Welfare Recipients by State

Map

Table

Introduction

Welfare is a form of government assistance program that is meant to help citizens meet basic human needs, like food and shelter. Welfare can appear in the form of either free or subsidized supply of goods or resources that can be used to purchase goods or services. To receive any form of welfare, the recipient must prove their income falls below the federal poverty level. 

Welfare programs in the U.S. vary in form. In 1935 a national welfare system was firstly established in the United States and was proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration. Welfare was followed by various programs to reduce poverty and push for a fairer society, as is seen by Roosevelt’s “New Deal” and Lyndon B. Johnson’s “Great Society”.

There are six major welfare programs in the United states: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Earned Income Tax Credit, Housing Assistance, and Medicaid. Welfare does not include entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, and worker’s compensation.

See for yourself how welfare recipients differ by state by surveying the data in the charts.

#StateNumber of Welfare RecipientsSNAP HouseholdsSocial Security Tax StatusSuicide Rate
1California237,6141,911,000No10 per 100k
2New York75,1211,520,000No8 per 100k
3Ohio48,056698,000No13.8 per 100k
4Florida38,1151,632,000No13.2 per 100k
5Washington28,150495,000No15.2 per 100k
6Pennsylvania27,157946,000No12.6 per 100k
7Massachusetts25,272447,000No8.4 per 100k
8Maryland22,063341,000No9.2 per 100k
9Minnesota19,250208,000Yes13.1 per 100k
10Texas18,1811,595,000No13.3 per 100k
11Virginia15,680342,000No13.5 per 100k
12Wisconsin14,991323,000No14.5 per 100k
13Oregon14,390358,000No18.3 per 100k
14Tennessee14,272463,000No17.2 per 100k
15North Carolina13,571634,000No13.2 per 100k
16Kentucky13,136279,000No17.7 per 100k
17Colorado11,622219,000Yes21.5 per 100k
18New Mexico11,574214,000Yes24.2 per 100k
19Illinois10,538904,000No10.5 per 100k
20Michigan9,372672,000No14 per 100k
21New Jersey8,923376,000No7.1 per 100k
22Georgia7,656699,000No13.7 per 100k
23Indiana7,636270,000No15 per 100k
24South Carolina7,305301,000No16.3 per 100k
25Arizona6,985377,000No17.6 per 100k
26Missouri6,806331,000No18.2 per 100k
27Hawaii6,58782,000No12.9 per 100k
28District of Columbia6,35468,000
29Alabama6,268354,000No16 per 100k
30Iowa6,215161,000No18 per 100k
31Nevada5,719226,000No18.2 per 100k
32Connecticut5,713219,000Yes9.3 per 100k
33West Virginia5,628163,000Yes19.4 per 100k
34Oklahoma4,964260,000No21.9 per 100k
35Nebraska3,45175,000Yes14.9 per 100k
36Louisiana3,358401,000No13.7 per 100k
37Maine3,28185,000No16.4 per 100k
38Kansas3,14699,000Yes18.4 per 100k
39New Hampshire2,99043,000No16.4 per 100k
40Delaware2,65567,000No12.3 per 100k
41South Dakota2,55940,000No21 per 100k
42Utah2,37476,000Yes20.8 per 100k
43Rhode Island2,30592,000Yes8.5 per 100k
44Montana2,17855,000Yes26.1 per 100k
45Alaska1,77539,000No27.5 per 100k
46Arkansas1,691161,000No19 per 100k
47Vermont1,68841,000Yes18.1 per 100k
48Mississippi1,681230,000No13.9 per 100k
49Idaho1,67769,000No23.2 per 100k
50North Dakota1,05524,000Yes18.2 per 100k
51Wyoming47813,000No30.5 per 100k

Number of Welfare Recipients by State

Alabama

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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6,268

Ranked in the US

#29

354,000

Ranked in the US

#18

16 per 100k

↓ 1.84%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#25

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Alaska

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1,775

Ranked in the US

#45

39,000

Ranked in the US

#49

27.5 per 100k

↓ 3.51%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#2

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Arizona

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6,985

Ranked in the US

#25

377,000

Ranked in the US

#15

17.6 per 100k

↓ 5.88%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#20

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Arkansas

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1,691

Ranked in the US

#46

161,000

Ranked in the US

#34

19 per 100k

↑ 5.56%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#11

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

California

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237,614

Ranked in the US

#1

1,911,000

Ranked in the US

#1

10 per 100k

↓ 6.54%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#44

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Colorado

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11,622

Ranked in the US

#17

219,000

Ranked in the US

#29

21.5 per 100k

↓ 2.71%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#7

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Connecticut

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5,713

Ranked in the US

#32

219,000

Ranked in the US

#30

9.3 per 100k

↓ 18.42%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#45

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Delaware

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2,655

Ranked in the US

#40

67,000

Ranked in the US

#44

12.3 per 100k

↑ 8.85%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#42

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

District of Columbia

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6,354

Ranked in the US

#28

68,000

Ranked in the US

#43

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Florida

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38,115

Ranked in the US

#4

1,632,000

Ranked in the US

#2

13.2 per 100k

↓ 8.97%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#37

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Georgia

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7,656

Ranked in the US

#22

699,000

Ranked in the US

#7

13.7 per 100k

↓ 6.16%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#33

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Hawaii

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6,587

Ranked in the US

#27

82,000

Ranked in the US

#39

12.9 per 100k

↓ 16.77%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#40

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Idaho

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1,677

Ranked in the US

#49

69,000

Ranked in the US

#42

23.2 per 100k

↑ 13.73%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#5

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Illinois

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10,538

Ranked in the US

#19

904,000

Ranked in the US

#6

10.5 per 100k

↓ 3.67%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#43

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Indiana

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7,636

Ranked in the US

#23

270,000

Ranked in the US

#25

15 per 100k

↑ 5.63%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#27

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Iowa

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6,215

Ranked in the US

#30

161,000

Ranked in the US

#35

18 per 100k

↑ 7.78%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#18

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Kansas

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3,146

Ranked in the US

#38

99,000

Ranked in the US

#36

18.4 per 100k

↑ 1.1%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#12

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Kentucky

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13,136

Ranked in the US

#16

279,000

Ranked in the US

#24

17.7 per 100k

↑ 7.27%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#19

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Louisiana

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3,358

Ranked in the US

#36

401,000

Ranked in the US

#14

13.7 per 100k

↓ 8.67%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#34

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Maine

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3,281

Ranked in the US

#37

85,000

Ranked in the US

#38

16.4 per 100k

↓ 15.46%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#22

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Maryland

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22,063

Ranked in the US

#8

341,000

Ranked in the US

#20

9.2 per 100k

↓ 10.68%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#46

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Massachusetts

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25,272

Ranked in the US

#7

447,000

Ranked in the US

#13

8.4 per 100k

↓ 3.45%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#48

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Michigan

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9,372

Ranked in the US

#20

672,000

Ranked in the US

#9

14 per 100k

↓ 2.1%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#30

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Minnesota

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19,250

Ranked in the US

#9

208,000

Ranked in the US

#32

13.1 per 100k

↓ 9.03%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#39

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Mississippi

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1,681

Ranked in the US

#48

230,000

Ranked in the US

#27

13.9 per 100k

↓ 3.47%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#31

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Missouri

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6,806

Ranked in the US

#26

331,000

Ranked in the US

#21

18.2 per 100k

- 0%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#14

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Montana

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2,178

Ranked in the US

#44

55,000

Ranked in the US

#45

26.1 per 100k

↓ 0.38%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#3

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Nebraska

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3,451

Ranked in the US

#35

75,000

Ranked in the US

#41

14.9 per 100k

↓ 7.45%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#28

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Nevada

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5,719

Ranked in the US

#31

226,000

Ranked in the US

#28

18.2 per 100k

↓ 8.08%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#15

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

New Hampshire

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2,990

Ranked in the US

#39

43,000

Ranked in the US

#46

16.4 per 100k

↓ 6.29%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#23

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

New Jersey

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8,923

Ranked in the US

#21

376,000

Ranked in the US

#16

7.1 per 100k

↓ 11.25%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#50

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

New Mexico

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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11,574

Ranked in the US

#18

214,000

Ranked in the US

#31

24.2 per 100k

↑ 0.83%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#4

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

New York

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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75,121

Ranked in the US

#2

1,520,000

Ranked in the US

#4

8 per 100k

↓ 3.61%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#49

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

North Carolina

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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13,571

Ranked in the US

#15

634,000

Ranked in the US

#10

13.2 per 100k

↑ 5.6%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#38

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

North Dakota

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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1,055

Ranked in the US

#50

24,000

Ranked in the US

#50

18.2 per 100k

↑ 0.55%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#16

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Ohio

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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48,056

Ranked in the US

#3

698,000

Ranked in the US

#8

13.8 per 100k

↓ 8.61%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#32

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Oklahoma

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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4,964

Ranked in the US

#34

260,000

Ranked in the US

#26

21.9 per 100k

↑ 6.83%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#6

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Oregon

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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14,390

Ranked in the US

#13

358,000

Ranked in the US

#17

18.3 per 100k

↓ 10.29%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#13

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Pennsylvania

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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27,157

Ranked in the US

#6

946,000

Ranked in the US

#5

12.6 per 100k

↓ 10.64%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#41

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Rhode Island

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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2,305

Ranked in the US

#43

92,000

Ranked in the US

#37

8.5 per 100k

↓ 20.56%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#47

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

South Carolina

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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7,305

Ranked in the US

#24

301,000

Ranked in the US

#23

16.3 per 100k

↑ 0.62%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#24

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

South Dakota

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2,559

Ranked in the US

#41

40,000

Ranked in the US

#48

21 per 100k

↑ 0.48%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#8

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Tennessee

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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14,272

Ranked in the US

#14

463,000

Ranked in the US

#12

17.2 per 100k

- 0%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#21

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Texas

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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18,181

Ranked in the US

#10

1,595,000

Ranked in the US

#3

13.3 per 100k

↓ 0.75%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#36

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Utah

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2,374

Ranked in the US

#42

76,000

Ranked in the US

#40

20.8 per 100k

↓ 1.89%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#9

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Vermont

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1,688

Ranked in the US

#47

41,000

Ranked in the US

#47

18.1 per 100k

↑ 13.13%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#17

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Virginia

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15,680

Ranked in the US

#11

342,000

Ranked in the US

#19

13.5 per 100k

↑ 5.47%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#35

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Washington

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28,150

Ranked in the US

#5

495,000

Ranked in the US

#11

15.2 per 100k

↓ 4.4%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#26

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

West Virginia

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5,628

Ranked in the US

#33

163,000

Ranked in the US

#33

19.4 per 100k

↑ 4.86%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#10

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Wisconsin

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Number of Welfare Recipients

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14,991

Ranked in the US

#12

323,000

Ranked in the US

#22

14.5 per 100k

↑ 3.57%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#29

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate

Wyoming

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478

Ranked in the US

#51

13,000

Ranked in the US

#51

30.5 per 100k

↑ 4.1%

Vs 2019

Ranked in the US

#1

Number of Welfare Recipients

SNAP Households

Suicide Rate