Policy Effective: March 1, 2025

Count only persons eligible for SNAP in the household size.

The following are members of one household:

All people living together and purchasing and preparing food together must be one SNAP household.

Exception:

If a SNAP applicant, who would otherwise qualify as a separate household, is currently purchasing and preparing food together with roommates out of necessity, determine if they will continue to do so if SNAP is approved.

If the applicant will purchase and prepare food separately after being approved for SNAP, they will be considered a separate SNAP household from their roommates as outlined in the section below titled, Who Can Be a Separate Household.

Spouses that live together

Parents and natural, adoptive, and/or step children age 21 years of age and under that live together.

A child under parental control, under 18 years old, living in the same household with an adult where there are no spousal or parental relationship. Consider a child to be under parental control when the child is dependent upon another household member either financially or otherwise.

Exceptions to Living under Parental Control:

Foster care children can be considered boarders and not included in the foster parent’s household, as long as the children are not placed with their own parents. See policy 259 for more information about boarders.

Children 18 and younger who are married and living with the spouse.