Determine if your household income falls below or above the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Enter your household size and annual income.
Your results will appear here.
Understanding the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
The Federal Poverty Level (FPL) is a measure used by the U.S. government to determine eligibility for various federal programs and benefits. It is based on the Department of Health and Human Services' poverty guidelines, which are updated annually. These guidelines represent the minimum annual income considered necessary to meet basic needs.
How the FPL is Determined
The poverty guidelines are derived from the Department of Agriculture's Economy Food Plan, which calculates the cost of a minimally nutritious diet. This cost is then multiplied by three, assuming that food expenses account for one-third of a family's total necessary expenses. Adjustments are made for different household sizes, with each additional person increasing the poverty threshold by a set amount.
For example, in the contiguous United States for 2023, the poverty guideline for a single-person household was $14,580. For a family of four, it was $30,000. Alaska and Hawaii have separate, higher poverty guidelines due to their higher cost of living.
How This Calculator Works
This calculator simplifies the process of comparing your household's annual income against the relevant Federal Poverty Level. You simply need to provide two key pieces of information:
Household Size: The total number of people in your household.
Annual Household Income: The total gross income earned by all members of your household before taxes.
The calculator then compares your provided annual income to the official poverty guideline for your specified household size. It will indicate whether your income is above, below, or at the Federal Poverty Level.
Use Cases for the FPL Calculator
Knowing your FPL status is crucial for accessing a wide range of government assistance programs. These can include, but are not limited to:
Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance subsidies
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly food stamps
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
National School Lunch Program
Housing assistance programs
Child Care Assistance Programs
Eligibility for these programs is often specified as a percentage of the FPL (e.g., "138% of FPL" for Medicaid eligibility in many states). This calculator provides the baseline FPL figure, which you can then use to determine your eligibility against specific program requirements.
Disclaimer: The poverty guidelines used by this calculator are based on the most recently published figures by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. However, specific program eligibility criteria may vary by state and agency, and may use slightly different figures or adjustments. Always refer to the official guidelines or the administering agency for definitive eligibility information.
function calculateFPL() {
var householdSize = parseInt(document.getElementById("householdSize").value);
var annualIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("annualIncome").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
var comparisonDiv = document.getElementById("comparison");
// Base poverty guideline for 2023 in the contiguous US (for a household of 1)
// Source: https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines/prior-hhs-poverty-guidelines-federal-register-references/2023-poverty-guidelines
var baseGuideline = 14580; // For 1 person
var incrementPerPerson = 5100; // For each additional person
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(householdSize) || householdSize < 1) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter a valid household size (1 or more).";
comparisonDiv.innerHTML = "";
return;
}
if (isNaN(annualIncome) || annualIncome < 0) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter a valid annual income (0 or more).";
comparisonDiv.innerHTML = "";
return;
}
var fplAmount;
if (householdSize === 1) {
fplAmount = baseGuideline;
} else {
fplAmount = baseGuideline + (householdSize – 1) * incrementPerPerson;
}
var fplPercentage = (annualIncome / fplAmount) * 100;
var resultHTML = "";
var comparisonHTML = "";
if (fplPercentage < 100) {
resultHTML += "Your annual income of $" + annualIncome.toLocaleString() + " is below the Federal Poverty Level for a household of " + householdSize + ".";
comparisonHTML += "Below FPL";
comparisonDiv.className = "below-fpl";
} else if (fplPercentage === 100) {
resultHTML += "Your annual income of $" + annualIncome.toLocaleString() + " is at the Federal Poverty Level for a household of " + householdSize + ".";
comparisonHTML += "At FPL";
comparisonDiv.className = "at-fpl";
} else {
resultHTML += "Your annual income of $" + annualIncome.toLocaleString() + " is above the Federal Poverty Level for a household of " + householdSize + ".";
comparisonHTML += "Above FPL";
comparisonDiv.className = "above-fpl";
}
resultHTML += "";
comparisonHTML += " (" + fplPercentage.toFixed(1) + "% of FPL)";
comparisonHTML += "";
resultDiv.innerHTML = resultHTML;
comparisonDiv.innerHTML = comparisonHTML;
}