What a family of 3 needs to earn (or earn less than)
For a family of three seeking rental assistance, the operative income ceiling depends on which program you're applying to. The 30% AMI ceiling — Extremely Low Income — is the qualifier for almost every priority program, including Emergency Housing Vouchers, permanent supportive housing through Continuum of Care, and the 75% set-aside HUD requires for new Section 8 admissions. The 50% AMI ceiling — Very Low Income — is the standard eligibility ceiling for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and most project-based Section 8 buildings. The 80% AMI ceiling — Low Income — covers Public Housing, HOME-funded programs, and most state-funded down-payment assistance.
The numbers vary by state because they're tied to local Area Median Income. Across the 50 states, the 50% AMI ceiling for a 3-person household ranges from $30,550 in Mississippi to $53,550 in Massachusetts. That spread of roughly 75% reflects how dramatically housing costs and median incomes vary across the country.
Bedroom needs for a family of three
HUD's occupancy guidelines work out to roughly two persons per bedroom (one of any age in the living room is acceptable), so a family of three typically rents a 2-bedroom. That matters for two reasons: most Section 8 vouchers issue at a specific bedroom size, and HUD's Fair Market Rent — the cap on the rent you can spend with a voucher — varies sharply by bedroom count. The Payment Standard most PHAs use is set between 90% and 110% of the FMR; check your local PHA's published Payment Standard for the exact figure they pay.
State-by-state income limits for a family of 3
The table below ranks all 50 states by the 50% AMI ceiling for a 3-person household. Click any state to see the full income-limit grid for that state, the largest PHAs, and a step-by-step application walkthrough.
| State | 4-person AMI | 30% AMI | 50% AMI | 80% AMI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $119,000 | $32,150 | $53,550 | $85,700 |
| Maryland | $114,800 | $31,000 | $51,650 | $82,650 |
| Virginia | $114,800 | $31,000 | $51,650 | $82,650 |
| New Hampshire | $113,500 | $30,650 | $51,100 | $81,700 |
| Hawaii | $110,900 | $29,950 | $49,900 | $79,850 |
| Minnesota | $110,800 | $29,900 | $49,850 | $79,800 |
| Delaware | $108,800 | $29,400 | $48,950 | $78,350 |
| New Jersey | $108,800 | $29,400 | $48,950 | $78,350 |
| Washington | $108,200 | $29,200 | $48,700 | $77,900 |
| Alaska | $106,900 | $28,850 | $48,100 | $76,950 |
| North Dakota | $105,000 | $28,350 | $47,250 | $75,600 |
| Utah | $104,900 | $28,300 | $47,200 | $75,550 |
| California | $104,500 | $28,200 | $47,050 | $75,250 |
| Connecticut | $104,500 | $28,200 | $47,050 | $75,250 |
| Rhode Island | $104,500 | $28,200 | $47,050 | $75,250 |
| Colorado | $104,300 | $28,150 | $46,950 | $75,100 |
| Vermont | $97,200 | $26,250 | $43,750 | $70,000 |
| Illinois | $96,900 | $26,150 | $43,600 | $69,750 |
| Wisconsin | $92,900 | $25,100 | $41,800 | $66,900 |
| Iowa | $92,800 | $25,050 | $41,750 | $66,800 |
| Oregon | $92,800 | $25,050 | $41,750 | $66,800 |
| Wyoming | $92,800 | $25,050 | $41,750 | $66,800 |
| Nevada | $91,200 | $24,600 | $41,050 | $65,650 |
| Nebraska | $91,100 | $24,600 | $41,000 | $65,600 |
| Maine | $89,500 | $24,150 | $40,300 | $64,450 |
| South Dakota | $89,500 | $24,150 | $40,300 | $64,450 |
| Kansas | $89,400 | $24,150 | $40,250 | $64,350 |
| New York | $89,400 | $24,150 | $40,250 | $64,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $89,400 | $24,150 | $40,250 | $64,350 |
| Montana | $87,900 | $23,750 | $39,550 | $63,300 |
| Texas | $87,800 | $23,700 | $39,500 | $63,200 |
| Arizona | $87,100 | $23,500 | $39,200 | $62,700 |
| Idaho | $87,100 | $23,500 | $39,200 | $62,700 |
| Indiana | $85,100 | $23,000 | $38,300 | $61,250 |
| Michigan | $84,300 | $22,750 | $37,950 | $60,700 |
| Missouri | $83,400 | $22,500 | $37,550 | $60,050 |
| Ohio | $83,400 | $22,500 | $37,550 | $60,050 |
| Tennessee | $83,400 | $22,500 | $37,550 | $60,050 |
| Georgia | $83,100 | $22,450 | $37,400 | $59,850 |
| South Carolina | $82,500 | $22,300 | $37,150 | $59,400 |
| North Carolina | $82,100 | $22,150 | $36,950 | $59,100 |
| Florida | $78,600 | $21,200 | $35,350 | $56,600 |
| Oklahoma | $78,500 | $21,200 | $35,350 | $56,500 |
| Alabama | $76,900 | $20,750 | $34,600 | $55,350 |
| Kentucky | $76,900 | $20,750 | $34,600 | $55,350 |
| Louisiana | $74,600 | $20,150 | $33,550 | $53,700 |
| New Mexico | $71,800 | $19,400 | $32,300 | $51,700 |
| Arkansas | $71,300 | $19,250 | $32,100 | $51,350 |
| West Virginia | $71,300 | $19,250 | $32,100 | $51,350 |
| Mississippi | $67,900 | $18,350 | $30,550 | $48,900 |
Programs a family of three typically qualifies for
A 3-person household at or below 50% of the local AMI is in the eligibility window for the most-used federal rental subsidies. The exact list depends on income tier:
- Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) — income cap ≤ 50% AMI. Tenant-based federal rental subsidy that lets eligible households rent privately-owned housing of their choice. The household pays roughly 30% of adjusted income toward rent, and the local PHA pays the difference up to a…
- Public Housing — income cap ≤ 80% AMI. Government-owned rental housing operated by local PHAs. About 970,000 units nationwide. Households pay roughly 30% of adjusted income; the PHA owns and maintains the building.…
- Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) — income cap ≤ 50% AMI. Subsidy attached to a specific apartment building rather than the household. Tenants apply directly to the property, pay roughly 30% of income, and lose the subsidy if they move.…
- Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) — income cap ≤ 60% AMI. The largest source of new affordable rental housing in the U.S. Owners receive federal tax credits in exchange for capping rents and reserving units for households at or below 50–60% of Area Median Income. Rents are flat…
- HOME Investment Partnerships Program — income cap ≤ 80% AMI. Federal block grant to state and local governments to fund affordable rental construction, rehabilitation, and tenant-based rental assistance. Programs vary by jurisdiction.…
- USDA Rural Development Section 521 — income cap ≤ 80% AMI. Rental assistance for tenants in USDA-financed (Section 515) rural rental properties. Households in eligible rural areas pay roughly 30% of income toward rent.…
- Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) — income cap ≤ 50% AMI. Created by the American Rescue Plan Act (2021) to help households fleeing domestic violence, experiencing homelessness, or at imminent risk of homelessness. Functions like a Section 8 voucher with priority referral throu…
- Continuum of Care (CoC) — income cap ≤ 30% AMI. HUD's primary homeless assistance program. Funds permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, and transitional housing through local Continuums of Care.…
- Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly — income cap ≤ 50% AMI. Subsidized housing for very-low-income households where at least one member is 62+. Properties combine affordable rents with supportive services such as transportation and case management.…
- Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities — income cap ≤ 30% AMI. Affordable housing for very-low-income adults with disabilities. Includes both project-based units and tenant-based subsidies through state housing agencies.…
- HUD-VASH (Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) — income cap ≤ 50% AMI. Section 8 vouchers paired with VA case management for homeless veterans. Referrals come through the local VA Medical Center.…
- Family Unification Program (FUP) — income cap ≤ 50% AMI. Section 8 vouchers for families where the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in foster care placement, and for youth aging out of foster care between 18 and 24.…
How HUD calculates household size
HUD counts everyone who will live in the unit, including unborn children, foster children, adopted children, and live-in aides (the live-in aide does not count for income purposes, but does count for unit size). Adult children temporarily away at college usually still count as part of the household. Members of the armed forces deployed away count if they are expected to return. Joint-custody children count for the parent in whose household they spend more than half the time.
Family-size adjustment factors are fixed nationwide. Starting from the 4-person figure, HUD applies 70% for a 1-person household, 80% for 2 people, 90% for 3 people, 108% for 5 people, 116% for 6 people, 124% for 7 people, and 132% for 8 people. For households larger than 8, HUD adds 8 percentage points per additional person.
What you do next
If your income falls below the 50% AMI ceiling for your state in the table above, you're in the eligibility window for a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and most other federal programs. The next step is to find a PHA whose waiting list is open. Use the income calculator to confirm your AMI tier exactly, then open your state's page above to see the largest PHAs and their current waiting list status. Read how to apply for the standard PHA application process and about waiting lists for what to do when every list near you is closed.