NYSERDA EmPower+ Income Guidelines: What Every New York Homeowner and Renter Should Know (2025–2026)

If your energy bill feels like a second rent payment every month — you’re not imagining it. A 2020 report by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy found that roughly a quarter of low-income New York City households were spending more than 17% of their income on energy. That’s nearly three times what financial experts consider a healthy energy burden (around 6%).

New York State built the EmPower+ program to fix exactly that. And yet, thousands of eligible households have never applied — mostly because they don’t know they qualify, or the income guidelines feel confusing.

This guide cuts through all of that. You’ll find the exact income limits, which tier you fall into, what upgrades you’d actually receive, and how to get started — in plain, straightforward language.

What Is NYSERDA EmPower+?

EmPower+ is a home energy efficiency program run by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). It helps low- and moderate-income households save energy and money through improvements made to their primary residence — including no-cost home energy assessments, direct-install improvements, and funding toward insulation, air sealing, heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and electrical service upgrades.

The program evolved from the earlier EmPower New York and now includes enhanced incentives for heat pumps, insulation, and other upgrades. The goal is simple: reduce energy consumption, lower utility bills, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. If you’re eligible, a certified contractor will conduct a free home energy assessment to identify issues like drafty windows or inefficient appliances — then implement improvements, often at no cost to you.

Here’s a stat that puts the urgency in perspective: more than 30% of Black and Hispanic households in New York City carry a high energy burden. Because energy bills are so high, people sometimes forgo other basic necessities like sufficient nutrition or healthcare in order to afford their energy bill, or they keep their home at an unhealthy temperature.

EmPower+ exists to directly address that reality.

The Two Income Tiers — And What Each Gets You

Income eligibility is based on two tiers: the low-income tier (at or below 60% of the State Median Income) and the moderate-income tier (between 60% and 80% of the SMI or Area Median Income, whichever is greater).

Tier 1 — Low Income (100% Coverage) Your household is at or below 60% of the State Median Income. Thanks to new IRA funding, the maximum assistance amount has risen to $24,000 — up from the previous cap of $10,000. That means a full home retrofit, completely free.

Tier 2 — Moderate Income (50% Coverage) Your household falls between 60% and 80% of SMI or AMI. Households in this bracket qualify for up to $5,000 in program incentives, covering half the project cost.

2025–2026 EmPower+ Income Limits (Most NY Counties)

Figures reflect most New York counties. Confirm your specific county at nyserda.ny.gov.

Note that in high-cost areas like NYC, AMI might allow higher incomes — up to $100,000+ for a family of four in some cases. Always verify with your local contractor or NYSERDA for precise figures, as they can vary slightly by county.

The Fast Track: Automatic Eligibility

If you’re already enrolled in certain assistance programs, you may qualify for EmPower+ Tier 1 automatically — with no additional income paperwork required.

To apply, you’ll need a copy of the entire award letter for HEAP, SNAP (Food Stamps), TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), or Supplemental Security Income, dated within the past 12 months. No additional income documentation is required.

That’s it. One letter, and you’re in. This matters because gathering income documents is often the biggest friction point for applicants. If you’re on any of these programs, the hard part is already done.

What Upgrades Does the Program Actually Cover?

This isn’t a minor tune-up program. EmPower+ funds real, lasting improvements that change how your home feels day to day and what you pay each month.

Eligible improvements include: no-cost comprehensive home energy assessments, direct-install improvements identified during the assessment, air sealing, insulation, heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and electrical service and wiring upgrades.

Based on the energy assessment, EmPower+ can also provide no-cost replacement of older, inefficient refrigerators and freezers, along with energy-efficient lighting.

And there’s more on top of that. Through the Home Electrification Appliance Rebate (HEAR) program — layered on top of EmPower+ via IRA funding — income-eligible households can save up to $840 on energy-efficient appliances, including new clothes dryers. These rebates stack on top of the base EmPower+ incentives.

To see the full range of what a qualified contractor handles from assessment to installation, visit the services page here.

The real-world results back this up: an evaluation of the EmPower program found that the average home serviced saved 357 kWh per year in electricity. Over time, that adds up to hundreds of dollars back in your pocket — every year.

Who Qualifies Beyond Income? The Other Eligibility Factors

Income is the main gate, but EmPower+ also checks a few other things:

• Home type: You must live in a building with 4 or fewer units
• Primary residence: The home must be where you live, not a rental property you own
• Energy provider: You must have a qualified energy provider (National Grid, NYSEG, or Central Hudson) and pay SBC, or heat with oil, propane, or kerosene — or be a Con Edison or KEDLI customer
• Renters included: Both owners and renters are eligible

There’s also a geographic shortcut worth knowing. Using HUD Income Block Data, NYSERDA has identified census block groups where 50% or more of the population qualifies for EmPower. If your address falls in one of these zones and you live in a single-family home, you’re automatically deemed income-eligible — no documentation needed.

How to Apply: Step by Step

The process is more manageable than most people expect. Here’s the full flow:

Step 1 — Check your income Compare your gross household income to the table above. If you’re borderline, don’t self-disqualify — certain income items like child support aren’t counted in the calculation.

Step 2 — Gather your documents If you have a HEAP, SNAP, TANF, or SSI award letter from the past 12 months, that’s all you need. Otherwise, collect four consecutive weeks of recent pay stubs (from the last 60 days), plus documentation of any other income sources (Social Security, disability, pension, veterans’ benefits, etc.). If documenting with tax returns, you’ll need the most recent Federal Income Tax Return (Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ), plus corresponding schedules for rental, business, or farm income.

Step 3 — Apply through the MyEnergy Portal Create a profile on the MyEnergy Portal and complete an EmPower+ Program application. Once approved, you’ll receive an email from the program including contact information for your EmPower+ contractor.

Step 4 — Schedule your free home energy assessment Your assigned contractor will contact you to set up the assessment. A certified technician walks through your home, identifies problem areas, and builds a customized improvement plan.

Step 5 — Review and approve the project Following the home energy assessment, your contractor submits recommendations for energy improvements to EmPower+ for review. Upon approval, the contractor will provide you with an overview of approved incentive amounts and schedule the work.

Step 6 — Get the work done Typical timeline is 2–4 months from application to completed improvements. Having your documents ready at the start speeds the whole process up.

Working with an experienced, certified EmPower+ contractor makes every step easier — they handle the paperwork, communicate with NYSERDA on your behalf, and make sure you’re not leaving any incentive on the table.

Can You Stack EmPower+ With Other Programs?

Yes — and you should. EmPower+ is designed to work alongside other incentives, not replace them.

Any homeowner can claim up to $1,200/year in federal tax credits for insulation and other energy efficiency improvements made through 2025. Additional incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act are also available.

Utility companies including National Grid, NYSEG, Central Hudson, and Con Edison each run their own rebate programs that can be layered on top of state incentives. For any remaining funding gaps, NYSERDA’s Smart Energy Loan offers amounts from $1,500–$25,000 with terms of 5, 10, and 15 years, and rates as low as 3.49% for lower-income households.

Browse the full services page to see how a qualified contractor can help you identify and combine every program you’re eligible for.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m a renter. Can I still apply? Yes. EmPower+ explicitly covers renters. You don’t need to own your home. The program works with tenants directly when possible, and in some cases coordinates with landlords to facilitate improvements in rental units.

We heat with oil or propane. Does that disqualify us? No. Households heating with oil, propane, kerosene, wood, or coal are fully eligible, as long as you meet income requirements and live in an eligible building. You’ll just need a recent fuel supplier bill.

My income is borderline — should I still apply? Absolutely. Several income items are excluded from the calculation, including child support. In high-cost counties, the AMI threshold may also be significantly higher than the statewide SMI figure. Let an EmPower+ contractor run the eligibility check for you — it’s free.

Is there a waitlist? NYSERDA has allocated $120 million to EmPower+ for 2026, up from $110 million in 2025, with additional funding coming from the Public Service Commission — $445.5 million to be distributed over the next five years. The program has more capacity than ever, but applying early is still the smart move.

How long has the program been running, and how many people has it helped? EmPower+ served over 7,000 households in 2023. That number climbed to more than 22,000 households per year in both 2024 and 2025, fueled by major new funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and New York State budget.

The Bottom Line

The NYSERDA EmPower+ income guidelines are more accessible than most people realize. A family of four earning up to $76,680 pays nothing. A family earning up to $102,240 pays half. And if you’re already on HEAP or SNAP, you don’t even need to prove your income — one letter does it.

The upgrades are real, the funding is substantial, and the process is manageable when you work with someone who knows it well.

If you meet the income guidelines — or think you might — there’s genuinely no downside to checking. Start with a certified EmPower+ contractor who can confirm your eligibility and guide you through every step, or explore the services available to understand what improvements your home could receive.