Housing Assistance › Section 8 calculator
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Section 8 income calculator
Section 8 checks your income against a county limit first. See where your home lands against the 2026 limits.
What this calculator does
It answers the first question every Section 8 office asks: is your household income under the limit for your county? Most voucher help uses the 50% "very low income" tier. The tool shows that limit for your exact county and household size, plus the 30% and 80% tiers other programs use.
What this calculator does not do
It does not work out the rent you would pay with a voucher. That is a different formula. The office starts from your adjusted income — after subtractions for things like child care and medical costs — and compares it to a local payment standard. Only your housing office can run that math, because only they know your file and their payment standards. Any site that claims to compute your exact voucher rent is guessing.
Under the limit? Here is the honest picture
Being under the limit puts you in the group Section 8 is allowed to help. It does not move you up the line. Most waiting lists are long, and many are closed to new names. Our guide on what to do when the waitlist is closed lists real moves that help while you wait.
Also worth knowing: offices must give most vouchers to homes under the 30% tier. If your result shows you under that lowest line, say so when you apply.
Please read this part
This shows how your money compares to the limit the government set for your county in 2026.
Being under the limit does not mean you will get help. Most places have far more people asking than they have help to give. Waiting lists are often long. Many are closed. The housing office also looks at who lives with you and other rules.
Being over the limit does not always mean no. Some programs use a different limit. And the office may subtract some of your costs first, which can bring your number down.
Only your local housing office can say yes or no. It is always free to apply.
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Keep going: read public housing vs. vouchers, find your local housing office, or try the rent affordability calculator. All calculators →