NYSERDA EmPower+ Income Guidelines: What You Need to Know in 2026

If you’ve been sitting on a draughty home, an ancient boiler, or an energy bill that eats up too much of your monthly income, 2026 is a genuinely good time to look at what New York State has available for you.

NYSERDA’s EmPower+ program covers the cost of home energy upgrades for income-eligible households – fully in some cases, or up to 50% in others. Things like insulation, heat pumps, air sealing, and water heater replacements. But the first question everyone asks is the same: do I earn too much to qualify?

The answer is often no. Especially this year.

This post breaks down the 2026 NYSERDA EmPower+ income guidelines in plain, honest language. No filler, no vague promises – just the numbers, who qualifies, what changed, and how to get started.

What Changed in 2026 – and Why It Matters

2026 Update: NYSERDA has expanded the low-income tier eligibility threshold. Households now qualify if they earn at or below 60% of Area Median Income (AMI) OR 60% of State Median Income (SMI) – whichever is greater. This is a significant change from previous years, when only SMI was used.

This is not a small tweak. City Limits, which covers New York housing and policy, reported this change within the past few weeks. The old SMI-only rule was a real problem, especially in New York City, where living costs are dramatically higher than upstate areas.

Here is how big the difference is in practice. In New York City, 60% of the State Median Income for a single person works out to roughly $39,864. But 60% of the Area Median Income – which reflects what it actually costs to live in the city – comes to around $67,800 for a single person. That is a gap of nearly $28,000. Families that previously fell through the cracks because the SMI threshold was too low may now qualify.

The Pratt Center for Community Development had been pushing for this change for years, pointing out that since 2010, only 7% of EmPower+ retrofit projects had been completed in New York City – despite the city holding nearly half the state’s population and over 863,000 eligible one- to four-family buildings.

With the new AMI-based threshold: a two-person household in NYC can now earn up to $77,760 and still qualify for the low-income tier (full coverage). Under the old SMI rule, that same household maxed out at around $52,140.

What Is NYSERDA EmPower+ and What Does It Actually Cover?

EmPower+ is run by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). It helps low- and moderate-income homeowners and renters get energy upgrades done at little to no cost, funded through state and federal money.

In terms of scale: the program served over 7,000 households in 2023. That jumped to more than 22,000 households per year in both 2024 and 2025, driven by federal Inflation Reduction Act funding. For 2026, NYSERDA has allocated $120 million to the program, up from $110 million in 2025. The Public Service Commission has also approved $445.5 million to be distributed over the next five years.

The types of improvements covered include:

• Insulation installation – attic, wall, and basement insulation that reduces heating and cooling loss by 20-30%
• Air sealing services – stopping the draughts and heat loss through gaps, cracks, and leaks
• Heat pump water heater installation – uses up to 60% less energy than standard electric water heaters
• Indoor air quality improvements – ventilation, detectors, and mold prevention
• Heat pumps for space heating and cooling
• Electrical panel and wiring upgrades needed to support modern, efficient equipment
• Direct install improvements during the assessment visit itself – LED lighting, aerators, and similar low-effort wins at no cost

A NYSERDA impact evaluation found that the average home served by the program saves 357 kWh per year in electricity. For homes that get full heating upgrades plus insulation and air sealing, reductions of 20% or more on overall energy use are common.

The Two Income Tiers: How Coverage Is Determined

EmPower+ does not use a single income cutoff. It uses two tiers, and the tier you fall into determines what percentage of your upgrade costs the program covers.

Tier 1 – Low-Income (Up to 100% Cost Coverage)

Your household income must be at or below 60% of the State Median Income (SMI) OR 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) – whichever is higher in your county.

If you qualify for Tier 1, the program covers your eligible improvements at zero cost to you. The base project funding cap for a single-family home is $10,000, and Tier 1 households can access up to $14,000 when additional HEAR funding is factored in, plus further stacking through IRA incentives – pushing total potential support to $24,000 for some households.

Tier 2 – Moderate-Income (Up to 50% Cost Coverage)

If your household income falls between 60% and 80% of the SMI or AMI (whichever is greater in your county), you qualify for the moderate tier. The program covers up to 50% of eligible improvements, with a base project cap of $5,000 for single-family homes.

Note: Income limits vary by county. Always verify your specific figures at nyserda.ny.gov or by calling 1-866-NYSERDA before assuming you do not qualify. The 2026 AMI-based expansion particularly benefits NYC and other high-cost counties.

2026 EmPower+ Income Reference Guide by Household Size

The table below gives you approximate income ranges. Upstate figures are based on 60% and 80% of the New York State Median Income. NYC and high-cost county figures reflect the AMI-based expansion introduced in 2026. Verify your exact county limits at NYSERDA’s online eligibility tool.

Source: NYSERDA EmPower+ program data, Upstate Spray Foam contractor reference, City Limits reporting (March 2026). 2026 figures should be confirmed at nyserda.ny.gov as the county-level tool reflects current rates.

The Fast Track: Auto-Qualifying Through Benefits Programs

A lot of people never realise this: if anyone in your household already receives certain benefits, you qualify automatically – without submitting income documentation separately.

The following program participants are automatically eligible for EmPower+:

• HEAP – Home Energy Assistance Program
• SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps)
• TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

If you have an award letter dated within the past 12 months from any of these programs, that is your proof of eligibility. No pay stubs, no tax returns, no additional income verification needed. It is the fastest route through the application.

What Counts as Income and How to Document It

NYSERDA uses gross household income – all income before taxes, from every adult in the household combined. Here is what is included:

• Wages and salaries
• Self-employment earnings
• Social Security and disability payments
• Pension and retirement income
• Unemployment benefits
• Rental income
• Veterans benefits, annuities, and maintenance payments

Some deductions apply – for example, child support payments you make out are generally not counted as part of your income. If you are right on the borderline, it is worth discussing with a certified contractor before assuming you are over the limit.

If You Do Not Have a Benefits Award Letter

You have two documentation options:

• Option 1 – Four consecutive weeks of pay stubs dated within the last 60 days, plus documentation of all other income sources (Social Security award letters, disability, unemployment, pension, etc.)
• Option 2 – Most recent federal income tax return (Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ) for every household member who was required to file, plus applicable schedules for rental, business, or farm income

Note: You also need a copy of your gas utility bill or, if you heat with oil, propane, or kerosene, a bill from your fuel supplier.

Homeowners and Renters Both Qualify

This is something many people do not know. EmPower+ is open to both owners and renters of one- to four-family buildings, as long as the property is your primary residence.

For renters, work generally requires landlord approval. But NYSERDA actively tries to make the program accessible to tenants, recognising that renters face a unique problem – they pay the energy bills but have no control over what happens to the building. For two- to four-family buildings, if 50% or more of the units are income-eligible, the entire building qualifies.

The program also now serves KEDLI customers on Long Island, following the end of the KEDLI Heat program in October 2025.

Priority is typically given to households with senior residents (age 60 or older), families with young children, people with disabilities, and households spending more than 6% of their income on energy costs.

Stacking EmPower+ with Other Programs

EmPower+ does not have to stand alone. You can combine it with:

• HEAR rebates (IRA-funded): Save up to $840 on energy-efficient appliances including clothes dryers – stacked on top of standard EmPower+ incentives
• Federal IRA tax credits: Any homeowner can claim up to $1,200 per year in federal tax credits for qualifying energy efficiency improvements
• Utility rebates: National Grid, NYSEG, Central Hudson, Con Edison, and Orange and Rockland all run their own rebate programs that can be used alongside EmPower+
• NYSERDA financing: Smart Energy Loans from $1,500 to $25,000 with rates as low as 3.49% for lower-income households, for any gap between what EmPower+ covers and total project costs
• NY Weatherization Assistance Program: A federally funded program that has helped over 744,000 New York households since 1977. WAP targets households at or below 60% of state median income and can work alongside EmPower+ improvements for a more comprehensive result

What Do Real Savings Look Like?

The research is consistent. NYSERDA’s impact evaluation found the average EmPower-served home saves 357 kWh per year in electricity. Homes that receive a full package of insulation, air sealing, and heating upgrades typically see energy use drop by 20% or more.

For context: NYC electricity costs run about 54% above the national average, and natural gas runs 23% above average. A family paying $200 per month on heating and cooling that achieves a 20% reduction saves $480 a year – every year, permanently. And that adds up faster in a city where bills are already high.

The combination that consistently delivers the strongest results is air sealing paired with insulation, which together can cut heating and cooling loss by 30-50%. Adding a heat pump water heater on top of that reduces hot water costs – which typically account for 15-20% of household energy use – by up to 60%.

How to Get Started in 2026

• Step 1 – Check your income: Use the reference table above and confirm your county-specific limits at nyserda.ny.gov. Remember – for NYC and high-cost counties, use the AMI-based limits, which are now higher for the low-income tier.
• Step 2 – Check for auto-qualification: If anyone in your household receives HEAP, SNAP, TANF, or SSI, pull that award letter dated within the past 12 months. That is all you need.
• Step 3 – Gather income documents (if needed): Four weeks of recent pay stubs plus all other income records, or your most recent tax return for all household members, plus your utility bill.
• Step 4 – Contact a certified contractor: You can apply directly via NYSERDA’s MyEnergy Portal, or work through a NYSERDA-approved contractor who handles the process alongside the energy assessment.
• Step 5 – Schedule your free home energy assessment: A certified auditor visits your home at no cost, runs a blower door test, checks insulation, and identifies exactly where energy is being wasted.
• Step 6 – Approve and complete: Review the recommended upgrades and incentive amounts, then the contractor schedules the work. For Tier 1 households, eligible improvements are completed at zero cost to you.

NYSERDA’s helpline is 1-866-NYSERDA. Regional Clean Energy Hubs across the state can also provide in-person application support.

Bottom Line: Do Not Assume You Do Not Qualify

The three most common reasons people miss out on EmPower+ are: they assume their income is too high, they think it is only for homeowners, or they think the application is complicated. Most of those assumptions are wrong in 2026.

Income limits are higher than people expect – especially now that NYC and other high-cost counties use AMI rather than SMI for the low-income tier threshold. Renters qualify. Auto-qualification through HEAP, SNAP, TANF, and SSI makes the process straightforward for many households.

The practical next step is simply to schedule a free home energy assessment with a NYSERDA-approved contractor. You are not committing to anything. You will come out of it knowing exactly what your home qualifies for and what it will cost you – which in many cases is nothing at all.

To learn more about what the NY Weatherization Program covers – including insulation, air sealing, indoor air quality improvements, and heating upgrades – visit nyweatherizationprogram.com or call 929-232-1130.

Sources

• NYSERDA EmPower+ official program page – nyserda.ny.gov (2026 eligibility guidelines updated)
• City Limits – More NYC Households to Qualify for Energy Efficiency Upgrades Under Tweaked State Program (March 2026)
• Pratt Center for Community Development – How NYSERDA’s EmPower+ Program Shortchanges Low-Income Residents
• Smart Energy Choices – Incentives and Programs (2024-2025 income limit reference data)
• NYSERDA Residential Retrofit Impact Evaluation (2017-Q1 2019)
• EPA EmPower+ Program Profile (2024)
• NY Energy Project – EmPower+ Program NYC (Tier 1 up to $14,000 reference)