What income qualifies for full HEAR rebates?

Households at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) receive full HEAR rebates — up to $14,000 total. AMI is based on your county and household size. A family of 4 in rural North Carolina might qualify at $54,400/year, while the same family in Boston Metro qualifies at up to $106,400/year. The income measure is Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) from IRS Form 1040, Line 11 — not gross wages.

What income qualifies for partial HEAR rebates?

Households between 80% and 150% of Area Median Income receive 50% rebates — up to $7,000 total. Households above 150% AMI do not qualify for HEAR homeowner rebates, but may qualify for HOMES rebates (income-neutral) or utility rebates.

What income is used for HEAR eligibility?

HEAR uses Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) — the number on IRS Form 1040, Line 11. This is after above-the-line deductions including self-employment expense deductions, IRA contributions, student loan interest, and HSA contributions. For self-employed applicants, AGI can be significantly lower than gross revenue. For W-2 employees, AGI is typically close to gross wages minus pre-tax retirement contributions.

How do I find the AMI for my county?

The official HUD AMI lookup is at huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html — search by state and county. HEAR programs use HUD's FY2025 or FY2026 income limits depending on the state's implementation plan. Some states use FY2024 limits; verify with your state HEAR program.

Does household size affect HEAR income limits?

Yes. HUD AMI limits increase with household size. A 1-person household qualifies at a lower income than a 4-person household in the same county. HEAR uses the same household-size-adjusted AMI structure as HUD Section 8 programs. Most state HEAR programs use a 4-person benchmark, then adjust up or down using HUD's standard adjustment factors.

HEAR Rebate Income Limits by County 2026 — AMI Thresholds for All Live States

Full rebates (≤80% AMI)

Up to $14,000 total
Up to $8,000 heat pump
Up to $4,000 panel

50% rebates (81–150% AMI)

Up to $7,000 total
Up to $4,000 heat pump
Up to $2,000 panel

Income measure: HEAR uses Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) — IRS Form 1040, Line 11. This is after business deductions, retirement contributions, and other above-the-line adjustments. W-2 employees: AGI ≈ box 1 minus pre-tax 401(k). Self-employed: AGI = gross revenue minus Schedule C expenses, SE tax deduction, and retirement contributions. AGI can be significantly lower than gross income.

Data note: AMI values below are based on HUD FY2025 income limits (the limits most active HEAR states are using as of April 2026). HUD updates these annually; verify exact limits with your state HEAR administrator before quoting to clients. Metro area figures apply within HUD-defined Metropolitan Statistical Areas; non-metro figures apply to remaining counties.

Massachusetts

Program: Mass Save HEAR | Administrator: Utilities (Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, NSTAR) | Hotline: 1-866-527-7283

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Boston-Cambridge-Newton Metro	1 person	$76,800	$144,000
Boston-Cambridge-Newton Metro	2 person	$87,750	$164,550
Boston-Cambridge-Newton Metro	4 person	$106,400	$199,500
Springfield Metro (western MA)	1 person	$58,400	$109,500
Springfield Metro (western MA)	4 person	$83,400	$156,375
Worcester Metro	1 person	$66,700	$125,063
Worcester Metro	4 person	$95,250	$178,594
Barnstable County (Cape Cod)	1 person	$72,150	$135,281
Barnstable County (Cape Cod)	4 person	$103,050	$193,219
Non-metro MA counties	4 person	$79,350–$91,000	$148,781–$170,625

Massachusetts also stacks Mass Save rebates with HEAR — combined LMI stack can reach $18,000+. Full guide: Massachusetts HEAR Guide

New York

Program: NY HEAR | Administrator: NYSERDA | Portal: nyserda.ny.gov/hear

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
New York City (5 boroughs)	1 person	$79,200	$148,500
New York City (5 boroughs)	4 person	$99,000	$185,625
Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island)	1 person	$92,400	$173,250
Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island)	4 person	$132,000	$247,500
Westchester-Rockland-Putnam	1 person	$92,400	$173,250
Westchester-Rockland-Putnam	4 person	$116,550	$218,531
Albany Metro	1 person	$63,450	$119,000
Albany Metro	4 person	$90,650	$169,969
Buffalo-Cheektowaga	1 person	$57,550	$107,906
Buffalo-Cheektowaga	4 person	$82,200	$154,125
Rochester Metro	1 person	$59,050	$110,719
Rochester Metro	4 person	$84,350	$158,156
Non-metro NY (upstate rural)	4 person	$72,150–$80,250	$135,281–$150,469

Note: NY HEAR requires pre-approval for heat pumps and major measures. Full guide: New York HEAR Guide

Colorado

Program: Colorado HEAR | Administrator: Colorado Energy Office | Portal: coelectrification.org

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood Metro	1 person	$72,450	$135,844
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood Metro	4 person	$103,500	$194,063
Boulder Metro	1 person	$84,900	$159,188
Boulder Metro	4 person	$121,300	$227,438
Colorado Springs (El Paso Co.)	1 person	$60,700	$113,813
Colorado Springs (El Paso Co.)	4 person	$86,700	$162,563
Fort Collins Metro	1 person	$68,300	$128,063
Fort Collins Metro	4 person	$97,550	$182,906
Western Slope (non-metro rural CO)	4 person	$63,400–$76,350	$118,875–$143,156

Warning: Front Range funding nearly exhausted as of April 2026. Act urgently for Denver/Boulder metro clients. Full guide: Colorado HEAR Guide

Maryland

Program: MD HEAR | Administrator: Maryland Energy Administration | Portal: empower.maryland.gov

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Baltimore Metro (MD portion)	1 person	$72,450	$135,844
Baltimore Metro (MD portion)	4 person	$103,500	$194,063
DC Metro (MD portion: Montgomery, PG Co.)	1 person	$92,400	$173,250
DC Metro (MD portion: Montgomery, PG Co.)	4 person	$132,000	$247,500
Eastern Shore (rural)	1 person	$54,050	$101,344
Eastern Shore (rural)	4 person	$77,200	$144,750
Western MD (Garrett, Allegany Co.)	1 person	$49,800	$93,375
Western MD (Garrett, Allegany Co.)	4 person	$71,100	$133,313

Full guide: Maryland HEAR Guide

Michigan

Program: MiHER | Administrator: Michigan EGLE | Portal: michigan.gov/miher

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Detroit Metro (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb)	1 person	$62,850	$117,844
Detroit Metro (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb)	4 person	$89,800	$168,375
Grand Rapids Metro	1 person	$60,250	$112,969
Grand Rapids Metro	4 person	$86,100	$161,438
Lansing Metro	1 person	$57,950	$108,656
Lansing Metro	4 person	$82,800	$155,250
Upper Peninsula (non-metro)	1 person	$47,950	$89,906
Upper Peninsula (non-metro)	4 person	$68,500	$128,438
Northern Lower Peninsula (rural)	4 person	$64,700–$72,800	$121,313–$136,500

Full guide: Michigan HEAR Guide

North Carolina

Program: NC HER | Live since January 2025 | Administrator: NC DEQ | Hotline: 866-998-8555

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia Metro	1 person	$56,600	$106,125
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia Metro	4 person	$80,850	$151,594
Raleigh-Cary Metro	1 person	$65,650	$123,094
Raleigh-Cary Metro	4 person	$93,800	$175,875
Durham-Chapel Hill Metro	1 person	$63,200	$118,500
Durham-Chapel Hill Metro	4 person	$90,250	$169,219
Asheville Metro	1 person	$52,650	$98,719
Asheville Metro	4 person	$75,200	$141,000
Non-metro NC (eastern/western rural)	1 person	$39,200–$47,000	$73,500–$88,125
Non-metro NC (eastern/western rural)	4 person	$56,000–$67,150	$105,000–$125,906

Full guide: North Carolina HEAR Guide

Wisconsin

Program: Wisconsin HEAR | Administrator: Focus on Energy | Portal: focusonenergy.com

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Milwaukee Metro	1 person	$57,800	$108,375
Milwaukee Metro	4 person	$82,600	$154,875
Madison (Dane County)	1 person	$70,200	$131,625
Madison (Dane County)	4 person	$100,300	$188,063
Green Bay Metro	1 person	$55,350	$103,781
Green Bay Metro	4 person	$79,050	$148,219
Non-metro WI (rural)	4 person	$64,300–$73,200	$120,563–$137,250

Full guide: Wisconsin HEAR Guide

Illinois

Program: Illinois HEAR | Administrator: Illinois DCEO | Portal: illinois.gov/hear

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Chicago Metro (Cook + collar counties)	1 person	$72,900	$136,688
Chicago Metro (Cook + collar counties)	4 person	$104,100	$195,188
Springfield Metro	1 person	$53,650	$100,594
Springfield Metro	4 person	$76,650	$143,719
Peoria Metro	1 person	$55,600	$104,250
Peoria Metro	4 person	$79,450	$148,969
Non-metro IL (rural downstate)	4 person	$62,150–$70,000	$116,531–$131,250

Full guide: Illinois HEAR Guide

New Mexico

Program: NM HEAR (point-of-sale — no upfront cost) | Administrator: Franklin Energy / NMED | Portal: nmenergy.org

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Albuquerque Metro	1 person	$53,200	$99,750
Albuquerque Metro	4 person	$76,000	$142,500
Santa Fe Metro	1 person	$54,900	$102,938
Santa Fe Metro	4 person	$78,450	$147,094
Non-metro NM (rural / tribal)	1 person	$39,950–$46,400	$74,906–$87,000
Non-metro NM (rural / tribal)	4 person	$57,050–$66,300	$106,969–$124,313

NM is the only state with point-of-sale rebates — no upfront cost. Renters at ≤150% AMI can access NM HEAR for certain measures. Full guide: New Mexico HEAR Guide

Rhode Island

Program: RI HEAR | Live since September 2024 (LMI only) | Administrator: OER | CAP agency intake

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Providence Metro (statewide)	1 person	$64,900	$121,688
Providence Metro (statewide)	2 person	$74,150	$139,031
Providence Metro (statewide)	4 person	$92,700	$173,813

RI HEAR is currently LMI-only (≤80% AMI). 81–150% AMI track expected 2026. Full guide: Rhode Island HEAR Guide

Maine

Program: Efficiency Maine HEAR (limited scope) | Administrator: Efficiency Maine Trust

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Portland-South Portland Metro	1 person	$62,250	$116,719
Portland-South Portland Metro	4 person	$88,950	$166,781
Non-metro ME (rural)	1 person	$49,800–$54,150	$93,375–$101,531
Non-metro ME (rural)	4 person	$71,100–$77,350	$133,313–$145,031

Maine HEAR is currently limited to manufactured homes (LMI) and affordable multifamily new construction. Standard single-family not yet live. Full guide: Maine HEAR Guide

Georgia

Program: GA HEAR | Live since March 2025 | Administrator: GEFA | Portal: energyrebates.georgia.gov

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Atlanta-Sandy Springs Metro	1 person	$67,050	$125,719
Atlanta-Sandy Springs Metro	4 person	$95,800	$179,625
Savannah Metro	1 person	$53,900	$101,063
Savannah Metro	4 person	$77,000	$144,375
Non-metro GA (rural)	1 person	$43,050–$50,150	$80,719–$94,031
Non-metro GA (rural)	4 person	$61,500–$71,650	$115,313–$134,344

Full guide: Georgia HEAR Guide

Indiana

Program: IN HEAR | Live since May 2025 | Administrator: OCRA (OED) | Portal: indianaenergysaver.com

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Indianapolis Metro	1 person	$60,100	$112,688
Indianapolis Metro	4 person	$85,850	$160,969
Fort Wayne Metro	1 person	$54,150	$101,531
Fort Wayne Metro	4 person	$77,350	$145,031
Non-metro IN (rural)	1 person	$47,650–$53,200	$89,344–$99,750
Non-metro IN (rural)	4 person	$68,050–$76,000	$127,594–$142,500

Full guide: Indiana HEAR Guide

Minnesota

Program: MN HEAR | Pending launch | Administrator: MN Department of Commerce

Area	HH size	80% AMI (expected)	150% AMI (expected)
Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro	1 person	$76,800	$144,000
Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro	4 person	$109,700	$205,688
Non-metro MN (rural)	1 person	$50,700–$59,150	$95,063–$110,906
Non-metro MN (rural)	4 person	$72,400–$84,500	$135,750–$158,438

Minnesota HEAR is pending. Amounts are HUD FY2025 estimates; final state-adopted limits may differ. Full guide: Minnesota HEAR Guide

Hawaii

Program: Hawaii HEAR | Administrator: Hawaii DBEDT | Portal: energy.hawaii.gov/hear

Area	HH size	80% AMI (full rebate)	150% AMI (50% rebate cutoff)
Honolulu Metro (Oahu)	1 person	$81,600	$153,000
Honolulu Metro (Oahu)	4 person	$116,600	$218,625
Maui County	1 person	$88,000	$165,000
Maui County	4 person	$125,700	$235,688
Hawaii County (Big Island)	1 person	$69,350	$130,031
Hawaii County (Big Island)	4 person	$99,050	$185,719
Kauai County	1 person	$80,600	$151,125
Kauai County	4 person	$115,150	$215,906

Full guide: Hawaii HEAR Guide

How to Find Your Exact AMI

The tables above cover the most common metro areas and county groupings. For an exact figure for your county and household size:

HUD official lookup: Go to huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html. Select your state, then your county. Look for "FY2025 Income Limits" or the year your state's program uses.
Your state's HEAR portal: Most state HEAR programs have an online income eligibility checker. Use it as the authoritative source for your specific program.
Calculate your household size: Count all people who live in the home, regardless of relationship or whether they file taxes together.
Use AGI, not gross income: For self-employed applicants especially, AGI (Form 1040 Line 11) can be significantly lower than revenue. See Self-Employed Guide.

Presumptive eligibility shortcut: If your client is enrolled in Medicaid, SNAP, LIHEAP, SSI, BIA General Assistance, or VA pension (needs-based), they can skip the income calculation entirely. Their benefit award letter substitutes for income verification in most states. See Income Docs by State.