Skip to content
Cost & Benefits

Benefits / California

LIHEAP in California

Who is inside the federal band for energy assistance? The federal band runs from 110 percent to at least 150 percent of $33,000 for a household of four. The exact line California chose is not verified on this page.

The largest 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent gap among ranked metros in California is $2,041: San Francisco at $3,697 and Bakersfield at $1,656.

California taxes wages at rates up to 13.30%. Combined state and local sales tax is 9.0%. The ACS effective property tax rate is 0.71%.

A household of four with $48,000 of income is about 145 percent of the $33,000 poverty guideline and is a maybe for LIHEAP. Maybe — the state picks the line inside the federal range.

Limits behind the page

2026 poverty guideline in California
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 California. They rent. Nobody is marked disabled or pregnant.

LIHEAP

Maybe

Maybe — the state picks the line inside the federal range

  • Federal law keeps states from shutting out a household solely because income is under 110 percent of poverty, and it lets them set the line as high as the greater of 150 percent of poverty or 60 percent of state median income. This household is at 145 percent of poverty.
  • Income is inside the 150 percent option. Whether this state uses that line, a lower one, or 60 percent of state median income is not verified.
LIHEAP at the Administration for Children and Families

Check my household · Privacy

Other programs in California

Large metros in California

LIHEAP in other states