SNAP (Food Stamps) Household Characteristics Reports
In fiscal year 2011, about 44.71 million people participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Food Stamp program as of December 1, 2011. In 2008 there were only 28.22 million people who participated. In 2000 there were only 17.19 million people who participated.
The United States Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), historically and commonly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federal-assistance program that provides assistance to low- and no-income people and families living in the U.S. Though the program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, benefits are distributed by the individual U.S. states.
The average SNAP household size was 2.2 persons, but varied considerably by household composition. Households with children were larger, averaging 3.3 members. Households with elderly participants were smaller, averaging 1.3 members.
SNAP Benefits of Participants by Selected Demographic Characteristic
White, (not Hispanic) 13,395,000 33.7%
African American, (not Hispanic) 8,909,000 22.4%
Asian, (not Hispanic) 1,120 2.8%
Native American, (not Hispanic) 1,696,000 4.3%
Multiple Races Reported, (not Hispanic) 63,000 0.2%
Race Unknown 7,939,000 20.0%
_______________________________________
Hispanic (of any race) 6,637,000 16.7%
The Hispanic category includes the following values: Hispanic; (Hispanic or Latino) and (American Indian or Alaska Native); (Hispanic or Latino) and Asian; (Hispanic or Latino) and (Black or African American); (Hispanic or Latino) and (Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander); (Hispanic or Latino) and
White; (Hispanic or Latino) and (American Indian or Alaska Native) and White; (Hispanic or Latino) and Asian and White; (Hispanic or Latino) and
(Black or African American); (Hispanic or Latino) and (American Indian or Alaska Native) and (Black or African American); (Hispanic or Latino) and Respondent reported more than one race and does not fit into the listed values. Hispanic/Latino is not a race but, place of origin only and includes persons of any race and any ethnic group.
| SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: AVERAGE MONTHLY PARTICIPATION (HOUSEHOLDS) | |||||
| (Data as of December 1, 2011) | |||||
| State/Territory | FY 2007 | FY 2008 | FY 2009 | FY 2010 | FY 2011 |
| Preliminary | |||||
| Alabama | 220,917 | 231,740 | 280,625 | 344,788 | 404,793 |
| Alaska | 21,318 | 21,976 | 25,107 | 30,441 | 35,072 |
| Arizona | 222,304 | 258,517 | 340,852 | 439,364 | 465,375 |
| Arkansas | 158,087 | 157,871 | 172,602 | 197,624 | 210,670 |
| California | 827,258 | 914,161 | 1,122,949 | 1,391,359 | 1,612,825 |
| Colorado | 106,899 | 109,405 | 138,382 | 176,289 | 200,064 |
| Connecticut | 113,187 | 120,573 | 139,408 | 180,463 | 205,772 |
| Delaware | 29,116 | 32,512 | 40,239 | 50,507 | 61,877 |
| District of Columbia | 45,129 | 47,721 | 56,592 | 66,032 | 76,075 |
| Florida | 627,987 | 745,847 | 1,001,711 | 1,370,563 | 1,659,063 |
| Georgia | 387,254 | 417,427 | 534,944 | 681,782 | 789,785 |
| Guam | 7,916 | 8,295 | 9,587 | 11,595 | 12,945 |
| Hawaii | 45,380 | 48,824 | 57,857 | 69,402 | 79,624 |
| Idaho | 35,990 | 40,835 | 54,459 | 78,378 | 96,372 |
| Illinois | 569,073 | 595,832 | 677,147 | 775,019 | 859,785 |
| Indiana | 253,840 | 267,802 | 301,195 | 347,835 | 381,217 |
| Iowa | 108,166 | 117,632 | 135,558 | 156,529 | 173,186 |
| Kansas | 82,881 | 85,784 | 99,698 | 122,943 | 138,910 |
| Kentucky | 266,673 | 283,752 | 315,885 | 353,227 | 381,740 |
| Louisiana | 266,075 | 324,887 | 303,287 | 353,495 | 388,516 |
| Maine | 81,767 | 86,459 | 99,557 | 114,211 | 126,184 |
| Maryland | 147,191 | 167,174 | 212,260 | 265,796 | 328,328 |
| Massachusetts | 239,802 | 266,430 | 336,050 | 407,304 | 447,066 |
| Michigan | 555,744 | 590,930 | 694,341 | 865,508 | 967,566 |
| Minnesota | 131,764 | 140,427 | 165,533 | 209,816 | 245,586 |
| Mississippi | 178,775 | 188,498 | 214,103 | 247,947 | 273,029 |
| Missouri | 299,509 | 312,476 | 359,746 | 408,717 | 433,899 |
| Montana | 34,830 | 35,494 | 40,923 | 51,148 | 57,133 |
| Nebraska | 51,845 | 52,082 | 57,442 | 70,542 | 76,183 |
| Nevada | 57,023 | 67,380 | 92,885 | 128,979 | 156,319 |
| New Hampshire | 28,852 | 31,244 | 38,459 | 49,537 | 54,134 |
| New Jersey | 198,725 | 210,867 | 242,743 | 303,765 | 370,887 |
| New Mexico | 92,093 | 95,769 | 119,395 | 150,796 | 179,007 |
| New York | 951,633 | 1,036,676 | 1,231,892 | 1,463,135 | 1,600,690 |
| North Carolina | 391,019 | 419,127 | 506,034 | 611,325 | 734,482 |
| North Dakota | 20,395 | 21,825 | 23,989 | 27,232 | 27,893 |
| Ohio | 492,811 | 526,800 | 624,989 | 751,299 | 847,377 |
| Oklahoma | 176,290 | 176,483 | 199,615 | 251,248 | 272,189 |
| Oregon | 226,435 | 243,257 | 302,714 | 373,819 | 419,693 |
| Pennsylvania | 530,243 | 558,939 | 631,566 | 740,186 | 815,765 |
| Rhode Island | 36,645 | 41,548 | 51,555 | 72,840 | 86,368 |
| South Carolina | 233,295 | 255,702 | 302,450 | 359,506 | 390,936 |
| South Dakota | 24,754 | 26,189 | 30,901 | 40,054 | 43,585 |
| Tennessee | 387,441 | 410,458 | 490,912 | 573,725 | 611,502 |
| Texas | 947,235 | 994,786 | 1,183,153 | 1,407,083 | 1,608,476 |
| Utah | 50,784 | 53,715 | 73,706 | 98,805 | 111,799 |
| Vermont | 26,046 | 27,642 | 35,408 | 42,434 | 46,239 |
| Virginia | 230,281 | 245,592 | 295,741 | 364,825 | 406,811 |
| Virgin Islands | 4,761 | 5,036 | 6,272 | 8,145 | 9,359 |
| Washington | 272,605 | 292,515 | 375,570 | 474,701 | 546,383 |
| West Virginia | 120,135 | 124,183 | 138,070 | 154,886 | 160,721 |
| Wisconsin | 162,092 | 180,792 | 234,874 | 317,015 | 370,372 |
| Wyoming | 9,499 | 9,564 | 11,185 | 14,473 | 15,341 |
| TOTAL | 11,787,765 | 12,727,450 | 15,232,115 | 18,618,436 | 21,074,964 |
| The following outlying areas receive Nutrition Assistance Grants which provide benefits analogous to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Marianas. The number of households participating is reported monthly. Annual averages are the sums divided by twelve. | |||||
| All data are subject to revision. | |||||
| SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: NUMBER OF PERSONS PARTICIPATING | |||||
| (Data as of December 1, 2011) | |||||
| Percent Change | |||||
| State / | September | August | September | September 2011 vs | |
| Territory | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 | Aug 2011 | Sep 2010 |
| Preliminary | Initial | ||||
| Alabama | 849,785 | 900,496 | 907,420 | 0.8% | 6.8% |
| Alaska | 81,196 | 91,079 | 90,531 | -0.6% | 11.5% |
| Arizona | 1,044,410 | 1,123,333 | 1,131,358 | 0.7% | 8.3% |
| Arkansas | 483,309 | 490,744 | 490,090 | -0.1% | 1.4% |
| California | 3,466,974 | 3,818,822 | 3,851,823 | 0.9% | 11.1% |
| Colorado | 424,878 | 471,363 | 474,564 | 0.7% | 11.7% |
| Connecticut | 364,341 | 386,985 | 391,078 | 1.1% | 7.3% |
| Delaware | 124,755 | 141,915 | 144,220 | 1.6% | 15.6% |
| District of Columbia | 128,759 | 140,836 | 140,315 | -0.4% | 9.0% |
| Florida | 2,881,019 | 3,163,228 | 3,187,157 | 0.8% | 10.6% |
| Georgia | 1,693,976 | 1,851,586 | 1,863,393 | 0.6% | 10.0% |
| Guam | 38,908 | 41,818 | 42,960 | 2.7% | 10.4% |
| Hawaii | 147,250 | 166,093 | 168,151 | 1.2% | 14.2% |
| Idaho | 214,378 | 233,450 | 233,254 | -0.1% | 8.8% |
| Illinois | 1,839,051 | 1,811,357 | 1,826,991 | 0.9% | -0.7% |
| Indiana | 857,992 | 895,008 | 896,328 | 0.1% | 4.5% |
| Iowa | 352,164 | 393,624 | 396,727 | 0.8% | 12.7% |
| Kansas | 291,126 | 303,667 | 300,320 | -1.1% | 3.2% |
| Kentucky | 804,538 | 842,499 | 841,275 | -0.1% | 4.6% |
| Louisiana | 864,112 | 906,938 | 915,185 | 0.9% | 5.9% |
| Maine | 237,530 | 252,223 | 251,762 | -0.2% | 6.0% |
| Maryland | 616,102 | 698,969 | 702,604 | 0.5% | 14.0% |
| Massachusetts | 785,435 | 830,593 | 833,963 | 0.4% | 6.2% |
| Michigan | 1,884,751 | 1,931,821 | 1,922,354 | -0.5% | 2.0% |
| Minnesota | 455,951 | 528,289 | 528,187 | 0.0% | 15.8% |
| Mississippi | 601,432 | 639,609 | 642,397 | 0.4% | 6.8% |
| Missouri | 928,183 | 951,103 | 949,889 | -0.1% | 2.3% |
| Montana | 119,039 | 126,723 | 125,792 | -0.7% | 5.7% |
| Nebraska | 169,385 | 175,754 | 175,993 | 0.1% | 3.9% |
| Nevada | 314,253 | 347,848 | 348,727 | 0.3% | 11.0% |
| New Hampshire | 110,576 | 114,332 | 114,388 | 0.0% | 3.4% |
| New Jersey | 690,075 | 787,460 | 916,798 | 16.4% | 32.9% |
| New Mexico | 390,154 | 428,642 | 430,032 | 0.3% | 10.2% |
| New York | 2,895,995 | 3,040,684 | 3,057,767 | 0.6% | 5.6% |
| North Carolina | 1,476,207 | 1,633,664 | 1,797,003 | 10.0% | 21.7% |
| North Dakota | 61,229 | 60,369 | 60,011 | -0.6% | -2.0% |
| Ohio | 1,683,877 | 1,765,519 | 1,756,380 | -0.5% | 4.3% |
| Oklahoma | 613,531 | 624,489 | 626,153 | 0.3% | 2.1% |
| Oregon | 738,957 | 793,120 | 795,706 | 0.3% | 7.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,644,259 | 1,764,550 | 1,769,585 | 0.3% | 7.6% |
| Rhode Island | 150,450 | 165,753 | 167,472 | 1.0% | 11.3% |
| South Carolina | 832,651 | 859,660 | 862,178 | 0.3% | 3.5% |
| South Dakota | 99,504 | 103,771 | 103,277 | -0.5% | 3.8% |
| Tennessee | 1,267,478 | 1,285,316 | 1,284,624 | -0.1% | 1.4% |
| Texas | 3,837,839 | 4,124,402 | 4,147,489 | 0.6% | 8.1% |
| Utah | 269,819 | 287,635 | 286,549 | -0.4% | 6.2% |
| Vermont | 87,838 | 92,940 | 93,594 | 0.7% | 6.6% |
| Virginia | 826,277 | 886,725 | 904,557 | 2.0% | 9.5% |
| Virgin Islands | 21,514 | 23,480 | 23,684 | 0.9% | 10.1% |
| Washington | 1,006,518 | 1,127,065 | 1,088,193 | -3.4% | 8.1% |
| West Virginia | 343,764 | 349,232 | 347,738 | -0.4% | 1.2% |
| Wisconsin | 762,287 | 827,293 | 827,101 | 0.0% | 8.5% |
| Wyoming | 35,615 | 33,949 | 33,170 | -2.3% | -6.9% |
| TOTAL | 42,911,396 | 45,837,823 | 46,268,257 | 0.9% | 7.8% |
| 1] Data includes disaster assistance. | |||||
| The following areas receive Nutrition Assistance Grants which provide benefits analogous to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Marianas. | |||||
| August and September 2011 data are preliminary and are subject to significant revision | |||||
Source: USDA
Dilemma X 
January 2, 2012
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