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Benefits in Ohio
2026 income limits and how to apply for SNAP, WIC, Medicaid and other help in Ohio. 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
- 1,529,692
- 13.3% of residents (ACS 2020-2024)
- Median household income
- $71,389
- 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 Ohio
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 Ohio
Medicaid adult limit is 138%. LIHEAP shows the federal maximum; Ohio 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 Ohio
Official finders that list the agency for your state
- State agencies
- Ohio 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 Ohio
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 | 20.7% | 5.9% | 39.6% | 3.0% |
| Allen County | 13.8% | 7.4% | 35.5% | 2.4% |
| Ashland County | 8.9% | 5.0% | 35.0% | 1.9% |
| Ashtabula County | 18.2% | 6.0% | 39.5% | 2.4% |
| Athens County | 14.4% | 7.5% | 27.0% | 3.0% |
| Auglaize County | 6.8% | 4.9% | 33.5% | 2.1% |
| Belmont County | 15.2% | 8.7% | 38.7% | 2.3% |
| Brown County | 16.9% | 8.0% | 36.9% | 2.3% |
| Butler County | 9.8% | 4.5% | 29.9% | 2.3% |
| Carroll County | 12.0% | 7.6% | 39.5% | 2.4% |
| Champaign County | 10.2% | 5.6% | 36.0% | 1.9% |
| Clark County | 18.0% | 7.4% | 37.5% | 3.7% |
| Clermont County | 7.9% | 5.2% | 33.1% | 2.2% |
| Clinton County | 11.3% | 4.7% | 34.3% | 1.6% |
| Columbiana County | 15.2% | 7.3% | 38.0% | 2.3% |
| Coshocton County | 18.3% | 7.0% | 38.2% | 2.6% |
| Crawford County | 13.8% | 6.4% | 37.5% | 2.4% |
| Cuyahoga County | 16.3% | 6.7% | 31.8% | 2.8% |
| Darke County | 8.1% | 5.8% | 37.5% | 2.2% |
| Defiance County | 9.3% | 4.9% | 36.4% | 1.7% |
| Delaware County | 3.6% | 2.4% | 24.9% | 1.1% |
| Erie County | 11.4% | 4.7% | 37.9% | 2.8% |
| Fairfield County | 9.1% | 5.1% | 30.8% | 2.0% |
| Fayette County | 14.3% | 7.9% | 37.5% | 1.6% |
| Franklin County | 10.9% | 4.8% | 22.2% | 1.7% |
| Fulton County | 9.6% | 5.0% | 35.3% | 2.3% |
| Gallia County | 19.0% | 7.9% | 41.2% | 2.3% |
| Geauga County | 4.4% | 3.7% | 36.4% | 1.8% |
| Greene County | 7.7% | 3.8% | 30.9% | 1.8% |
| Guernsey County | 17.1% | 8.0% | 34.9% | 2.3% |
| Hamilton County | 12.2% | 5.0% | 28.0% | 2.4% |
| Hancock County | 9.0% | 3.7% | 33.3% | 1.2% |
| Hardin County | 12.4% | 5.4% | 31.0% | 2.4% |
| Harrison County | 13.6% | 7.2% | 39.5% | 1.0% |
| Henry County | 6.1% | 3.6% | 35.0% | 1.5% |
| Highland County | 15.1% | 7.2% | 36.8% | 2.9% |
| Hocking County | 16.6% | 6.5% | 36.9% | 2.5% |
| Holmes County | 4.8% | 3.1% | 25.2% | 1.5% |
| Huron County | 11.3% | 5.2% | 36.9% | 2.5% |
| Jackson County | 20.0% | 8.0% | 38.7% | 3.6% |
| Jefferson County | 16.6% | 7.6% | 39.6% | 2.5% |
| Knox County | 10.5% | 4.5% | 34.3% | 1.7% |
| Lake County | 7.5% | 3.7% | 35.1% | 2.0% |
| Lawrence County | 21.0% | 8.2% | 40.0% | 3.1% |
| Licking County | 11.9% | 6.5% | 33.5% | 2.1% |
| Logan County | 11.3% | 4.1% | 35.6% | 2.7% |
| Lorain County | 11.4% | 5.4% | 34.9% | 2.8% |
| Lucas County | 16.4% | 6.5% | 31.3% | 3.2% |
| Madison County | 9.7% | 4.1% | 31.0% | 2.2% |
| Mahoning County | 19.0% | 7.3% | 39.0% | 3.0% |
| Marion County | 17.0% | 7.4% | 38.0% | 2.9% |
| Medina County | 6.5% | 3.2% | 33.1% | 1.5% |
| Meigs County | 25.1% | 10.0% | 43.2% | 2.9% |
| Mercer County | 6.8% | 3.7% | 33.3% | 0.8% |
| Miami County | 7.7% | 5.6% | 34.9% | 2.7% |
| Monroe County | 13.4% | 5.9% | 37.4% | 2.4% |
| Montgomery County | 13.5% | 5.1% | 31.9% | 2.2% |
| Morgan County | 16.4% | 6.0% | 43.1% | 4.1% |
| Morrow County | 11.8% | 6.6% | 34.1% | 2.9% |
| Muskingum County | 19.3% | 5.9% | 37.1% | 2.7% |
| Noble County | 9.9% | 1.9% | 55.1% | 2.2% |
| Ottawa County | 7.8% | 4.0% | 41.3% | 1.5% |
| Paulding County | 11.5% | 6.2% | 37.1% | 1.7% |
| Perry County | 15.9% | 8.2% | 35.8% | 3.5% |
| Pickaway County | 12.0% | 5.4% | 32.2% | 2.3% |
| Pike County | 23.8% | 10.5% | 38.3% | 3.3% |
| Portage County | 10.2% | 4.0% | 34.5% | 2.0% |
| Preble County | 10.2% | 4.7% | 37.6% | 2.7% |
| Putnam County | 6.8% | 4.0% | 34.8% | 1.0% |
| Richland County | 14.8% | 6.8% | 38.1% | 2.9% |
| Ross County | 16.5% | 8.7% | 36.4% | 2.2% |
| Sandusky County | 13.5% | 5.9% | 37.4% | 2.1% |
| Scioto County | 22.6% | 9.3% | 41.2% | 3.3% |
| Seneca County | 13.5% | 6.3% | 36.1% | 3.1% |
| Shelby County | 8.8% | 5.3% | 33.6% | 2.5% |
| Stark County | 12.7% | 6.1% | 35.1% | 3.3% |
| Summit County | 14.1% | 5.2% | 32.5% | 4.4% |
| Trumbull County | 14.0% | 7.0% | 39.6% | 2.6% |
| Tuscarawas County | 14.1% | 6.6% | 35.5% | 2.1% |
| Union County | 4.9% | 2.3% | 25.5% | 1.2% |
| Van Wert County | 7.5% | 5.7% | 33.6% | 0.7% |
| Vinton County | 20.9% | 11.3% | 37.6% | 4.8% |
| Warren County | 4.6% | 3.5% | 28.7% | 1.4% |
| Washington County | 13.5% | 5.3% | 37.8% | 1.7% |
| Wayne County | 8.2% | 4.4% | 33.7% | 1.7% |
| Williams County | 14.2% | 4.9% | 36.3% | 2.1% |
| Wood County | 6.9% | 3.9% | 27.9% | 1.7% |
| Wyandot County | 8.4% | 4.7% | 36.1% | 3.8% |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the SNAP income limit in Ohio?
- For 10/01/2026 to 09/30/2027, a household of one in Ohio 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 Ohio expand Medicaid?
- Yes. Ohio 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 Ohio?
- A household of four in Ohio 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 Ohio live below the poverty line?
- About 1,529,692 people in Ohio, or 13.3% of residents, had incomes below the poverty level in the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.