District of Columbia Section 538 income limits for FY2026
A Section 538 tenant can earn up to 115% of area median income at move-in. In District of Columbia that limit for a family of four runs from $191,000 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD to $191,000 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD. Limits took effect July 13, 2026.
| Area | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area | 133,700 | 152,800 | 171,900 | 191,000 | 206,300 | 221,550 | 236,850 | 252,100 |
From income limit to rent cap
Two rent rules apply under 7 CFR 3565.203. Each unit's rent, counting tenant-paid utilities, can't exceed 30% of 115% of area median income adjusted for family size, which is 30% of the figure in the table for the household size you assume, divided by 12. And across the whole project, the average rent can't exceed 30% of 100% of area median income each year.
Worked example for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD: the four-person limit is $191,000, so the per-unit cap for a unit sized for four people is $4,775 a month including utilities. The project-average cap uses 100% of median instead of 115%, roughly $4,152 a month at the four-person size. Which household size applies to each bedroom count is set in USDA's program handbook; confirm it with your lender.
Income is tested only at move-in. A tenant whose income later rises above the limit can stay (7 CFR 3565.202(a)). Want to see what those rents support in debt? Run them through the 538 loan sizer.
All 1 District of Columbia areas and every other state in one file: 538 income limits download.