Free · HUD's 2026 figures
Free lookup · fiscal year 2026
HUD's limits took effect May 1, 2026. Nothing you enter here is saved or sent anywhere.
Choose a state, county and household size to see the limits.
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California · fiscal year 2026
Each row is a HUD income limit area and the counties it covers. Limits are yearly household income before taxes, and they took effect May 1, 2026. Use the lookup above for 5 to 8 person households and the low income (80%) limit.
| Area and counties covered | Very low income (50%), by household size | Extremely low income | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people | 1 person | 4 people | |
| Alpine County, CAAlpine County | $43,700 | $49,950 | $56,200 | $62,400 | $26,250 | $37,450 |
| Amador County, CAAmador County | $38,700 | $44,200 | $49,750 | $55,250 | $23,250 | $33,150 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSAKern County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Calaveras County, CACalaveras County | $35,950 | $41,050 | $46,200 | $51,300 | $21,600 | $33,000 |
| Chico, CA MSAButte County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Colusa County, CAColusa County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Del Norte County, CADel Norte County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| El Centro, CA MSAImperial County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR AreaFresno County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Glenn County, CAGlenn County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA MSAKings County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Humboldt County, CAHumboldt County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Inyo County, CAInyo County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Lake County, CALake County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Lassen County, CALassen County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR AreaLos Angeles County | $58,300 | $66,650 | $74,950 | $83,300 | $35,000 | $50,000 |
| Madera County, CA HUD Metro FMR AreaMadera County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Mariposa County, CAMariposa County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Mendocino County, CAMendocino County | $34,950 | $39,950 | $44,950 | $49,900 | $21,000 | $33,000 |
| Merced, CA MSAMerced County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Modesto, CA MSAStanislaus County | $35,900 | $41,000 | $46,150 | $51,250 | $21,550 | $33,000 |
| Modoc County, CAModoc County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Mono County, CAMono County | $39,250 | $44,900 | $50,450 | $56,150 | $23,600 | $33,700 |
| Napa, CA MSANapa County | $61,700 | $70,500 | $79,350 | $88,150 | $37,050 | $52,900 |
| Nevada County, CANevada County | $43,800 | $50,050 | $56,300 | $62,550 | $26,300 | $37,550 |
| Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR AreaAlameda County, Contra Costa County | $59,400 | $67,900 | $76,400 | $84,850 | $35,650 | $50,900 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSAVentura County | $54,950 | $62,800 | $70,650 | $78,500 | $33,000 | $47,100 |
| Plumas County, CAPlumas County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Redding, CA MSAShasta County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSARiverside County, San Bernardino County | $43,050 | $49,200 | $55,350 | $61,500 | $25,850 | $36,900 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR AreaEl Dorado County, Placer County, Sacramento County | $46,000 | $52,600 | $59,150 | $65,700 | $27,600 | $39,400 |
| Salinas, CA MSAMonterey County | $54,750 | $62,600 | $70,400 | $78,200 | $32,850 | $46,900 |
| San Benito County, CA HUD Metro FMR AreaSan Benito County | $51,450 | $58,750 | $66,150 | $73,450 | $30,850 | $44,050 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSASan Diego County | $61,250 | $70,000 | $78,750 | $87,450 | $36,750 | $52,450 |
| San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR AreaMarin County, San Francisco County, San Mateo County | $73,550 | $84,050 | $94,550 | $105,050 | $44,150 | $63,050 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR AreaSanta Clara County | $71,950 | $82,200 | $92,500 | $102,750 | $43,200 | $61,650 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSASan Luis Obispo County | $53,500 | $61,150 | $68,800 | $76,450 | $32,100 | $45,850 |
| Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA HUD Metro FMR AreaOrange County | $65,150 | $74,450 | $83,750 | $93,050 | $39,100 | $55,850 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSASanta Cruz County | $76,150 | $87,000 | $97,900 | $108,750 | $45,700 | $65,250 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSASanta Barbara County | $63,750 | $72,850 | $81,950 | $91,050 | $38,300 | $54,650 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSASonoma County | $57,700 | $65,950 | $74,200 | $82,400 | $34,650 | $49,450 |
| Sierra County, CASierra County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Siskiyou County, CASiskiyou County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA MSASan Joaquin County | $37,850 | $43,250 | $48,650 | $54,050 | $22,750 | $33,000 |
| Tehama County, CATehama County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Trinity County, CATrinity County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Tuolumne County, CATuolumne County | $35,800 | $40,900 | $46,000 | $51,100 | $21,500 | $33,000 |
| Vallejo, CA MSASolano County | $45,750 | $52,250 | $58,800 | $65,300 | $27,450 | $39,200 |
| Visalia, CA MSATulare County | $34,000 | $38,850 | $43,700 | $48,550 | $20,450 | $33,000 |
| Yolo, CA HUD Metro FMR AreaYolo County | $45,400 | $51,850 | $58,350 | $64,800 | $27,250 | $38,900 |
| Yuba City, CA MSASutter County, Yuba County | $35,700 | $40,800 | $45,900 | $50,950 | $21,400 | $33,000 |
KPCB Edge is an independent publisher, not a government agency. Your housing agency may cover more than one area and only it can decide whether you qualify.
Next steps
Good to know
It depends on where in California you live, because HUD sets a separate limit for each of its 51 income limit areas. For a family of four, the very low income limit ranges from $48,550 (Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA) to $108,750 (Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA). Smaller and larger households have lower and higher limits; the lookup above shows each size.
No. Places in the same HUD area share a limit, but different areas do not. Area median family income in California ranges from $72,400 to $205,500, and the limits follow it.
Most new voucher families must be very low income, which is at or below 50% of the area median income. Extremely low income families get priority: by law, 75% of the families a housing agency admits each year must be extremely low income. A family at the low income level (up to about 80%) can qualify only in a few situations.
You apply to a local public housing agency, not to HUD. Find agencies near you in HUD's PHA contact directory, check whether each one's voucher list is open, and apply to more than one if you can. Applying is always free.
Gross. Your agency compares your yearly income before deductions with the limit. Deductions, such as for children or child care, are used afterward to work out your share of the rent.
Other states
Sources