United States · Texas · HUD income limits
Texas Section 8 income limits 2026.
HUD’s FY 2026 income limits for all 254 Texas counties, the three HUD bands and what each one is used for, with a lookup by county and household size.
Short answer: HUD’s FY 2026 income limits, with data effective May 1, 2026, set three bands for each Texas county or metro area: extremely low income (30% of area median, with the poverty guideline as a floor), very low income (50%) and low income (80%). In Harris County (Houston area), where the area median family income is $104,000, a household of four is extremely low income at or below $33,000, very low income at or below $52,000 and low income at or below $83,200. Housing Choice Voucher applicants are generally screened at the 50% limit. Texas medians run from $38,700 (Starr County) to $144,200 (Glasscock County, Glasscock County, TX).
Look up a Texas county
Result
Press Calculate to see the three limits for that county.
The largest Texas counties, FY 2026
HUD sets limits by metropolitan area or non-metropolitan county, so every county in a metro area shares one set of figures. The twelve counties below cover the Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso and Rio Grande Valley areas; the lookup above holds all 254 counties.
| County | HUD area | Median family income | ELI, 1 person | VLI, 1 person | LI, 1 person | ELI, 4 people | VLI, 4 people | LI, 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $104,000 | $21,850 | $36,400 | $58,250 | $33,000 | $52,000 | $83,200 |
| Dallas | Dallas, TX | $121,100 | $25,450 | $42,400 | $67,850 | $36,350 | $60,550 | $96,900 |
| Tarrant | Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $110,300 | $23,200 | $38,650 | $61,800 | $33,100 | $55,150 | $88,250 |
| Bexar | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $100,600 | $21,150 | $35,250 | $56,350 | $33,000 | $50,300 | $80,500 |
| Travis | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $134,400 | $28,250 | $47,050 | $74,800 | $40,300 | $67,200 | $106,800 |
| Collin | Dallas, TX | $121,100 | $25,450 | $42,400 | $67,850 | $36,350 | $60,550 | $96,900 |
| Denton | Dallas, TX | $121,100 | $25,450 | $42,400 | $67,850 | $36,350 | $60,550 | $96,900 |
| Hidalgo | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $64,000 | $17,600 | $29,300 | $46,900 | $33,000 | $41,850 | $66,950 |
| El Paso | El Paso, TX | $73,400 | $17,600 | $29,300 | $46,900 | $33,000 | $41,850 | $66,950 |
| Fort Bend | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $104,000 | $21,850 | $36,400 | $58,250 | $33,000 | $52,000 | $83,200 |
| Montgomery | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $104,000 | $21,850 | $36,400 | $58,250 | $33,000 | $52,000 | $83,200 |
| Williamson | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $134,400 | $28,250 | $47,050 | $74,800 | $40,300 | $67,200 | $106,800 |
What the three bands mean
HUD’s very low income limit is 50% of the area median family income, adjusted for household size. The extremely low income limit is 30% of median, but HUD will not set it below the poverty guideline for the household size, which is why the 4-person extremely low limit is $33,000 in many Texas counties: that is the 2026 poverty guideline for four, and it exceeds 30% of the local median. The low income limit is 80% of median. HUD also caps year-over-year changes, which is why some counties’ limits do not track their medians exactly. The published file runs from 1 to 8 persons; HUD’s methodology adds 8% of the 4-person limit for each person above eight, but this page shows only the published figures.
Which limit applies to you
The Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8 vouchers) and public housing generally admit households at or below the very low income limit, and public housing agencies must give at least 75% of new vouchers to extremely low income households. The low income limit is used for other HUD programs such as HOME and CDBG and for some project-based housing. The limits are on gross annual income; HUD then applies deductions to work out the tenant’s share of rent, which the linked deductions calculator covers. Local agencies may add preferences and keep waiting lists closed, so meeting the limit does not mean a voucher is available.
Worked examples
A family of four in Harris County with $50,000 of gross yearly income: the limits are $33,000, $52,000 and $83,200, so $50,000 is very low income (above 30%, at or below the 50% limit), about 48.1% of the area median of $104,000 (derived). The family is within the voucher screening limit.
One person in Anderson County, a non-metropolitan county with a median of $78,300, earning $20,000: the limits are $17,600, $29,300 and $46,900, so $20,000 is very low income (above 30%, at or below the 50% limit). The one-person extremely low limit there, $17,600, is above the one-person poverty guideline of $15,960, so the 30% rule rather than the floor set it.
Method
The county rows were taken from HUD USER’s FY 2026 Section 8 income limits data file, which HUD lists with data effective May 1, 2026, read on November 11, 2026. The lookup shows the published limits for the county and household size and, if you enter an income, says which band it falls in and divides it by the area median for context. It does not apply HUD’s deductions, local preferences, or the rules for households above eight people.
What this does not cover
- Fair market rents and payment standards, which decide how much rent a voucher covers.
- Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties, which use HUD’s separate multifamily tax subsidy income limits.
- FY 2027 limits, which HUD usually publishes in the spring.
- Whether a Texas housing authority’s waiting list is open.
Figures read from the sources below on November 11, 2026. Last updated November 11, 2026.
Sources
- HUD USER: Income Limits (FY 2026 Section 8 data effective May 1, 2026; documentation and FAQs) (retrieved November 11, 2026)
- HHS ASPE: 2026 poverty guidelines (the floor for extremely low income limits) (retrieved November 11, 2026)
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedSection 8 has one income limit for all of Texas.
What the source saysHUD sets limits for each metropolitan area and non-metropolitan county, so Harris County and Anderson County have different figures in the FY 2026 file. [1]
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Often assumedThe extremely low income limit is always 30% of the area median.
What the source saysHUD’s FAQ explains that the extremely low limit is tied to the very low limit and the poverty guideline, so in many counties the 4-person figure is the $33,000 poverty guideline rather than 30% of median. [1]
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Often assumedIncome limits change every January.
What the source saysHUD’s FY 2026 Section 8 limits are listed with data effective May 1, 2026; the prior year’s took effect April 1, 2025. [1]
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Often assumedBeing under the limit means a voucher is available.
What the source saysThe limits decide who may be admitted; housing agencies run waiting lists and preferences, and HUD caps annual changes to the limits themselves. [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
What are the Section 8 income limits in Texas for 2026?
They vary by county. HUD’s FY 2026 file sets, for example, Harris County at $33,000 extremely low, $52,000 very low and $83,200 low income for a household of four; use the lookup for your county.
Which limit is used for a Housing Choice Voucher?
Generally the very low income limit (50% of area median), with at least 75% of new vouchers going to extremely low income households.
Why is the 4-person extremely low limit $33,000 in so many counties?
HUD will not set the extremely low limit below the poverty guideline, and $33,000 is the 2026 guideline for four people.
When did the FY 2026 limits take effect?
HUD lists the FY 2026 Section 8 data as effective May 1, 2026.
Are the limits before or after deductions?
Before. The limits are on gross annual income; HUD’s deductions apply afterwards to set the tenant’s rent share.
What about households larger than 8?
The published file stops at 8. HUD’s methodology adds 8% of the 4-person limit per extra person; this page shows only published figures.
Do all counties in a metro area share the same limits?
Yes. Each county in a HUD metro area, such as Dallas, Collin and Denton in the Dallas HUD Metro FMR Area, uses the area’s figures.
Is anything sent to your servers?
No. The lookup runs in your browser.
Not financial or legal advice
This page is general information from an unofficial guide, not financial or legal advice, and it is not an eligibility decision. Amounts come from the agencies named on the date shown; each program applies its own household, income-counting and deduction rules. Use the agency itself, or a qualified professional, before you rely on a figure. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. It runs in your browser.