For many Americans, a six-figure salary still sounds like the kind of money that should bring comfort, security, and breathing room. In parts of California, it can now place a single person inside a government category that says something very different: low income.
That is the striking reality behind California’s 2026 income limits, which show that seven counties have low-income thresholds above $100,000 for a one-person household. The numbers are not just a technical update buried in a housing memo. They are a sign of how deeply the cost of living has reshaped everyday life in some of the country’s most expensive communities.
The seven counties are Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin, Santa Clara, Orange, and Santa Barbara. Each now has a six-figure low-income cutoff for a single person, meaning that a salary considered strong in many parts of the country may still fall short of what it takes to live comfortably there.
What Changed
The state’s 2026 income limits are used to help determine eligibility and housing costs for certain affordable housing programs. They are adjusted by county and household size, which means larger families have higher limits and smaller households have lower limits…