What is AMI?

AMI stands for Area Median Income.

It represents the midpoint of a region's income distribution, where half the population earns more and half earns less. It is calculated by taking into account the total household incomes in an area and dividing it by the number of households.

AMI serves as a benchmark to evaluate affordability and eligibility for various housing programs, subsidies, and initiatives.

The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) publishes annual tables of official federal and State income limits for determining these maximums for a variety of programs, including most of those on the web site.

State statutory limits are based on federal limits set and periodically revised by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. HUD’s limits are based on surveys of local area median income (AMI). The commonly used income categories are approximately as follows, subject to variations for household size and other factors:

Acutely low income: 0-15% of AMI
Extremely low income: 15-30% of AMI
Very low income: 30% to 50% of AMI
Lower income: 50% to 80% of AMI; the term may also be used to mean 0% to 80% of AMI
Moderate income: 80% to 120% of AMI

    Santa Clara County 2023 Area Median Income: $181,300
  

    Number of People in Household
    1

    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
  

    
    Income in USD ($)
  

    Acutely Low
    $19,050
    $21,750
    $24,500
    $27,200
    $29,400
    $31,550
    $33,750
    $35,900
  

    Extremely Low
    $37,450
    $42,800
    $48,150
    $53,500
    $57,800
    $62,100
    $66,350
    $70,650
  

    Very Low Income
    $62,450
    $71,400
    $80,300
    $89,200
    $96,350
    $103,500
    $110,650
    $117,750
  

    Low Income
    $96,000
    $109,700
    $123,400
    $137,100
    $148,100
    $159,050
    $170,050
    $181,000
  

    Median Income
    $126,900
    $145,050
    $163,150
    $181,300
    $195,800
    $210,300
    $224,800
    $239,300
  

    Moderate Income
    $152,300
    $174,050
    $195,800
    $217,550
    $234,950
    $252,350
    $269,750
    $287,150
  

    San Mateo County 2023 Area Median Income: $175,000
  

    Number of People in Household
    1

    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
  

    
    Income in USD ($)
  

    Acutely Low
    $18,400
    $21,000
    $23,650
    $26,250
    $28,350
    $30,450
    $32,550
    $34,650
  

    Extremely Low
    $39,150
    $44,750
    $50,350
    $55,900
    $60,400
    $64,850
    $69,350
    $73,800
  

    Very Low Income
    $65,250
    $74,600
    $83,900
    $93,200
    $100,700
    $108,150
    $115,600
    $123,050
  

    Low Income
    $104,400
    $119,300
    $134,200
    $149,100
    $161,050
    $173,000
    $184,900
    $196,850
  

    Median Income
    $122,500
    $140,000
    $157,500
    $175,000
    $189,000
    $203,000
    $217,000
    $231,000
  

    Moderate Income
    $147,000
    $168,000
    $189,000
    $210,000
    $226,800
    $243,600
    $260,400
    $277,200
  

    Santa Cruz County 2023 Area Median Income: $132,800
  

    Number of People in Household
    1

    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
  

    
    Income in USD ($)
  

    Acutely Low
    $13,950
    $15,900
    $17,900
    $19,900
    $21,500
    $23,100
    $24,700
    $26,250
  

    Extremely Low
    $34,600
    $39,550
    $44,500
    $49,400
    $53,400
    $57,350
    $61,300
    $65,250
  

    Very Low Income
    $57,650
    $65,900
    $74,150
    $82,350
    $88,950
    $95,550
    $102,150
    $108,750
  

    Low Income
    $92,500
    $105,700
    $118,900
    $132,100
    $142,700
    $153,250
    $163,850
    $174,400
  

    Median Income
    $92,950
    $106,250
    $119,500
    $132,800
    $143,400
    $154,050
    $164,650
    $175,300
  

    Moderate Income
    $111,550
    $127,500
    $143,400
    $159,350
    $172,100
    $184,850
    $197,600
    $210,350
  

    Monterey County 2023 Area Median Income: $100,400
  

    Number of People in Household
    1

    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
  

    
    Income in USD ($)
  

    Acutely Low
    $10,550
    $12,050
    $13,550
    $15,050
    $16,250
    $17,450
    $18,650
    $19,850
  

    Extremely Low
    $25,300
    $28,900
    $32,500
    $36,100
    $39,000
    $41,900
    $45,420
    $50,560
  

    Very Low Income
    $42,150
    $48,200
    $54,200
    $60,200
    $65,050
    $69,850
    $74,650
    $79,500
  

    Low Income
    $67,450
    $77,100
    $86,750
    $96,350
    $104,100
    $111,800
    $119,500
    $127,200
  

    Median Income
    $70,300
    $80,300
    $90,350
    $100,400
    $108,450
    $116,450
    $124,500
    $132,550
  

    Moderate Income
    $84,350
    $96,400
    $108,450
    $120,500
    $130,150
    $139,800
    $149,400
    $159,050
  

    San Benito County 2023 Area Median Income: $140,200
  

    Number of People in Household
    1

    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
  

    
    Income in USD ($)
  

    Acutely Low
    $14,750
    $16,850
    $18,950
    $21,050
    $22,750
    $24,400
    $26,100
    $27,800
  

    Extremely Low
    $23,400
    $26,750
    $30,100
    $33,400
    $36,100
    $40,280
    $45,420
    $50,560
  

    Very Low Income
    $39,000
    $44,550
    $50,100
    $55,650
    $60,150
    $64,600
    $69,050
    $73,500
  

    Low Income
    $62,350
    $71,250
    $80,150
    $89,050
    $96,200
    $103,300
    $110,450
    $117,550
  

    Median Income
    $98,150
    $112,150
    $126,200
    $140,200
    $151,400
    $162,650
    $173,850
    $185,050
  

    Moderate Income
    $117,750
    $134,600
    $151,450
    $168,250
    $181,700
    $195,150
    $208,650
    $222,100
  

The information presented on this page has been sourced from the official website of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (https://www.hcd.ca.gov).