% | 3.5% |
| Alexander County | 13.5% | 6.9% | 41.3% | 2.3% |
| Alleghany County | 14.0% | 6.6% | 49.4% | 2.5% |
| Anson County | 33.8% | 7.7% | 42.4% | 2.7% |
| Ashe County | 14.0% | 7.1% | 45.5% | 1.0% |
| Avery County | 13.9% | 5.9% | 46.1% | 2.1% |
| Beaufort County | 16.7% | 6.9% | 43.2% | 1.2% |
| Bertie County | 23.9% | 7.4% | 47.8% | 1.8% |
| Bladen County | 26.2% | 4.7% | 43.9% | 1.7% |
| Brunswick County | 8.5% | 4.2% | 50.7% | 1.5% |
| Buncombe County | 9.5% | 3.3% | 36.6% | 1.6% |
| Burke County | 14.3% | 5.8% | 40.2% | 2.0% |
| Cabarrus County | 10.3% | 3.9% | 26.8% | 2.1% |
| Caldwell County | 14.3% | 6.1% | 41.8% | 1.8% |
| Camden County | 10.6% | 3.4% | 35.2% | 1.0% |
| Carteret County | 9.0% | 4.2% | 46.3% | 1.9% |
| Caswell County | 20.1% | 7.0% | 44.0% | 3.3% |
| Catawba County | 11.9% | 4.9% | 34.9% | 2.5% |
| Chatham County | 5.1% | 3.0% | 40.0% | 1.2% |
| Cherokee County | 11.9% | 5.1% | 51.0% | 1.5% |
| Chowan County | 22.2% | 5.4% | 42.8% | 2.4% |
| Clay County | 11.2% | 4.4% | 55.7% | 3.0% |
| Cleveland County | 21.3% | 6.2% | 40.0% | 1.9% |
| Columbus County | 22.6% | 7.8% | 42.3% | 1.3% |
| Craven County | 14.0% | 5.4% | 38.1% | 4.1% |
| Cumberland County | 18.6% | 5.8% | 27.8% | 2.5% |
| Currituck County | 5.8% | 3.5% | 34.6% | 1.2% |
| Dare County | 5.1% | 2.6% | 41.1% | 1.0% |
| Davidson County | 13.1% | 5.1% | 38.5% | 1.8% |
| Davie County | 11.7% | 5.5% | 41.1% | 1.3% |
| Duplin County | 15.8% | 5.5% | 38.4% | 2.0% |
| Durham County | 9.1% | 3.5% | 23.2% | 1.9% |
| Edgecombe County | 23.6% | 8.0% | 41.0% | 1.6% |
| Forsyth County | 13.9% | 4.6% | 32.0% | 2.0% |
| Franklin County | 12.4% | 4.9% | 36.6% | 2.4% |
| Gaston County | 16.1% | 4.9% | 33.7% | 1.8% |
| Gates County | 14.0% | 4.7% | 43.8% | 1.4% |
| Graham County | 14.7% | 9.0% | 48.6% | 2.5% |
| Granville County | 13.9% | 4.5% | 34.9% | 3.2% |
| Greene County | 21.9% | 7.7% | 36.4% | 1.0% |
| Guilford County | 15.5% | 4.7% | 29.1% | 1.8% |
| Halifax County | 29.1% | 10.5% | 40.4% | 1.1% |
| Harnett County | 15.2% | 5.2% | 29.6% | 1.7% |
| Haywood County | 13.5% | 4.5% | 43.5% | 1.7% |
| Henderson County | 9.2% | 4.2% | 42.3% | 2.3% |
| Hertford County | 27.8% | 9.0% | 41.7% | 2.4% |
| Hoke County | 20.1% | 5.6% | 29.6% | 2.0% |
| Hyde County | 22.5% | 2.7% | 34.9% | 0.3% |
| Iredell County | 8.1% | 3.3% | 31.2% | 1.7% |
| Jackson County | 12.2% | 4.8% | 36.8% | 2.5% |
| Johnston County | 11.4% | 4.9% | 28.7% | 1.5% |
| Jones County | 15.5% | 6.6% | 45.3% | 6.2% |
| Lee County | 15.2% | 4.2% | 33.9% | 2.1% |
| Lenoir County | 27.3% | 9.5% | 41.0% | 3.2% |
| Lincoln County | 11.4% | 4.2% | 36.0% | 1.4% |
| Macon County | 8.9% | 4.6% | 44.3% | 2.0% |
| Madison County | 12.2% | 4.3% | 43.6% | 1.5% |
| Martin County | 20.1% | 7.5% | 48.1% | 1.7% |
| McDowell County | 18.3% | 7.0% | 40.0% | 1.5% |
| Mecklenburg County | 8.7% | 2.9% | 20.6% | 1.3% |
| Mitchell County | 17.0% | 6.0% | 48.7% | 1.8% |
| Montgomery County | 18.6% | 5.3% | 44.5% | 1.1% |
| Moore County | 8.6% | 3.3% | 39.5% | 1.2% |
| Nash County | 18.3% | 7.1% | 35.4% | 1.3% |
| New Hanover County | 9.2% | 3.5% | 30.6% | 1.5% |
| Northampton County | 26.4% | 7.5% | 47.1% | 1.3% |
| Onslow County | 12.1% | 5.0% | 24.3% | 2.5% |
| Orange County | 5.8% | 2.5% | 26.7% | 1.6% |
| Pamlico County | 10.8% | 6.8% | 53.1% | 1.3% |
| Pasquotank County | 17.6% | 4.4% | 38.8% | 2.1% |
| Pender County | 11.8% | 6.0% | 35.7% | 1.3% |
| Perquimans County | 13.7% | 5.7% | 51.9% | 2.5% |
| Person County | 20.5% | 7.1% | 40.0% | 1.7% |
| Pitt County | 15.2% | 5.2% | 27.1% | 1.3% |
| Polk County | 9.7% | 3.3% | 49.6% | 2.6% |
| Randolph County | 15.2% | 5.3% | 36.8% | 2.5% |
| Richmond County | 28.6% | 11.5% | 37.0% | 1.5% |
| Robeson County | 32.6% | 8.0% | 37.4% | 1.4% |
| Rockingham County | 17.7% | 8.2% | 38.9% | 3.0% |
| Rowan County | 16.0% | 5.7% | 37.5% | 1.2% |
| Rutherford County | 19.5% | 5.8% | 43.1% | 2.3% |
| Sampson County | 20.2% | 7.1% | 38.9% | 1.7% |
| Scotland County | 31.6% | 7.7% | 37.9% | 1.9% |
| Stanly County | 15.4% | 4.2% | 39.2% | 1.6% |
| Stokes County | 14.8% | 5.0% | 39.9% | 3.3% |
| Surry County | 19.5% | 6.5% | 40.2% | 3.2% |
| Swain County | 14.7% | 8.8% | 36.6% | 3.3% |
| Transylvania County | 11.3% | 4.2% | 49.9% | 2.0% |
| Tyrrell County | 27.3% | 7.4% | 57.2% | 2.7% |
| Union County | 7.6% | 3.3% | 27.9% | 1.4% |
| Vance County | 24.3% | 8.1% | 43.8% | 3.0% |
| Wake County | 6.2% | 2.4% | 22.1% | 1.2% |
| Warren County | 23.1% | 8.3% | 49.0% | 1.3% |
| Washington County | 33.9% | 13.2% | 51.0% | 3.1% |
| Watauga County | 7.5% | 2.3% | 32.1% | 1.8% |
| Wayne County | 19.6% | 6.8% | 35.9% | 2.0% |
| Wilkes County | 15.4% | 7.1% | 43.4% | 1.3% |
| Wilson County | 18.1% | 7.7% | 36.9% | 2.7% |
| Yadkin County | 14.3% | 6.1% | 40.3% | 2.2% |
| Yancey County | 13.8% | 4.7% | 47.1% | 2.1% |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the SNAP income limit in North Carolina?
- For 10/01/2026 to 09/30/2027, a household of one in North Carolina 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 North Carolina expand Medicaid?
- Yes. North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
- A household of four in North Carolina 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 North Carolina live below the poverty line?
- About 1,360,882 people in North Carolina, or 13.0% of residents, had incomes below the poverty level in the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.