CalFresh income limits for family of 6 in San Diego - do we qualify for both CalFresh AND Medi-Cal?

For CalFresh in 2025, a household of 6 can have a maximum gross monthly income of $6,875 to qualify. That's based on 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, which is what California uses now. For Medi-Cal, the limit is actually higher - around $9,200 monthly for a family of 6 (138% FPL for MAGI Medi-Cal). So with your income of $5,800, you should qualify for both programs based on income alone. Being in San Diego doesn't change the income limits since they're statewide, but local cost of living is factored into your CalFresh benefit amount through housing costs. Make sure when you apply that you list all allowable deductions like childcare expenses, which can help increase your CalFresh benefit amount.

Omg thank you!! That's such a relief! We pay about $2200 for rent and another $1800 for daycare for the older kids. I didn't realize those would be counted as deductions. So when I apply should I use the gross income or take-home pay amount? Also does anyone know if we can apply for both programs at the same time or need separate applications?

congrats on the twins!! i think the income limits r different for each program... my cousin has a big family (5 kids) and they qualified for medical but not calfresh bc they made to much. but they were close to $7000 a month i think. you should be ok with $5800 for both. idk about san diego tho maybe cost of living makes a difference??

Income limits are the same statewide, what changes is your benefit amount based on expenses. Since San Diego has higher housing costs, that usually means more CalFresh $$ if you qualify. Just make sure to include ALL your housing costs (rent, utilities, etc.) on your application.

You can apply for CalFresh AND Medi-Cal with ONE application through BenefitsCal.com - don't do separate applications, that just causes confusion in the system. With your income level and family size, you'll almost certainly qualify for both, especially with twins! They'll ask for your GROSS income (before taxes) on the application, but your benefit amount will be calculated based on your NET income after they apply all the deductions. Make sure you have recent paystubs ready when you apply.\n\nAnd definitely include ALL your expenses! Childcare costs are a HUGE deduction for CalFresh that many people miss. With $1800/month in daycare costs, that will significantly increase your benefit amount. Also list any medical expenses for family members who are elderly or disabled if that applies.\n\nOne more tip: San Diego County is notorious for long phone wait times if you need to follow up on your application. I found this service called Claimyr that helped me skip the phone queue and actually get through to a person. Saved me hours of waiting on hold. You can check it out at claimyr.com or watch how it works at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

I tried Claimyr last month when my benefits were pending for weeks. Is it really worth it? I hate waiting on hold for hours but I'm nervous about using a service I don't know.

Totally understand the hesitation. For me it was worth it because I was about to miss a work shift just to wait on hold. I got through to an actual eligibility worker in about 15 minutes instead of the 2+ hours I waited the previous day (and got disconnected!). They don't need much info to connect you.

BE CAREFUL about the income limits for CalFresh!!! They look at your GROSS income first (200% FPL) which is around $6,875 for a family of 6. But then they also look at your NET income after deductions, which needs to be below 100% FPL (around $3,438 for your family size). Your $5,800 gross should be fine for the first test, but you NEED those deductions (childcare, housing costs over 50% of income) to pass the net income test!!!\n\nMedi-Cal is more straightforward - just needs to be under 138% FPL for adults under MAGI rules, which is about $9,200 for family of 6. \n\nThe system in San Diego is TERRIBLE! I've been dealing with them for 3 years and they keep making mistakes on my case. I submitted my SAR7 on time and they STILL cut off my benefits last month claiming I never sent it in. Had to go to the office in person to get it fixed!!! The whole system is BROKEN.

Oh that's really good to know about the net income test!! I was only thinking about the gross income limit. With our rent and childcare, I think we'll be well under the net limit. Sorry you've had such a terrible experience - I'm honestly dreading dealing with the bureaucracy 😫

i dont think you'll have any problem qualifying with twins! i have 4 kids (so family of 6 too) and we get $1423/month in calfresh with income around $5100. we also all have medi-cal. the application asks for both programs so its easy. just be ready to send in a LOT of paperwork! they wanted our birth certificates, pay stubs, rent agreement, utility bills, childcare receipts... felt like i was sending my whole life story lol. but worth it for the help feeding everyone!

$1423 a month would be AMAZING! That would help so much with our grocery bills. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's helpful to hear from someone with the same family size. I'll start gathering all those documents now.

Quick tip - When you apply, make sure you're using the most up-to-date income limits! I just got denied for CalFresh because I was looking at outdated information online. The 2025 income limits for a family of 6 should be what the first commenter said - around $6,875 gross monthly for CalFresh qualification. But you'll need to pass both the gross AND net income tests. With your childcare expenses that high, you should be fine.\n\nAlso, don't forget about WIC if you have the twins plus any other children under 5! That's an additional program that has higher income limits than CalFresh (up to 185% of FPL).

Thank you! I didn't even think about WIC - the twins aren't born yet (due in 2 months) but I'll definitely look into that too. Appreciate the tip about current income limits, I'll make sure I use the 2025 numbers.

One more important thing about applying in San Diego specifically - they're currently experiencing a backlog in processing applications. While they're supposed to process them within 30 days, many are taking 45+ days right now. If your application isn't processed within 30 days, you may qualify for

This is so helpful, thank you! I don't think we'd qualify for expedited services since our income is still coming in, but good to know about the processing delays. And I'll definitely watch for that IRT number on our approval notice. Sounds like we need to report if we go over that amount, even between the regular SAR7 reporting periods, right?

I work at a community org that helps ppl apply for benefits in SD county. Your income is def under the limits for both programs. But heads up - since you're close to the CalFresh limit, they'll probably ask for lots of verification. Make copies of EVERYTHING before you submit!! San Diego county is notorious for

Thank you so much for this insider tip! I'll definitely make copies of everything and get receipts. Would you recommend applying online or going in person? Which is more reliable in San Diego?

Online is generally faster, but ONLY if you have a good scanner/photo setup to upload clear docs. In-person takes longer but they give you receipts for everything. Either way, FOLLOW UP after 2 weeks by calling to confirm they received everything. Don't wait for them to contact you if something's missing.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who recently went through this process in San Diego! With twins on the way, you'll definitely want to apply ASAP since processing times are so long right now. One thing I wish I had known - when you calculate your household size for the applications, you can include unborn children if you're in your third trimester (which it sounds like you might be with twins due in 2 months?). This could potentially increase your benefit amounts even before they're born. Also, since you mentioned being confused about the BenefitsCal website - I found it helpful to use the pre-screening tool first just to get a rough idea of eligibility before starting the actual application. It's not perfect but gives you a ballpark estimate. And definitely keep screenshots of everything during the application process - I had to resubmit parts of mine when the system glitched and lost my uploaded documents. Good luck with the twins and the application process! Having that extra food assistance will be such a huge help with a family of 6.