HUD: Delays Fiscal Year 2026 Income Limits Until May 1

On February 4, 2026, HUD posted the following statement on their website:

Statement on FY 2026 Median Family Income Estimates and Income Limits

HUD annually calculates estimates of median family income for every area of the country. These estimates are used to calculate various income limits, which are defined as percentages of median family income, and vary by the number of persons in a household. HUD uses income limits to define low-income status and resulting eligibility for many of its housing assistance programs. For more information, please see the Median Family Income and Income Limits Methodology documents here: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html#documents_2025.

Since FY 2011, HUD has based its median family income estimates on data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). HUD obtains special tabulations of the ACS and uses the most recent data in its annual calculation of new median family income estimates and income limits.

On November 26, 2025, the Census Bureau announced a delay in its release of 2024 ACS 5-year data from December 11, 2025 to January 29, 2026.1 As a result of this decision by the Census Bureau, it will be necessary for HUD to delay the release of FY 2026 median family incomes and income limits by one month, from April 1, 2026 to May 1, 2026. Should HUD revise this date, HUD will make a similar announcement on https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html.

Click here to view statement.