SNAP - the program most people still call food stamps - is decided mostly on household size and income. The confusing part is that 'income' in the SNAP rules is not the same number as the one on your pay stub, and deductions can move a household from 'over the limit' to eligible.
Gross versus net
Most households have to pass two tests: a gross income test and a net income test. Gross income is what you bring in before deductions. Net income is what's left after the program's allowed deductions. Households with an elderly or disabled member often only have to pass the net test.
That distinction matters, because the deductions are substantial.
What counts
Wages and salary, self-employment income after business costs, unemployment benefits, Social Security and SSI, most pensions, child support you receive, and regular cash contributions from someone outside the household.
What usually doesn't
Federal tax refunds, including the EITC. Most student financial aid used for tuition and fees. Loans you have to repay. Reimbursements for actual expenses. Non-recurring lump sums are often treated as an asset rather than income. Money paid directly to a third party on your behalf is generally excluded.
The deductions that change the answer
A standard deduction based on household size. An earned income deduction that discounts a portion of what you make from work. Dependent care costs you pay in order to work or attend school. Child support you pay out. Out-of-pocket medical expenses above a threshold for elderly or disabled members. And an excess shelter deduction for rent, mortgage, and utilities above a share of your income.
The shelter deduction is the one people underestimate. In a high-rent area it can be large enough on its own to make an over-the-limit household eligible.
Who counts as a household
A SNAP household is people who buy and prepare food together - not just people on the lease. Roommates who shop and cook separately are usually separate households, which changes both the income counted and the size limit applied.
When in doubt, apply
States run their own versions with their own limits, and several use broad-based categorical eligibility that raises or removes the asset test. The application is free, a denial costs you nothing, and the worst realistic outcome is a letter. Estimates like ours are a starting point - the agency makes the decision.