Massachusetts WIC: 2026–27 Income Limits and Moving In or Out
Moving TO Massachusetts
Moving to Massachusetts with WIC? Bring a Verification of Certification (VOC) from your old clinic and Massachusetts Department of Public Health must honor it — you keep your certification without a new income screening until the period ends, and if the clinic has a waiting list, you go to the top of it.
Leaving Massachusetts
Before leaving Massachusetts, ask your WIC clinic for a Verification of Certification (VOC). Every other state is federally required to accept it, so your certification continues after the move.
Official agency: Massachusetts Department of Public Health ↗ (application page)
Massachusetts WIC at a glance
| Program name | Massachusetts WIC |
|---|---|
| Income limit | 185% of the federal poverty level (the federal maximum); met automatically if you get SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF |
| Accepts VOC transfer card | Yes (federally required) |
| Processing | WIC eligibility is normally decided at the clinic appointment itself; federal rules require notification within 20 days of the request (10 days for pregnant women and migrant households). |
Massachusetts WIC income limits by household size (2026–27)
Massachusetts uses the federal maximum WIC income limit, 185% of the federal poverty level. These figures apply July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.
| Household size | Yearly | Monthly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $29,526 | $2,461 | $568 |
| 2 people | $40,034 | $3,337 | $770 |
| 3 people | $50,542 | $4,212 | $972 |
| 4 people | $61,050 | $5,088 | $1,175 |
| 5 people | $71,558 | $5,964 | $1,377 |
| 6 people | $82,066 | $6,839 | $1,579 |
| 7 people | $92,574 | $7,715 | $1,781 |
| 8 people | $103,082 | $8,591 | $1,983 |
| Each additional person | +$10,508 | +$876 | +$203 |
- Computed from the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines (48 contiguous states and DC) exactly as USDA's 2026–27 WIC notice does: × 1.85, rounded up to the dollar.
- A pregnant woman counts each unborn child in her household size.
- You automatically meet the WIC income test if you get SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF, if your family gets TANF, or if a pregnant woman or infant in your family gets Medicaid.
Federal source: USDA WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines 2026–27 (91 FR 23050) (published 2026-04-29)
How to apply for WIC in Massachusetts
Apply with Massachusetts Department of Public Health online at mass.gov. Go to the official application page ↗
Processing time: WIC eligibility is normally decided at the clinic appointment itself; federal rules require notification within 20 days of the request (10 days for pregnant women and migrant households).
Common questions
What is the WIC income limit in Massachusetts?
185% of the federal poverty level: $40,034 a year for a household of two and $61,050 for a household of four, for July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027. You also meet the income test automatically if you get SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF, if your family gets TANF, or if a pregnant woman or infant in your family gets Medicaid.
Does my Massachusetts WIC card work in another state?
Generally no — a WIC card works only at stores authorized by the state that issued it. Before you leave Massachusetts, get a Verification of Certification (VOC) from your clinic; the new state's WIC clinic must accept it and enroll you there.
How do I apply for WIC in Massachusetts?
Apply with Massachusetts Department of Public Health online at mass.gov. Processing time: WIC eligibility is normally decided at the clinic appointment itself; federal rules require notification within 20 days of the request (10 days for pregnant women and migrant households).
Who runs WIC in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The official page and application link are cited below — always act through them.
Does Massachusetts make new residents wait for WIC?
No state may impose a residency waiting period for WIC. You apply as soon as you live in Massachusetts; eligibility is decided on Massachusetts's own rules.
Where do I report that I'm leaving Massachusetts?
Before you leave Massachusetts, ask your local WIC program for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card for each enrolled family member — every state must accept a valid VOC (7 CFR 246.7). Statewide WIC line: 1-800-942-1007.
Every move involving Massachusetts
From Massachusetts to…
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
To Massachusetts from…
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Other benefits in Massachusetts
- Medicaid in Massachusetts
- SNAP in Massachusetts
- Unemployment in Massachusetts
- TANF in Massachusetts
- WIC in every state
- State benefits statistics
Terms on this page: Federal poverty level (FPL) · Verification of Certification (VOC) · Certification period
Official sources
Every fact above was checked against these official pages. Last verified .
- USDA FNA — Massachusetts WIC state agency contact — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mass.gov — WIC Nutrition Program — accessed 2026-08-08