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Cost & Benefits

Benefits / North Carolina

Lifeline in North Carolina

Lifeline in North Carolina uses 135 percent of the 2026 poverty guidelines, or a household that already qualifies for food stamps (SNAP) or Medicaid on this checker. For four people, the poverty guideline is $33,000. The Affordable Connectivity Program has no verified successor here. This site does not approve or deny benefits.

Who qualifies for Lifeline phone or internet help? Figures below use the 2026 poverty guideline of $33,000 for a household of four in North Carolina, unless the program uses its own dollar table.

The largest 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent gap among ranked metros in North Carolina is $514: Charlotte at $1,785 and Greensboro at $1,271.

North Carolina taxes wages at a flat 3.99%. Combined state and local sales tax is 7.0%. The ACS effective property tax rate is 0.61%.

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

2026 poverty guideline in North Carolina
Household100%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 North Carolina. They rent. Nobody is marked disabled or pregnant.

Lifeline phone and internet

Unlikely

Unlikely 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.
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Related guides in North Carolina

Last checked: October 15, 2026

Sources

What changed
  • October 15, 2026. The benefit rules file was checked against the sources listed here.
  • January 15, 2026. HHS published the 2026 poverty guidelines in the Federal Register.

Other programs in North Carolina

Large metros in North Carolina

Lifeline in other states