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Standard Utility Allowances (SUA) Charts
Fiscal Year 2004
The Standard Utility Allowances (SUAs) listed below are optional at household request, unless they are shown as mandatory. SUAs are standardized utility figures States offer to households. They are used in place of actual utility costs to calculate a household's total shelter costs. (High shelter costs can result in a deduction from a household's net income for excess shelter costs. That can mean a higher food stamp allotment.) States calculate SUAs based on average utility costs in the State, or in local areas of the State. It is generally in a household's interest to use the SUA, unless its utility costs are high. In States with optional SUAs, a household can elect to claim actual utility costs, but must verify all the costs that it claims. (Where the notation "--" is used, it means the State agency has not established a standard, and uses actual utility costs.) The data presented here are based on an FNS survey of the States, and are updated as State agencies revise their SUAs and give us new figures, normally once a year. Note that HCSUA and non-heating & cooling LUA (Limited Utility Allowance) figures include the telephone standard, unless otherwise noted.
| State |
HCSUA (annualized, with heating &
cooling) |
LUA (annualized, without heating &
cooling) |
Telephone Allowance |
SUA in effect as of |
Mandatory SUA? |
| Alabama
|
$210 |
$138 |
$31 |
10/1/01 |
Yes |
| Alaska |
$222-$465* |
-- |
$16-$24* |
10/1/01 |
No |
| Arizona |
$244 |
-- |
$28 |
10/1/02 |
No |
| Arkansas |
$212 |
-- |
$25 |
10/1/02 |
No |
| California |
$227 |
-- |
$20 |
10/1/03 |
No |
| Colorado |
$209 |
-- |
$24 |
8/1/01 |
No |
| Connecticut |
$287 |
-- |
-- |
2/1/01 |
No |
| Delaware |
$288 |
$194 |
$19 |
10/1/02 |
Yes |
| District
of Columbia |
$191 |
-- |
$21 |
10/1/02 |
No |
| Florida |
$198 |
$173 |
$14 |
2/1/01 |
Yes |
| Georgia |
$206 |
$140 |
$25.74 |
10/1/03 |
Yes |
| Guam |
See note* |
See note* |
$24 |
10/1/03 |
No |
| Hawaii |
See note* |
See note* |
$25 |
10/1/03 |
No |
| Idaho |
$231 |
-- |
-- |
10/1/01 |
No |
| Illinois |
$259 |
$155 |
$27 |
10/1/02 |
Yes |
| Indiana |
$322 |
$155 |
$27 |
4/1/02 |
No |
| Iowa |
$271 |
$123* |
$19 |
10/1/02 |
Yes |
| Kansas |
$215 |
-- |
$31 |
10/1/01 |
No |
| Kentucky |
$198-$248* |
$155 |
$30 |
10/1/02 |
No |
| Louisiana |
$211 |
$183 |
$24 |
10/1/02 |
Yes |
| Maine |
$401 |
$162 |
$27 |
10/1/02 |
Yes |
| Maryland |
$224 |
$135 |
$26 |
1/1/03 |
No |
| Massachusetts |
$389 |
$211 |
$25 |
10/1/00 |
No |
| Michigan |
$375 |
see
note* |
$31 |
10/1/03 |
Yes |
| Minnesota |
$262 |
$75* |
$25 |
10/1/02 |
No |
| Mississippi |
$164 |
$116 |
$21.29 |
10/1/01 |
No |
| Missouri |
$248 |
$88 |
$26 |
10/1/01 |
Yes |
| Montana |
$304 |
-- |
$32 |
10/1/01 |
No |
| Nebraska |
$240 |
$113 |
$35 |
10/1/01 |
Yes |
| Nevada |
$228 |
-- |
$17 |
10/1/02 |
No |
| New Hampshire |
$366 |
$203 |
$28 |
10/1/00 |
No |
| New Jersey |
$238 |
$149 |
$29 |
10/1/02 |
Yes |
| New Mexico |
$185 |
-- |
-- |
12/1/00 |
No |
New York:
NY City
Long Island
Rest of NY |
$546
$494
$451 |
$234
$231
$216 |
$33
$33
$33 |
10/1/02
10/1/02
10/1/02 |
Yes |
| North Carolina |
$229-$324 |
$132 |
-- |
3/1/03 |
No |
| North Dakota |
$415 |
167* |
$38 |
10/1/03 |
No |
| Ohio |
$360 |
-- |
$28 |
10/1/03 |
No |
| Oklahoma |
$204 |
-- |
$25 |
10/1/02 |
No* |
| Oregon |
$261 |
$186 |
-- |
10/1/02 |
Yes |
| Pennsylvania |
$333 |
$181 |
$26 |
10/1/02 |
No |
| Rhode Island |
$357 |
-- |
$22.50 |
3/1/01 |
No |
| South Carolina |
$150 |
$95 |
$27 |
10/1/00 |
No |
| South Dakota |
$405 |
-- |
$29 |
10/1/01 |
No |
| Tennessee |
$187-$250* |
$126 |
$18 |
10/1/02 |
No |
| Texas |
$210 |
$162 |
$20 |
10/1/02 |
No |
| Utah |
$229* |
$154* |
$33* |
7/1/03* |
Yes* |
| Vermont |
$338 |
$127 |
$30.03 |
10/1/00 |
Yes |
| Virginia |
$194-$240* |
-- |
$43 |
10/1/02 |
No |
| Virgin Islands |
Actual Expenses |
-- |
-- |
|
|
| Washington |
$249-$287* |
$198 |
$33 |
10/1/01 |
Yes |
| West Virginia |
$253 |
-- |
-- |
10/1/02 |
No |
| Wisconsin |
$241 |
$133* |
$23 |
10/1/03 |
Yes* |
| Wyoming |
$302 |
$156 |
$32 |
10/1/02 |
Yes |
* Explanation of Notes
- Alaska’s HCSUA is determined by utility regions. The HCSUAs are: $222 in Central; $256 in Southeast; $270 in Southcentral; $327 in Northern; $443 in Southwest; and $465 in Northwest. Alaska has individual allowances for four utilities, which it uses for households without heating and cooling expenses separate from rent. Electricity is $55 in Central; $62 in Southeast; $63 in Northern; $65 in Southcentral; $110 in Southwest; and $115 in Northwest. The telephone allowance is $16 in Central; $18 in Southeast; $20 in Northern; $22 in Northwest; $23 in Southcentral; and $24 in Southwest. The sewer allowance is $20 in Southwest; $22 in Central; $30 in Southcentral; $32 in Southeast; $35 in Northern; and $39 in Northwest. The water allowance is $20 in Southeast; $27 in Southcentral; $28 in Central; $41 in Northwest; $44 in Northern; and $50 in Southwest.
- Guam’s SUA consists of six sub-elements (for electricity, gas, water, sewer, trash, and telephone). Electricity varies by household size:
$50 for one person; $60 for two or three; $76 for four; $90 for five;
$105 for six; $122 for seven; $129 for eight; $140 for nine or ten, and
$144 for 11 or more. Gas also varies by household size: $13 for one, two or three;
$25 for four, five or six; and $39 for seven or more. Water also varies by household size: $18 for one; $21 for two or three; $26 for four; $30 for five; $37 for six; $43 for seven; $47 for eight; $52 for nine or ten; and $54 for 11 or more. Sewer is a flat $22 per household. Trash is a flat $8.00 per household. And telephone is a flat
$24 per household.
- Hawaii’s SUA consists of four sub-elements and is based on household size. Electricity/gas is
$91 for one person; $98 for two; $112 for three; $137 for four or five;
$161 for six; and $181 for seven through ten. Water is $23 for one person;
$26 for two; $28 for three; $33 for four or five; $38 for six; and $46 for seven through ten. Sewage/trash is a flat $37. Telephone is a flat
$25.
- Iowa's non-heating and cooling LUA does not include the telephone standard.
- Kentucky's HCSUA is based on household size: $198 for one, $226 for two, $246 for three, and $248 for four persons.
- Michigan has single utility standards in lieu of an LUA. The standards are: Non-heat electric - $75; Cooking fuel -
$28; Water/sewer - $41; Garbage/trash - $14.
- Minnesota's $75 figure is not an LUA; it’s a non-heating utility standard for electricity.
- North Carolina's HCSUA is based on household size: $229 for one, $252 for two, $290 for three or four, and $324 for and five or more persons.
- Oklahoma will change to a mandatory SUA on 10/1/03.
- Tennessee's HCSUA is based on household size: $187 for one, $194 for two, $201for three, $208 for four, $215 for five, $222 for six, $229 for seven, $236 for eight, $243 for nine, and $250 for ten or more persons.
- Utah’s current non-mandatory HCSUA of $190, LUA of $115, and telephone standard of $20 remain in effect until 7/1/03.
- Virginia’s HCSUA is based on household size: $194 for one-three persons, and $240 for four or more persons.
- Washington’s HCSUA is based on household size: $249 for one, $256 for two, $264 for three, $271 for four, $279 for five, and $287 for six or more persons.
- Wisconsin adopted mandatory SUAs on 10/1/02, phased in as cases are handled. For households with only a single utility cost, it has adopted the following single utility standards: Non-heat electric -
$66; Cooking fuel - $23; Water/sewer - $22; Garbage/trash - $15.
Prepared by the USDA, Food & Nutrition Service, Food Stamp Program. Revised
8/31/04
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