Washington Section 538 income limits for FY2026
A Section 538 tenant can earn up to 115% of area median income at move-in. In Washington that limit for a family of four runs from $88,900 in Adams County, WA to $189,050 in Seattle-Bellevue, WA. Limits took effect July 13, 2026.
| Area | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA metro area | 95,950 | 109,650 | 123,400 | 137,100 | 148,050 | 159,050 | 170,000 | 181,000 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA metro area | 104,350 | 119,250 | 134,150 | 149,050 | 160,950 | 172,900 | 184,800 | 196,750 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA metro area | 85,000 | 97,150 | 109,300 | 121,450 | 131,150 | 140,900 | 150,600 | 160,300 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA metro area | 79,050 | 90,350 | 101,650 | 112,950 | 121,950 | 131,050 | 140,050 | 149,100 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA metro area | 83,600 | 95,500 | 107,450 | 119,400 | 128,950 | 138,450 | 148,050 | 157,600 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA metro area | 96,800 | 110,600 | 124,450 | 138,250 | 149,300 | 160,350 | 171,450 | 182,500 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro area | 98,850 | 112,950 | 127,100 | 141,200 | 152,500 | 163,800 | 175,100 | 186,400 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area | 103,300 | 118,050 | 132,800 | 147,550 | 159,350 | 171,150 | 182,950 | 194,750 |
| Seattle-Bellevue, WA part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area | 132,350 | 151,250 | 170,150 | 189,050 | 204,150 | 219,300 | 234,400 | 249,550 |
| Tacoma, WA part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area | 102,500 | 117,100 | 131,750 | 146,400 | 158,100 | 169,800 | 181,550 | 193,250 |
| Spokane, WA part of the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area | 88,950 | 101,700 | 114,400 | 127,100 | 137,250 | 147,450 | 157,600 | 167,750 |
| Stevens County, WA part of the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area | 71,150 | 81,300 | 91,500 | 101,650 | 109,800 | 117,900 | 126,050 | 134,200 |
| Walla Walla, WA metro area | 82,350 | 94,100 | 105,900 | 117,650 | 127,050 | 136,450 | 145,900 | 155,300 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro area | 79,750 | 91,150 | 102,550 | 113,950 | 123,050 | 132,200 | 141,300 | 150,400 |
| Yakima, WA metro area | 71,350 | 81,500 | 91,700 | 101,900 | 110,050 | 118,200 | 126,350 | 134,500 |
| Adams County, WA | 62,250 | 71,100 | 80,000 | 88,900 | 96,000 | 103,100 | 110,250 | 117,350 |
| Clallam County, WA | 79,650 | 91,000 | 102,400 | 113,750 | 122,850 | 131,950 | 141,050 | 150,150 |
| Columbia County, WA | 88,400 | 101,000 | 113,650 | 126,250 | 136,350 | 146,450 | 156,550 | 166,650 |
| Ferry County, WA | 64,950 | 74,250 | 83,500 | 92,800 | 100,200 | 107,650 | 115,050 | 122,500 |
| Garfield County, WA | 73,450 | 83,900 | 94,400 | 104,900 | 113,300 | 121,700 | 130,100 | 138,450 |
| Grant County, WA | 71,900 | 82,150 | 92,450 | 102,700 | 110,900 | 119,150 | 127,350 | 135,600 |
| Grays Harbor County, WA | 71,050 | 81,150 | 91,300 | 101,450 | 109,600 | 117,650 | 125,800 | 133,950 |
| Island County, WA | 90,400 | 103,300 | 116,250 | 129,150 | 139,500 | 149,800 | 160,150 | 170,500 |
| Jefferson County, WA | 85,400 | 97,600 | 109,750 | 121,950 | 131,700 | 141,500 | 151,250 | 161,000 |
| Kittitas County, WA | 86,700 | 99,100 | 111,450 | 123,850 | 133,750 | 143,650 | 153,550 | 163,500 |
| Klickitat County, WA | 74,650 | 85,300 | 96,000 | 106,650 | 115,150 | 123,700 | 132,250 | 140,750 |
| Lewis County, WA | 81,650 | 93,300 | 104,950 | 116,650 | 126,000 | 135,300 | 144,650 | 154,000 |
| Lincoln County, WA | 74,150 | 84,700 | 95,300 | 105,900 | 114,350 | 122,850 | 131,300 | 139,800 |
| Mason County, WA | 86,650 | 99,000 | 111,400 | 123,750 | 133,650 | 143,550 | 153,450 | 163,350 |
| Okanogan County, WA | 65,050 | 74,300 | 83,600 | 92,900 | 100,350 | 107,750 | 115,200 | 122,650 |
| Pacific County, WA | 72,400 | 82,700 | 93,050 | 103,400 | 111,650 | 119,950 | 128,200 | 136,500 |
| Pend Oreille County, WA | 69,800 | 79,750 | 89,750 | 99,700 | 107,700 | 115,650 | 123,650 | 131,600 |
| San Juan County, WA | 91,150 | 104,150 | 117,200 | 130,200 | 140,600 | 151,050 | 161,450 | 171,850 |
| Wahkiakum County, WA | 63,400 | 72,500 | 81,550 | 90,600 | 97,850 | 105,100 | 112,350 | 119,600 |
| Whitman County, WA | 83,000 | 94,850 | 106,700 | 118,550 | 128,050 | 137,500 | 147,000 | 156,500 |
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 Bellingham, WA: the four-person limit is $137,100, so the per-unit cap for a unit sized for four people is $3,427 a month including utilities. The project-average cap uses 100% of median instead of 115%, roughly $2,980 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 35 Washington areas and every other state in one file: 538 income limits download.