SNAP Maximum Benefit for a Household of 5
For fiscal 2027, the most a household of 5 can receive in SNAP benefits is $1,217 a month in the 48 contiguous states and DC. That is the ceiling, not a promise: here is what it works out to, how USDA sets it, and why most households receive less.
What the maximum works out to
| Period | Maximum benefit |
|---|---|
| Per month | $1,217 |
| Per week | $280.85 |
| Per day | $40.01 |
| Per year | $14,604 |
Weekly is the monthly figure times 12, divided by 52 weeks. Daily is the same annual amount divided by 365 days.
How this number is set
By law, the maximum SNAP benefit equals the cost of the USDA thrifty food plan for that household size, priced each June. The thrifty plan is USDA's bare-bones nutritious minimum, so the maximum is literally "the least a healthy diet can cost." The fiscal 2027 figures come from the June 2026 thrifty plan; for the reference family of four that cost is exactly $1,023, which is why the household-of-four maximum is $1,023.
For comparison, the August 2026 thrifty plan for our example family of 5 costs $1,151 a month. See the USDA grocery cost for a family of 5 for all four food plan levels.
The maximum is a ceiling, not a promise
SNAP expects a household to spend 30% of its net income (income after deductions like the standard deduction, 20% earned-income deduction, and excess shelter costs) on food. Your benefit is the maximum minus that 30%.
Making $1,217 cover the groceries
The maximum works out to $280.85 a week. Enter that weekly figure in our grocery budget calculator to see which USDA food plan level it matches for your household, and build the rest of the month around it in the family budget planner.
In Alaska, Hawaii, Guam or the Virgin Islands?
Maximums are higher there. For a household of 5: Hawaii $1,969 a month, Alaska from $1,555 (urban) to $2,413 (rural 2). Full tables are on the SNAP maximums index.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum SNAP benefit for a household of 5?
$1,217 a month in fiscal 2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) in the 48 contiguous states and DC. That is $34 more than the fiscal 2026 maximum of $1,183.
How much is $1,217 a month per week and per day?
It works out to $280.85 a week and $40.01 a day, or $14,604 over a full year. SNAP is loaded monthly, so think of the weekly figure as your grocery pace.
Will a household of 5 actually receive $1,217?
Usually not. The maximum is the ceiling for a household with no countable income. The real benefit is the maximum minus 30% of the household's net income (after deductions). At $500 a month of net income, a household of 5 would receive about $1,067 a month.
When do the fiscal 2027 amounts start?
October 1, 2026, and they run through September 30, 2027. USDA recalculates the maximums every year from the thrifty food plan, so expect a new table next October.
Keep exploring
Household of 4 · Household of 6
All sizes: SNAP maximum benefits by household size · Tools: Grocery budget calculator · Family budget planner
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP Fiscal Year 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (August 21, 2026) and the official FNS FY2027 maximum allotment tables for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, retrieved 2026-10-13. Amounts are the federal maximums for October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Your actual benefit depends on your household's income and deductions; your state SNAP agency makes the final call.