Household Composition Guide

To determine who is included in a SNAP household, ask the following questions:

Are all of the people living in the same apartment/house?

Do you purchase and prepare food together? 

You are a separate SNAP household

You are all one SNAP household

Are the other people in your home relatives?

Example: spouse, children, parents, and sisters/brothers

Relatives have to be part of your household for SNAP purposes if they are:

  • Spouses living together
  • Parents and children under age 22 who live together even if the child has their own minor child(ren) and/or spouse living with them.
  • Children under age 18 living with and under the “parental control” of an adult other than their parent/stepparent. (For information on how “parental control” is determined, see 07-INF-14 Child-Only Questions and Answers pg 11, question 41, and SNAPSB Section 5: pp. 50 c. + note)

Relatives who may be separate SNAP households if they purchase/ prepare food separately:

  • Adult brothers & sisters living together
  • Adult children, 22 or older, living with parents
  • Cousins, uncles/aunts, and other distant relatives

They are not part of your SNAP household.

They may apply for SNAP separately.