Income limit for Section 8 vouchers: what you need to know

Last updated 2026-07-10

What is the income limit for Section 8?

Your gross household income has to be at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the county or metro where you apply. HUD calls that the "low income" threshold. The real cutoff usually runs lower, because federal law tells housing authorities to hand at least 75% of all new vouchers to households at or below 30% of AMI, which HUD labels "extremely low income" ^[1].

Here's what that means in practice. You might qualify at 50% AMI and still sit on a waitlist for years while households under 30% AMI move ahead of you. Qualifying and getting a voucher fast are two different things.

The dollar amounts behind those percentages move every year. HUD publishes fresh figures each spring, usually March or April, and they take effect within days. A family of four in Des Moines gets a different limit than a family of four in San Francisco, because AMI itself is figured metro by metro from Census data ^[2].

Household size drives everything. HUD sets separate limits for 1-person households on up to 8-person households. A single adult and a family of four in the same city hit completely different ceilings, even though they're applying to the same housing choice voucher program.

How does HUD calculate area median income?

HUD starts with American Community Survey data from the Census Bureau, runs it through its own statistical models, and estimates the median family income (MFI) for every metro area and non-metro county in the country ^[2]. The Section 8 income limits come out as percentages of that number.

Three tiers matter for Section 8:

HUD Income Category	% of AMI	Who it affects
Extremely Low Income	30% AMI (or federal poverty level if higher)	Priority for 75% of new vouchers
Very Low Income	50% AMI	Maximum income to qualify for a voucher
Low Income	80% AMI	Used for some other HUD programs, not the voucher

For the 2024 income limits, HUD used a national median family income of $103,200 ^[3]. Local figures wander a long way from that. Rural counties land well below it. High-cost metros like San Jose or San Francisco sit far above.

HUD also puts a cap and a floor on the numbers so they don't whipsaw year to year. If AMI in an area drops, HUD won't let the limit fall below the prior year. If AMI spikes in a hot market, the limit can jump, which pulls more households onto the eligible list on paper. The waitlist reality doesn't budge much either way.

What are the 2024 Section 8 income limits by household size?

There's no single national table, because limits are local. What HUD publishes is the actual dollar figure for every geographic area. Below is a sample using the FY 2024 limits for a handful of places at the 50% AMI (Very Low Income) threshold, which is the maximum qualifying income for a voucher ^[3].

Area	1-person	2-person	4-person	6-person
Des Moines, IA metro	$34,050	$38,900	$48,650	$57,350
Chicago, IL metro	$42,100	$48,100	$60,100	$70,950
Los Angeles, CA metro	$47,050	$53,800	$67,200	$79,300
Rural Mississippi (non-metro)	$25,350	$28,950	$36,200	$42,700
San Jose, CA metro	$75,800	$86,600	$108,250	$127,750

Those are upper eligibility ceilings. The priority tier at 30% AMI runs at roughly 60% of these numbers. If you land between 30% and 50% AMI, you qualify, but you wait longer.

For your exact figures, go straight to the HUD Income Limits page at huduser.gov. Search by state, county, or metro. The tool shows every tier for every household size ^[3]. Skip the phone call to a housing authority just to read numbers. HUD posts them publicly.

Iowa Section 8 income limits: what's different in Iowa?

Iowa runs on the same HUD framework, but the numbers land lower than coastal metros because Iowa's AMI is lower. The Des Moines-West Des Moines metro had an FY 2024 median family income near $97,000, above the national median, so Des Moines limits actually top many rural Iowa counties ^[3].

Rural Iowa counties sit well below the urban centers on median family income. HUD sets non-metro county limits on their own, so a household in Wayne County or Appanoose County faces different thresholds than one in Polk County (Des Moines) or Johnson County (Iowa City).

Iowa's housing authority network runs through local PHAs like the Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency, the Iowa City Housing Authority, and county-level agencies. Each administers vouchers under HUD's income limits for its service area. Some Iowa PHAs keep waitlists closed. Others open on a schedule. Iowa-specific waitlist status gets fuller treatment on the open Section 8 waiting lists page.

The practical 50% AMI ceilings for Des Moines metro households in 2024 run around $34,050 for a single person and $48,650 for a family of four. Rural county limits can be 15% to 25% lower. Verify with the specific PHA or the HUD tool, because these shift every year.

Is there an income limit for Section 8 that's too low to count?

There's no minimum income to apply for a voucher. Zero income is fine. HUD counts all income sources, and zero is a valid number.

Once you hold a voucher and go to lease a unit, your rent contribution is 30% of your adjusted monthly income. If your income is truly zero, your share is zero, and the voucher covers the full rent up to the payment standard. In practice, some landlords screen for a minimum income even when a tenant holds a voucher, which is legal in most states. A handful of states have source-of-income protection laws that restrict it.

Very low or zero income doesn't disqualify you. The 30% AMI priority tier targets the lowest incomes in the area by design. The program was built for exactly this population.

What can disqualify you is non-income stuff: a criminal history involving drug-related or violent activity, being on a sex offender registry, an eviction from federally assisted housing for drug activity, or money owed to a PHA ^[4]. Those rules apply no matter your income.

Which income counts toward the Section 8 limit?

HUD spells out annual income for the voucher program in 24 CFR Part 5 ^[5]. The regulation defines income as "the anticipated gross income from all sources received by the family head and spouse and by each additional family member." Nearly everything counts.

What gets included:

• Wages, salaries, tips, and overtime (gross, before taxes)
• Social Security, SSI, and pension payments
• Unemployment compensation
• Alimony and child support (if regularly paid)
• Net income from a business or self-employment
• Interest, dividends, and rental income
• Regular payments from annuities or retirement accounts

What doesn't count:

• The earnings of a dependent child under 18
• Earned income tax credit payments (lump sum or advance)
• One-time gifts or inheritances
• Reimbursements for medical expenses
• Foster care payments for children
• Temporary income from training programs under certain conditions ^[5]

Housing authorities often verify income through HUD's Enterprise Income Verification system, which cross-checks employer records, Social Security, and other sources. Self-employment income needs documentation and still counts, usually as net profit after ordinary business expenses.

Income counts for the whole household, including adults who aren't listed as head of household. If an adult child lives in the unit and earns wages, those wages count toward the household total.

Do income limits change after you receive a voucher?

Yes, and it catches people off guard. Once you're housed, your rent contribution moves as your income moves, but you don't generally lose the voucher just because your income climbs past the initial eligibility limit.

The mechanics: your rent is 30% of your adjusted monthly income, after deductions. Income rises, your share rises, the subsidy shrinks. Eventually income can get high enough that the subsidy hits zero because you'd be paying the full rent yourself. At that point the PHA may end the voucher after proper notice, but it rarely happens on autopilot, because PHAs track it through annual recertifications.

Federal rules require PHAs to terminate assistance if a family's income has topped the applicable income limit for 24 consecutive months ^[6]. That threshold is the 80% AMI "low income" limit, not the 50% limit you cleared to apply. So there's real breathing room between qualifying income and the income that ends your voucher.

Annual recertification is how they catch it. Once a year you report all household income and family composition to the PHA, and they recalculate your rent share. Sit on an income increase and you can face repayment demands or termination.

How do deductions reduce the income that the PHA actually uses?

HUD's rules let you subtract several deductions from annual income to reach "adjusted income," and adjusted income is the figure that sets your rent share ^[5]. These deductions can pull your effective rent payment down.

The main ones under 24 CFR 5.611:

• $480 for each dependent (child under 18, full-time student, or person with disabilities)
• $400 for any elderly or disabled family, applied once per household
• Medical expenses above 3% of annual income (elderly or disabled households only)
• Disability assistance expenses, up to the amount by which those expenses let an adult family member work
• Childcare costs that let a family member work or attend school, capped at the income earned

The $480 dependent deduction and the $400 elderly/disabled deduction are flat. You get them whether or not you have big actual expenses. The medical and childcare deductions need documentation.

Run the math on a household of two adults and two kids with $30,000 in gross income. Two dependents give $960 in deductions, dropping adjusted income to $29,040. The monthly rent contribution runs about 30% of $29,040 divided by 12, roughly $726. Without the deductions it's around $750. Small here, but a household with several dependents or heavy medical costs can see a much bigger cut.

How do income limits compare to payment standards, and why does the difference matter?

Income limits and payment standards are two separate numbers, and people mix them up constantly. Both shape whether a voucher actually works.

The income limit decides whether you're eligible to apply. The payment standard is the top monthly rent (including utilities) the voucher will cover, set by the PHA between 90% and 110% of HUD's published Fair Market Rent (FMR) for the area ^[7].

Income below the limit means you qualify for a voucher. Finding an apartment is a separate fight. The voucher pays only up to the payment standard. If market rents in your area run above that standard, you cover the gap yourself, on top of your 30% income contribution. Plenty of voucher holders in expensive markets can't find units because landlords price above what the voucher covers.

Browse section 8 houses for rent to see what's actually listed in a market. The gap between payment standards and real rents is one of the program's stubborn problems, and income eligibility rules do nothing to close it.

HUD publishes FMRs each year too, usually in September for the coming fiscal year ^[7]. Payment standards, set locally by each PHA, follow the FMRs with a lag.

How to look up the income limit for your specific area

HUD's Income Limits Data tool is where to start, and it's free. Go to huduser.gov, find the Income Limits section, and pick the current fiscal year. Search by state, county, or metro. The tool returns a table with the extremely low, very low, and low income limits for every household size from one person to eight ^[3].

A few things to know while you're in there:

• The limit that governs your voucher application is the Very Low Income (50% AMI) column.
• The priority tier you're competing in is the Extremely Low Income (30% AMI) column.
• If you're looking at a metro area, the county you're applying in may sit inside that metro, so don't assume non-metro county limits apply.
• The year matters. Confirm you're reading the current fiscal year, not last year's data.

Local PHAs sometimes post income limits on their own sites, but HUD's tool is the authoritative source and updates faster. If you want help lining up documentation before you apply, VoucherReady's tenant tools walk you through the income verification checklist, so you're set the day a waitlist opens.

Want the bigger picture before applying? The housing section 8 program overview covers program basics alongside the income side of eligibility.

What happens if your income is over the limit when you're called from the waitlist?

Waitlists can run for years. Three to seven years is common in high-demand areas. Your income the day you applied might look nothing like your income the day the PHA reaches your name.

If your income tops the applicable limit when the PHA calls, they'll typically find you ineligible right then. You lose your spot. There's no way to "bank" an earlier, lower income for eligibility.

This is genuinely frustrating, and it happens. Someone applies when income is low, life improves, and the call arrives after the household earns too much. Your options are thin: decline the voucher, or, in some cases, get a short window to document your current income before a final call.

Some PHAs send periodic notices asking waitlist applicants to confirm they're still interested and update their contact info. Answer these. Ignore one and you can get dropped from the list entirely, separate from any income issue.

If your income swings (seasonal work, irregular gigs), the PHA looks at current annual income projected forward, more than last month's paycheck. Document income carefully and honestly. Misrepresenting income to hold eligibility is fraud, and it can bring repayment demands, termination, and federal prosecution.

Special circumstances: elderly, disabled, and mixed-status households

A few situations bend the standard income limit math in ways worth knowing.

Elderly households (head or spouse is 62 or older) and disabled households get the $400 annual income deduction already covered, plus the medical expense deduction when costs top 3% of gross income. For someone on a fixed Social Security check with heavy prescription or care costs, that can cut the effective income used to figure rent ^[5].

Mixed-immigration-status families, often called "mixed families," have some members with eligible immigration status and some without. HUD prorates the subsidy based on the share of the household that qualifies. If a two-parent, two-child family has one undocumented parent, the subsidy is prorated for three of the four members. The whole household's income still counts against the income limits, but the subsidy shrinks. It's a tangled calculation, and the specific rules live in 24 CFR 5.520 ^[8].

Live-in aides aren't counted as household members for income purposes in most cases. A live-in aide's income is excluded, and they don't add to the household size used to look up income limits ^[5].

Elderly applicants who need low income senior housing can also look at project-based programs with slightly different income rules. The voucher income limits in this article apply specifically to tenant-based Section 8 vouchers.

How landlords should think about income limits when screening voucher applicants

If you're a landlord weighing whether to accept Housing Choice Vouchers, income limits are mostly the PHA's problem, not yours. The PHA already verified that the voucher holder met the income limit before issuing the voucher. You don't re-verify eligibility.

What you're actually screening is the tenant's ability to pay their share, their rental history, and their fit as a tenant. The tenant's rent share is 30% of adjusted income, up to the gap between your asking rent and the voucher payment standard.

Landlords trip over minimum income rules that ignore the subsidy. A standard "three times the rent" requirement applied to the full rent effectively knocks out most voucher holders. In states and cities with source-of-income protection laws, that practice may break fair housing rules. About 20 states and many localities had such protections as of 2024, though the exact scope varies ^[9].

Deciding whether to list a property for the program? The rental assistance guide covers the landlord side, and VoucherReady's landlord kit includes a payment standard lookup, lease addendum templates, and a move-in checklist built for first-time voucher landlords.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an income limit for Section 8 that's too high to qualify?

Yes. The maximum income to qualify for a Housing Choice Voucher is 50% of Area Median Income (AMI) for your county or metro, which HUD calls the Very Low Income threshold. If your gross household income tops that limit, you're ineligible. The exact dollar amount depends on your location and household size. HUD publishes current limits at huduser.gov every year, usually in March or April.

What are the Section 8 income limits for a family of 4 in 2024?

There's no single answer, because limits vary by metro. For a family of four in 2024, the 50% AMI limit (the eligibility ceiling) runs from roughly $36,200 in low-income rural areas to over $108,000 in the San Jose, California metro. The Des Moines, Iowa metro lands around $48,650 for a family of four. Use HUD's Income Limits tool at huduser.gov for the exact figure in your area.

Can you make too little money to qualify for Section 8?

No. There's no minimum income requirement for the Section 8 voucher program. Zero income is fine. The program actually prioritizes households at or below 30% of AMI, which by definition includes people with very low or no income. Once you're housed, your rent contribution is 30% of adjusted income, so a household with zero income contributes zero toward rent.

Do Social Security and disability income count toward the Section 8 income limit?

Yes. Social Security retirement, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) all count as income under 24 CFR Part 5. Elderly and disabled households do get a $400 annual income deduction and can deduct unreimbursed medical expenses above 3% of gross income, which lowers the adjusted income used to figure rent.

What are Iowa Section 8 income limits for 2024?

Iowa limits vary by county. In the Des Moines metro, the 50% AMI limit for a single person is around $34,050 and about $48,650 for a family of four. Rural Iowa counties set limits lower, sometimes 15% to 25% below metro figures, because area median incomes are lower there. Check HUD's Income Limits tool at huduser.gov using your Iowa county name for exact 2024 figures.

How often do Section 8 income limits change?

HUD updates income limits every year, publishing new figures each spring, usually in March or April, for the new fiscal year. They take effect within days of publication. Because the underlying Area Median Income data changes each year, limits can go up or down. HUD applies a floor so limits don't fall below prior-year figures, but big increases are possible in fast-growing markets.

What happens if my income goes up after I get a Section 8 voucher?

Your rent contribution rises as your income rises, because you pay 30% of adjusted monthly income. You report changes at your annual recertification. You won't automatically lose the voucher, but federal rules let PHAs terminate assistance if household income has topped the 80% AMI limit for 24 consecutive months. That's a higher threshold than the 50% limit needed to qualify, so there's real room before a voucher ends.

Does child support count as income for Section 8 eligibility?

Yes, if it's regularly paid. HUD counts child support and alimony received as income under 24 CFR Part 5 when it's paid on a regular, recurring basis. Sporadic or inconsistently paid support may be handled differently by the PHA, but a court-ordered amount that's actively being received counts toward your household's annual income for eligibility and rent calculation.

Are income limits the same for tenant-based and project-based Section 8?

The same 50% AMI ceiling applies to both tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers and project-based Section 8 assistance. Both use HUD's annual income limit tables. Project-based programs may have slightly different local rules around priority tiers or preference categories. The core income thresholds come from the same HUD methodology for both.

Can I be on the Section 8 waitlist and have my income change before I'm called?

Yes, and it happens often, because waitlists can last years. If your income rises above the 50% AMI limit by the time the PHA calls, you'll be found ineligible and lose your place. There's no way to lock in earlier income for eligibility. If income swings (seasonal work, irregular employment), the PHA looks at projected annual income when it processes your application.

Do income limits differ for elderly or disabled households?

The same gross income thresholds apply: 50% AMI maximum, 30% AMI for priority. But elderly and disabled households benefit from larger deductions that reduce adjusted income, lowering the rent they actually pay. They get a $400 annual household deduction plus a medical expense deduction for costs above 3% of income. This doesn't change eligibility, but it does affect the rent calculation once you're housed.

How do I find out the exact income limit for my county?

Go to huduser.gov and use the Income Limits Data tool. Select your state, then your county or metro, and choose the current fiscal year. The table shows Extremely Low (30% AMI), Very Low (50% AMI), and Low (80% AMI) limits for household sizes from one to eight. The 50% AMI column is the one that matters for voucher eligibility. This is the authoritative source, updated annually.

Sources

1. HUD, Housing Choice Voucher Program Guidebook (Chapter 4, Eligibility): 75% of new vouchers must go to households at or below 30% of AMI (extremely low income); maximum eligibility is 50% AMI (very low income)
2. HUD User, Area Median Income and Income Limits Methodology: HUD uses American Community Survey data adjusted through its own models to estimate median family income for every metro area and non-metro county
3. HUD User, FY 2024 Income Limits Documentation: HUD used a national median family income of $103,200 for FY 2024 income limit calculations; local limits vary significantly by geography and household size
4. HUD, Public and Indian Housing Notice PIH 2012-18, Mandatory and Permissive Denials of Admission: Mandatory grounds for denial include being evicted from federally assisted housing for drug activity, being on a sex offender registry, and having engaged in certain drug or violent criminal activity
5. 24 CFR Part 5, Subpart F, Section 5.609 and 5.611, Annual Income and Allowances: Defines annual income broadly to include wages, Social Security, unemployment, and business income; specifies deductions including $480 per dependent, $400 for elderly/disabled household, medical expenses above 3% of income, and childcare costs
6. HUD, Housing Choice Voucher Program Guidebook, Chapter 12 (Terminations): PHAs may terminate assistance if a family's income has exceeded the applicable income limit for 24 consecutive months
7. HUD, Fair Market Rents Overview and Data: PHAs set payment standards between 90% and 110% of HUD's published Fair Market Rents; HUD publishes FMRs annually, usually in September
8. 24 CFR 5.520, Prorated Assistance for Mixed Families: For mixed-immigration-status families, HUD prorates the subsidy based on the share of family members with eligible immigration status
9. National Housing Law Project, Source of Income Discrimination Laws: Approximately 20 states and numerous localities have source-of-income protection laws that restrict landlords from refusing vouchers as of 2024
10. 42 U.S.C. 1437f, Housing Act of 1937, Section 8 Statutory Authority: Establishes the Housing Choice Voucher program and the statutory income eligibility framework including the very low income definition
11. HUD, HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research, Worst Case Housing Needs 2023 Report: Documents persistent gaps between voucher demand and supply, including the income distribution of unassisted worst-case needs households