Lifeline in Illinois
Who qualifies for Lifeline phone or internet help? Figures below use the 2026 poverty guideline of $33,000 for a household of four in Illinois, unless the program uses its own dollar table.
The largest 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent gap among ranked metros in Illinois is $662: Chicago at $2,011 and St. Louis at $1,349.
Illinois taxes wages at a flat 4.95%. Combined state and local sales tax is 9.0%. The ACS effective property tax rate is 1.92%.
A household of four with $48,000 of income is about 145 percent of the $33,000 poverty guideline and is unlikely for Lifeline phone and internet. Unlikely for Lifeline on the tests used here.
Limits behind the page
| Household | 100% | 138% | 185% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15,960 | $22,025 | $29,526 |
| 2 | $21,640 | $29,863 | $40,034 |
| 3 | $27,320 | $37,702 | $50,542 |
| 4 | $33,000 | $45,540 | $61,050 |
An illustrative household
Two adults, ages 34 and 32, filing jointly, plus children ages 8 and 3. Gross income $48,000 a year, about 145 percent of the poverty guideline in Illinois. They rent. Nobody is marked disabled or pregnant.
Lifeline phone and internet
UnlikelyUnlikely for Lifeline on the tests used here
- Income is over 135 percent of poverty.
- SNAP and Medicaid did not come back as likely on this screen, so the program-based route is not counted.
- The Affordable Connectivity Program has ended. No successor income table was verified, so this tool estimates Lifeline only.
Food stamps (SNAP) tools in Illinois
Other programs in Illinois
- Food stamps (SNAP)
- Medicaid and CHIP
- WIC
- School meals
- LIHEAP
- Earned Income Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Marketplace subsidies
- SSI
- State programs
Large metros in Illinois
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · 2-bedroom FMR $2,011
- St. Louis, MO-IL · 2-bedroom FMR $1,349