NC Medicaid Income Limits 2026: Chart by Family Size

North Carolina's own chart, effective April 1, 2026, lets one adult have up to $1,769 a month and a household of four up to $3,658 a month for adults, which is 133% of the federal poverty level. Every figure below comes from the state agency's own chart, effective April 1, 2026, not from federal averages or the old Medicaid.gov table.

Maintained by Archie Chang · Charts and sources checked October 30, 2026 · Methodology & sources

Check your income

Coverage group

People in the household

Income period

Household income before taxes

Enter the whole household's countable income. States count income with MAGI rules, so this is a starting point, not a decision.

Result

Your income is at or below North Carolina's chart amount for this group.

Your income, a year: $18,000
Household size used in the chart: 1
North Carolina chart amount, a year, 133%: $21,228
North Carolina chart amount, a month: $1,769
Chart amount plus 5 percent of FPL, a year: $22,026

This is not an eligibility decision. NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC Medicaid) decides what income counts (MAGI rules), who is in the household and the final result. Apply to find out: NC Medicaid eligibility page.

North Carolina Medicaid income limit chart, 2026

Monthly and annual limits by household size for each group the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC Medicaid) prints. Bold figures are printed by the state; italic figures are FedRateCalc's calculation (a monthly figure times 12, an annual figure divided by 12). The state chart effective date is April 1, 2026.

Medicaid income limits by household size and coverage group
Household size	Adults 19 through 64 (MXP-N)133%Effective April 1, 2026	Pregnant individuals (MPW)196%Effective April 1, 2026	Children 0 through 18 (top of the MIC ranges)211%Effective April 1, 2026
1	$1,769 a month$21,228 a year	$2,607 a month$31,284 a year	$2,807 a month$33,684 a year
2	$2,399 a month$28,788 a year	$3,535 a month$42,420 a year	$3,806 a month$45,672 a year
3	$3,028 a month$36,336 a year	$4,463 a month$53,556 a year	$4,804 a month$57,648 a year
4	$3,658 a month$43,896 a year	$5,390 a month$64,680 a year	$5,803 a month$69,636 a year
5	$4,288 a month$51,456 a year	$6,318 a month$75,816 a year	$6,802 a month$81,624 a year
6	$4,917 a month$59,004 a year	$7,246 a month$86,952 a year	$7,800 a month$93,600 a year
7	$5,547 a month$66,564 a year	$8,174 a month$98,088 a year	$8,799 a month$105,588 a year
8	$6,176 a month$74,112 a year	$9,101 a month$109,212 a year	$9,798 a month$117,576 a year

Adults 19 through 64 (MXP-N): The manual lists a separate 5% disregard row (for example $66.50 for one person); NC's eligibility page shows the adult limit with the disregard added.

The manual is marked "Effective: APRIL 1, 2026" and "REVISED 4/1/2026". The NC Medicaid eligibility page says its numbers are "current until April 1, 2026" and shows a last-modified date of 09/17/2026.
The eligibility page lists $2,399 for an adult in a family of 2, which equals the 133% manual figure without the disregard, while the other family sizes on that page include it (for example $1,835 for one and $3,141 for three). Check the family-of-2 figure with NC Medicaid.

Chart sources: NC DHHS: MA-3321, MAGI Medicaid & Medicaid Expansion Income Limits (effective April 1, 2026); NC Medicaid: Eligibility.

How North Carolina counts the 5 percent disregard

Federal rules tell states to subtract 5 percentage points of the poverty level from income for the eligibility group with the highest income standard. That is why some state charts print a percentage such as 133% and others print the total, such as 138%.

“Effective January 1, 2014, in determining the eligibility of an individual using MAGI-based income, a state must subtract an amount equivalent to 5 percentage points of the Federal poverty level for the applicable family size only to determine the eligibility of an individual for medical assistance under the eligibility group with the highest income standard using MAGI-based methodologies in the applicable Title of the Act, but not to determine eligibility for a particular eligibility group.”

42 CFR 435.603(d)(4) (source)

The household size in the chart for a pregnant woman counts the children she is expected to deliver:

“In the case of determining the family size of a pregnant woman, the pregnant woman is counted as herself plus the number of children she is expected to deliver. In the case of determining the family size of other individuals who have a pregnant woman in their household, the pregnant woman is counted, at State option, as either 1 or 2 person(s) or as herself plus the number of children she is expected to deliver.”

42 CFR 435.603(b), definition of family size (source)

In North Carolina's chart, the amounts for Adults 19 through 64 (MXP-N); Pregnant individuals (MPW); Children 0 through 18 (top of the MIC ranges) are the plain percentage. The checker above adds 5 percent of the 2026 guideline to those amounts as its own calculation to show income that is just over the printed amount.

North Carolina Medicaid programs and expansion

NC DHHS's manual MA-3321 is titled "MAGI Medicaid & Medicaid Expansion Income Limits" and lists a 133% adult group (code MXP-N).

NC Medicaid expansion (MXP). Adults 19 through 64 at 133% of FPL before the 5% disregard.
Pregnant individuals (MPW). Chart code MPW at 196% of FPL.
Children (MIC). The manual lists child coverage codes whose ranges end at 211% of FPL; the eligibility page uses that 211% as the limit for children 0 through 18.

How to apply for Medicaid in North Carolina

The NC Medicaid eligibility page tells you to call your local Department of Social Services or the NC Medicaid Contact Center at 1-888-245-0179, and points to HealthCare.gov if you are not eligible.

NC Medicaid eligibility page · HealthCare.gov Medicaid and CHIP

North Carolina Medicaid changes in 2027

NC Medicaid's eligibility page gives January 1, 2027 for the work and community engagement requirement.

“(Starting January 1, 2027) Most adults 19 through 64 years old will need to work, go to school, volunteer or make a certain amount of money for 3 months in a row before applying for Medicaid.”

NC Medicaid, Eligibility (source)

The federal law behind these changes, Public Law 119-21, is explained with its exemptions and dates on the Medicaid income limits page. The income limits in the table above do not change because of it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the North Carolina Medicaid income limit in 2026?

North Carolina's own chart, effective April 1, 2026, lets one adult have up to $1,769 a month and a household of four up to $3,658 a month for adults, which is 133% of the federal poverty level.

Did North Carolina expand Medicaid?

NC DHHS's manual MA-3321 is titled "MAGI Medicaid & Medicaid Expansion Income Limits" and lists a 133% adult group (code MXP-N).

How do I apply for Medicaid in North Carolina?

The NC Medicaid eligibility page tells you to call your local Department of Social Services or the NC Medicaid Contact Center at 1-888-245-0179, and points to HealthCare.gov if you are not eligible.

What changes for North Carolina Medicaid in 2027?

NC Medicaid's eligibility page gives January 1, 2027 for the work and community engagement requirement. The charts on this page are 2026 charts; the community engagement requirement and six-month renewals are separate from the income limits.

Do the same limits apply to North Carolina seniors and people with disabilities?

No. Medicaid for people who are aged, blind or disabled uses different income and resource rules from the MAGI groups in this chart. Ask the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC Medicaid) or see Medicare vs Medicaid on this site.

How often does North Carolina update its Medicaid income limits?

The charts follow the federal poverty guidelines, which HHS updates each year, and North Carolina's chart took effect April 1, 2026. FedRateCalc will look for North Carolina's 2027 chart after HHS publishes the 2027 guidelines.

FedRateCalc is not a government site and cannot decide eligibility. Charts change when the state updates them; confirm with the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NC Medicaid) before relying on a figure.

Sources

All sources are government pages, read October 30, 2026. The Medicaid.gov table is dated December 1, 2023 and is used only as a cross-check.