Food Stamp Benefits by State

Map

Table

Introduction

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”), previously known as food stamps, is a safety net program that provides assistance to low and no-income people to purchase food. SNAP is administered by  the United States Department of Agriculture under the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), although benefits are distributed by specific departments of the U.S. states. 

In 1964 the Food Stamp Act was passed and appropriated $75 million to 350,000 individuals in 40 counties and three cities. The Act intended to strengthen the agricultural economy and improve the levels of nutrition amongst low income households. This was a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War on Poverty”.

As of August 2021, approximately 42 million people received SNAP benefits. The amount of money one receives through SNAP depends on the size, income, and expenses of the household.

Learn for yourself how food stamp benefits differ by state by looking at the data in the charts.

#StateSNAP HouseholdsNumber of Welfare RecipientsSocial Security Tax Status
1California1,911,000237,614No
2Florida1,632,00038,115No
3Texas1,595,00018,181No
4New York1,520,00075,121No
5Pennsylvania946,00027,157No
6Illinois904,00010,538No
7Georgia699,0007,656No
8Ohio698,00048,056No
9Michigan672,0009,372No
10North Carolina634,00013,571No
11Washington495,00028,150No
12Tennessee463,00014,272No
13Massachusetts447,00025,272No
14Louisiana401,0003,358No
15Arizona377,0006,985No
16New Jersey376,0008,923No
17Oregon358,00014,390No
18Alabama354,0006,268No
19Virginia342,00015,680No
20Maryland341,00022,063No
21Missouri331,0006,806No
22Wisconsin323,00014,991No
23South Carolina301,0007,305No
24Kentucky279,00013,136No
25Indiana270,0007,636No
26Oklahoma260,0004,964No
27Mississippi230,0001,681No
28Nevada226,0005,719No
29Colorado219,00011,622Yes
30Connecticut219,0005,713Yes
31New Mexico214,00011,574Yes
32Minnesota208,00019,250Yes
33West Virginia163,0005,628Yes
34Arkansas161,0001,691No
35Iowa161,0006,215No
36Kansas99,0003,146Yes
37Rhode Island92,0002,305Yes
38Maine85,0003,281No
39Hawaii82,0006,587No
40Utah76,0002,374Yes
41Nebraska75,0003,451Yes
42Idaho69,0001,677No
43District of Columbia68,0006,354
44Delaware67,0002,655No
45Montana55,0002,178Yes
46New Hampshire43,0002,990No
47Vermont41,0001,688Yes
48South Dakota40,0002,559No
49Alaska39,0001,775No
50North Dakota24,0001,055Yes
51Wyoming13,000478No

SNAP Households by State

Alabama

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SNAP Households

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354,000

Ranked in the US

#18

Ranked in the US

#29

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Alaska

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39,000

Ranked in the US

#49

Ranked in the US

#45

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Arizona

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377,000

Ranked in the US

#15

Ranked in the US

#25

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Arkansas

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161,000

Ranked in the US

#34

Ranked in the US

#46

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

California

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1,911,000

Ranked in the US

#1

Ranked in the US

#1

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Colorado

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219,000

Ranked in the US

#29

Ranked in the US

#17

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Connecticut

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219,000

Ranked in the US

#30

Ranked in the US

#32

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Delaware

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67,000

Ranked in the US

#44

Ranked in the US

#40

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

District of Columbia

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68,000

Ranked in the US

#43

Ranked in the US

#28

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Florida

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1,632,000

Ranked in the US

#2

Ranked in the US

#4

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Georgia

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699,000

Ranked in the US

#7

Ranked in the US

#22

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Hawaii

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82,000

Ranked in the US

#39

Ranked in the US

#27

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Idaho

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69,000

Ranked in the US

#42

Ranked in the US

#49

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Illinois

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904,000

Ranked in the US

#6

Ranked in the US

#19

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Indiana

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270,000

Ranked in the US

#25

Ranked in the US

#23

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Iowa

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161,000

Ranked in the US

#35

Ranked in the US

#30

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Kansas

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99,000

Ranked in the US

#36

Ranked in the US

#38

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Kentucky

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279,000

Ranked in the US

#24

Ranked in the US

#16

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Louisiana

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401,000

Ranked in the US

#14

Ranked in the US

#36

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Maine

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85,000

Ranked in the US

#38

Ranked in the US

#37

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Maryland

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341,000

Ranked in the US

#20

Ranked in the US

#8

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Massachusetts

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447,000

Ranked in the US

#13

Ranked in the US

#7

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Michigan

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672,000

Ranked in the US

#9

Ranked in the US

#20

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Minnesota

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208,000

Ranked in the US

#32

Ranked in the US

#9

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Mississippi

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230,000

Ranked in the US

#27

Ranked in the US

#48

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Missouri

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331,000

Ranked in the US

#21

Ranked in the US

#26

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Montana

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55,000

Ranked in the US

#45

Ranked in the US

#44

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Nebraska

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75,000

Ranked in the US

#41

Ranked in the US

#35

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Nevada

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226,000

Ranked in the US

#28

Ranked in the US

#31

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

New Hampshire

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43,000

Ranked in the US

#46

Ranked in the US

#39

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

New Jersey

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376,000

Ranked in the US

#16

Ranked in the US

#21

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

New Mexico

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214,000

Ranked in the US

#31

Ranked in the US

#18

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

New York

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1,520,000

Ranked in the US

#4

Ranked in the US

#2

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

North Carolina

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634,000

Ranked in the US

#10

Ranked in the US

#15

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

North Dakota

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24,000

Ranked in the US

#50

Ranked in the US

#50

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Ohio

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698,000

Ranked in the US

#8

Ranked in the US

#3

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Oklahoma

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SNAP Households

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260,000

Ranked in the US

#26

Ranked in the US

#34

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Oregon

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SNAP Households

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358,000

Ranked in the US

#17

Ranked in the US

#13

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Pennsylvania

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SNAP Households

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946,000

Ranked in the US

#5

Ranked in the US

#6

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Rhode Island

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SNAP Households

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92,000

Ranked in the US

#37

Ranked in the US

#43

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

South Carolina

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SNAP Households

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301,000

Ranked in the US

#23

Ranked in the US

#24

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

South Dakota

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40,000

Ranked in the US

#48

Ranked in the US

#41

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Tennessee

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463,000

Ranked in the US

#12

Ranked in the US

#14

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Texas

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1,595,000

Ranked in the US

#3

Ranked in the US

#10

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Utah

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76,000

Ranked in the US

#40

Ranked in the US

#42

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Vermont

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41,000

Ranked in the US

#47

Ranked in the US

#47

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Virginia

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342,000

Ranked in the US

#19

Ranked in the US

#11

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Washington

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495,000

Ranked in the US

#11

Ranked in the US

#5

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

West Virginia

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SNAP Households

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163,000

Ranked in the US

#33

Ranked in the US

#33

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Wisconsin

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SNAP Households

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323,000

Ranked in the US

#22

Ranked in the US

#12

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients

Wyoming

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13,000

Ranked in the US

#51

Ranked in the US

#51

SNAP Households

Number of Welfare Recipients