The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released on May 1, 2026, the official 2026 HUD median family income limits. These determine eligibility for HUD-assisted programs and low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) properties for the year.

The average annual change in the limit across HUD areas is 3.4%. Any certification that was fully signed by residents and owners prior to 5/1 can remain as is. Any certification after 5/1 should be regenerated to display the correct income limits.

Applicable programs include Public Housing, project-based Section 8, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly, Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities, and Section 236.

HUD develops annual income limits based on Median Family Income estimates and Fair Market Rent area definitions. Income limits are also adjusted according to family size and in areas with unusually high or low incomes relative to housing costs.

Income limits are percentages of median family income, which varies on geography and household size. Revised income limits do not impact the eligibility of in-place residents, but certain HUD-assisted properties must use the new limits with new move-ins (and initial certifications) of residents, effective May 1, 2026.

The most important statutory definitions relating to income limits are as follows:

• “Extremely low-income family” is defined as a very-low income family whose income does not exceed the higher of the poverty guidelines or 30% of the median family income for the area;
• “Very low-income family” is defined as low-income families whose incomes do not exceed 50% of the median family income for the area; and
• “Low-income family” is defined as those families whose incomes do not exceed 80% of the median family income for the area.

The Fiscal Year 2024 income limits are also used in programs run by agencies such as the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Agriculture (rural housing), and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). Community planning and development programs, as well as HOME investments, also rely on HUD income limits in their administration. HUD also develops Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project income limits that determine eligibility for Low Income Housing Tax Credit-financed properties.

Fair Market Rent Corrections

Separately from the 2026 Income Limits, HUD published a notice in the Federal Register updating fiscal year (FY) 2026 fair market rents (FMRs) for seven areas, effective May 21, 2026.

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are used to determine payment standard amounts for the Housing Choice Voucher program, initial renewal rents for some expiring project-based Section 8 contracts, initial rents for housing assistance payment (HAP) contracts in the Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy program (Mod Rehab), rent ceilings for rental units in both the HOME Investment Partnerships program and the Emergency Solutions Grants program, maximum award amounts for Continuum of Care recipients and the maximum amount of rent a recipient may pay for property leased with Continuum of Care funds, and flat rents in Public Housing units.

HUD updated FMRs for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, California, HUD Metro FMR Area; the Napa, California, metropolitan statistical area (MSA); the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, California, MSA; the Asheville, North Carolina, HUD Metro FMR Area; Transylvania County, North Carolina; the Albany, Oregon, MSA; and the Corvallis, Oregon, MSA.

The adjusted FMRs are in response to a Federal Register notice published Aug. 22, 2025, that requested public comments on the FY 2026 FMRs, to which commenters requested FMR reevaluations.

HUD’s FMRs are available here.