The full explanation
State down payment assistance programs and Section 8 vouchers publish their limits as a percentage of AMI, so the same salary can qualify in one county and not in the next.
An example
His state's assistance program accepts families up to a given percentage of AMI. Gabriel looks up the limit for his county and family size in HUD's table before applying.
In numbers: area median income
Area median income (HUD): HUD publishes one for each area, and its income limits come from it. Here are the lowest and highest counties in the country, and the middle county of some states.
- Lowest: Arroyo Municipio, PR
- $26,300
- Highest: Santa Clara County, CA
- $205,500
| State | Figure |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $166,100 |
| Washington | $103,100 |
| Illinois | $93,100 |
| South Carolina | $82,300 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,600 |
If a program mentions "area median income", remember each area has its own: among 3,222 counties with data, the middle county of the District of Columbia has $166,100 and that of Puerto Rico, $33,600.
Sources: Income Limits (HUD) (Fiscal year 2026)
Where you see it on the site
You will see it in…
- Each assistance program's income limits (“% AMI”)
- HUD's annual income limits tables
- Public housing and voucher applications
