California Income Limits FY2026
HUD sets income limits for each California area every year to determine who qualifies for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing, and other federal housing assistance. The table below shows the FY2026 thresholds at 30%, 50%, and 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) for a four-person household in every California HUD area. Select an area for the full breakdown by household size, including the 60% AMI tier used for LIHTC housing.
| Area | Median Income | 30% AMI (4p) | 50% AMI (4p) | 80% AMI (4p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine County, CA | $124,800 | $37,450 | $62,400 | $99,850 |
| Amador County, CA | $110,500 | $33,150 | $55,250 | $88,400 |
| Bakersfield, CA MSA | $81,900 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Bakersfield, CA MSA | $81,900 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Calaveras County, CA | $102,600 | $33,000 | $51,300 | $82,100 |
| Chico, CA MSA | $89,400 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Chico, CA MSA | $89,400 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Colusa County, CA | $91,400 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Del Norte County, CA | $91,300 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| El Centro, CA MSA | $75,500 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| El Centro, CA MSA | $75,500 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Fresno, CA MSA | $91,300 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Fresno, CA MSA | $91,300 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Glenn County, CA | $84,100 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA MSA | $84,900 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA MSA | $84,900 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Humboldt County, CA | $85,700 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Inyo County, CA | $96,300 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Lake County, CA | $72,400 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Lassen County, CA | $86,200 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $108,100 | $50,000 | $83,300 | $133,250 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $108,100 | $50,000 | $83,300 | $133,250 |
| Madera County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $82,200 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Madera, CA MSA | $82,200 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Mariposa County, CA | $95,600 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Mendocino County, CA | $99,100 | $33,000 | $49,900 | $79,850 |
| Merced, CA MSA | $75,800 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Merced, CA MSA | $75,800 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Modesto, CA MSA | $94,600 | $33,000 | $51,250 | $82,000 |
| Modesto, CA MSA | $94,600 | $33,000 | $51,250 | $82,000 |
| Modoc County, CA | $75,300 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Mono County, CA | $120,400 | $33,700 | $56,150 | $89,850 |
| Napa, CA MSA | $165,400 | $52,900 | $88,150 | $140,950 |
| Napa, CA MSA | $165,400 | $52,900 | $88,150 | $140,950 |
| Nevada County, CA | $140,400 | $37,550 | $62,550 | $100,100 |
| Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $162,800 | $50,900 | $84,850 | $135,750 |
| Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $162,800 | $50,900 | $84,850 | $135,750 |
| Oakland-Fremont, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $162,800 | $50,900 | $84,850 | $135,750 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA | $135,600 | $47,100 | $78,500 | $125,600 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA | $135,600 | $47,100 | $78,500 | $125,600 |
| Plumas County, CA | $93,500 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Redding, CA MSA | $97,100 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Redding, CA MSA | $97,100 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA | $106,500 | $36,900 | $61,500 | $98,400 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA | $106,500 | $36,900 | $61,500 | $98,400 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA | $106,500 | $36,900 | $61,500 | $98,400 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $124,000 | $39,400 | $65,700 | $105,100 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $124,000 | $39,400 | $65,700 | $105,100 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $124,000 | $39,400 | $65,700 | $105,100 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $124,000 | $39,400 | $65,700 | $105,100 |
| Salinas, CA MSA | $110,500 | $46,900 | $78,200 | $125,100 |
| Salinas, CA MSA | $110,500 | $46,900 | $78,200 | $125,100 |
| San Benito County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $121,800 | $44,050 | $73,450 | $117,600 |
| San Benito County, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $121,800 | $44,050 | $73,450 | $117,600 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA MSA | $130,900 | $52,450 | $87,450 | $139,900 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA MSA | $130,900 | $52,450 | $87,450 | $139,900 |
| San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $200,800 | $63,050 | $105,050 | $168,100 |
| San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $200,800 | $63,050 | $105,050 | $168,100 |
| San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $200,800 | $63,050 | $105,050 | $168,100 |
| San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $200,800 | $63,050 | $105,050 | $168,100 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $205,500 | $61,650 | $102,750 | $162,400 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $205,500 | $61,650 | $102,750 | $162,400 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA MSA | $129,600 | $45,850 | $76,450 | $122,400 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA MSA | $129,600 | $45,850 | $76,450 | $122,400 |
| Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $138,600 | $55,850 | $93,050 | $148,850 |
| Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $138,600 | $55,850 | $93,050 | $148,850 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA | $137,200 | $65,250 | $108,750 | $174,550 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA MSA | $137,200 | $65,250 | $108,750 | $174,550 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA | $118,600 | $54,650 | $91,050 | $145,700 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA | $118,600 | $54,650 | $91,050 | $145,700 |
| Santa Rosa, CA MSA | $133,400 | $49,450 | $82,400 | $131,850 |
| Santa Rosa, CA MSA | $133,400 | $49,450 | $82,400 | $131,850 |
| Sierra County, CA | $88,000 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Siskiyou County, CA | $78,500 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA | $108,100 | $33,000 | $54,050 | $86,500 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA | $108,100 | $33,000 | $54,050 | $86,500 |
| Tehama County, CA | $86,500 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Trinity County, CA | $79,200 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Tuolumne County, CA | $102,200 | $33,000 | $51,100 | $81,750 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA MSA | $120,300 | $39,200 | $65,300 | $104,500 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA MSA | $120,300 | $39,200 | $65,300 | $104,500 |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA MSA | $76,400 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA MSA | $76,400 | $33,000 | $48,550 | $77,700 |
| Yolo, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $129,600 | $38,900 | $64,800 | $103,700 |
| Yolo, CA HUD Metro FMR Area | $129,600 | $38,900 | $64,800 | $103,700 |
| Yuba City, CA MSA | $101,900 | $33,000 | $50,950 | $81,500 |
| Yuba City, CA MSA | $101,900 | $33,000 | $50,950 | $81,500 |
| Yuba City, CA MSA | $101,900 | $33,000 | $50,950 | $81,500 |
Understanding California income limits
Income limits vary widely across California because each one is tied to its local area median income, not a single statewide figure. A household that earns too much to qualify in a lower-cost rural county may still qualify in a higher-cost metro. HUD publishes new limits each spring, and they take effect for the federal fiscal year.
- 30% AMI (Extremely Low Income) — the threshold for the highest-priority Section 8 and public housing waitlists.
- 50% AMI (Very Low Income) — the standard eligibility ceiling for the Housing Choice Voucher program.
- 80% AMI (Low Income) — used for many affordable-housing and HOME-funded programs.
The figures above are for a four-person household. Limits scale by household size — roughly 70% of the four-person figure for a single person, rising to about 132% for an eight-person household. Open any area for the complete household-size table and the 60% AMI tier.