CalFresh income limits for family of 5 in 2025 - urgently need chart

For 2025, a household of 5 can qualify for CalFresh with a gross monthly income up to $5,980 and net monthly income up to $2,990. You're definitely under the gross limit at $4,800. Remember that 'household' means people who purchase and prepare food together - if you're buying and cooking separate from your cousin's family, you might be considered separate households, even under the same roof. But if you're sharing food costs and meals, you'd apply as one household of 5.

Thanks so much! We're definitely sharing grocery costs and cooking together to save money, so sounds like we'd be one household. Do you know if there's an official chart somewhere I can reference? My cousin is worried about how their temporary stay might affect benefits.

The income limits change every October FYI. What the previous person posted looks right tho. My family of 4 just got approved last month and our income is like $4200. They also look at expenses like rent and utilities when they calculate benefits.

our family of 5 got approved with $5200 income but we have high rent so that helped qualify us for more. make sure u list ALL your housing costs!

I called my county office last week to check on our recertification and the worker told me the current gross income limit for a household of 5 is $5,980 per month. The 130% Federal Poverty Level is what they use for the gross income test. Since your income is $4,800, you should qualify based on income, but they'll also look at resources (like bank accounts) and expenses.\n\nJust FYI - when I tried calling the regular CalFresh number, I was on hold for TWO HOURS and then got disconnected! I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get a callback from a worker instead. Saved me so much time and frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

OMG thank you for mentioning this! I tried calling once before and gave up after being on hold for 45 minutes. I'll check out that service if I get stuck again. And thanks for confirming the income limits!

Be careful with the household situation! My sister moved in with me

This is an important point. Household composition changes must be reported within 10 days in California. When members leave, it reduces your household size which affects both eligibility and benefit amounts. The OP should definitely discuss the temporary nature of the arrangement with their eligibility worker and understand the reporting requirements when the cousin's family moves out.

This is really helpful information. They're planning to stay about 3-4 months until they find a new place. I'll make sure to ask about this when applying and what happens when they move out.

i just got calfresh last month n they sent me a paper with all the income charts. i think for 5 people it was like $5900 or $6000 for gross income. they also look at ur bills n stuff 2 figure out how much u get. we get $950/month for my family of 5 but our rent is super high

Wow, $950 is a lot more than I expected! Our rent is $2,400 for a 3-bedroom apartment. Do they count all utilities too?

ya they count utilities but they gave us a standard amount for utilities they didnt ask for actual bills. our rent is $3100 for a 3bdrm so thats prob why we get more. the more expenses u have the more benefits usually

To answer your original question about finding an official chart: The most reliable source is the California Department of Social Services website (https://www.cdss.ca.gov/calfresh). They publish the Federal Poverty Level charts that determine CalFresh eligibility.\n\nFor your situation, here are the key points:\n\n1. Gross income limit (130% FPL) for 5-person household: $5,980/month\n2. Net income limit (100% FPL) for 5-person household: $2,990/month\n\nRemember that many deductions apply before calculating your net income:\n• 20% deduction from earned income\n• Standard deduction ($193 for households of 1-3; $224 for households of 4+)\n• Dependent care costs\n• Medical expenses over $35 for elderly or disabled members\n• Child support payments\n• Excess shelter costs (portion of housing costs that exceed 50% of your adjusted income)\n\nWith your $4,800 gross income and $2,400 rent plus utilities, you would likely qualify for a substantial benefit.

Thank you so much for the detailed breakdown! This makes so much more sense now. I didn't realize there were so many deductions. We have childcare expenses too for my cousin's kids, so sounds like that would help as well. I'll go ahead with the application now that I understand how it works.

Just wanted to add that when you apply, make sure to bring documentation for everyone in the household - pay stubs, bank statements, rent receipts, utility bills, etc. The more organized you are with your paperwork, the smoother the process goes. Also, if you apply online through BenefitsCal, you can upload documents directly which is super convenient. Good luck with your application! It sounds like you'll definitely qualify and the benefits will really help with groceries for 5 people.