January – February – March – April – May – June – July

SNAP Update: SNAP Caseloads Fell in July 2018 by 1.9 Million Over Previous July; Lowest Level Since November 2009

State Tables

National/State Trends
Nationally, the average SNAP participation level fell by 1,959,599 persons to 38,934,197 in July 2018 compared to the prior July. Participation in Massachusetts increased 1.3% over July 2017, while it held steady or declined in all other states and the District of Columbia. (Rhode Island’s participation data are not reported because the state is in the process of revising its data.)

Drops in participation largely reflect improvement in the unemployment rate as well as loss of eligibility for some unemployed and underemployed adults. Ten of the twelve states with the greatest percentage one-year caseload declines in July 2018 either had no area waivers (NC, SC, WY, KS, IN) or only partial area waivers (TN, UT, ID, KY, AZ) of the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for able-bodied adults (aged 18 to 50) without dependents who do not work sufficient hours each week.

SNAP Update: SNAP Caseloads Fell in June 2018 by 1.9 Million Over Previous June; Lowest Level Since December 2009

State Tables

National/State Trends
Nationally, the average SNAP participation level fell by 1,947,392 persons to 38,979,289 in June 2018 compared to the prior June. Participation in Massachusetts increased 1.2%, while caseloads in Nevada, Illinois, and New Mexico held steady with changes of less than 1 percent over June 2018. Participation declined in all other states and the District of Columbia. (Rhode Island’s participation data are not reported because the state is in the process of revising its data.)

Drops in participation largely reflect improvement in the unemployment rate as well as loss of eligibility for some unemployed and underemployed adults. Eleven of the twelve states with the greatest percentage one-year caseload declines in June 2018 either had no area waivers (NC, WY, SC, IN, KS, ME) or only partial area waivers (TN, UT, OR, AZ, ID) of the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for able-bodied adults (aged 18 to 50) without dependents who do not work sufficient hours each week.

SNAP Update: SNAP Caseloads Fell in May 2018 by 2.1 Million Over Previous May; Lowest Level Since December 2009

May 2018 State Tables

National/State Trends
Nationally, the average SNAP participation level fell by 2,100,183 persons to 39,329,356 in May 2018 compared to the prior May. Participation in Massachusetts increased 1.3%, while caseloads in Alaska, Nevada, and New Mexico held steady with changes of less than 1 percent over May 2018. Participation declined in all other states and the District of Columbia. (Rhode Island’s participation data are not reported because the state is in the process of revising its data.)

Drops in participation largely reflect improvement in the unemployment rate as well as loss of eligibility for some unemployed and underemployed adults. Eleven of the twelve states with the greatest percentage one-year caseload declines in May 2018 either had no area waivers (NC, WY, SC, KS, IN, ME) or only partial area waivers (OH, TN, AZ, UT, KY) of the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for able-bodied adults (aged 18 to 50) without dependents who do not work sufficient hours each week.

SNAP Update: SNAP Caseloads Fell in April 2018 by Nearly 2 Million Over Previous April; Lowest Level Since February 2010

April 2018 State Tables

National/State Trends
Nationally, the average SNAP participation level fell by 1,944,898 persons to 39,604,428 in April 2018 compared to the prior April. Participation in Massachusetts increased 1.6%, while caseloads in Alaska, Nevada, and New Mexico held steady with changes of less than 1 percent over April 2018. Participation declined in all other states and the District of Columbia. (Rhode Island’s participation data are not reported because the state is in the process of revising its data.)

Drops in participation largely reflect improvement in the unemployment rate as well as loss of eligibility for some unemployed and underemployed adults. Nine of the ten states with the greatest percentage one-year caseload declines in April 2018 either had no area waivers (NC, WY, SC, KS, IN, ME) or only partial area waivers (AZ, UT, ID) of the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for able-bodied adults (aged 18 to 50) without dependents who do not work sufficient hours each week.

Illinois (6.2 percent), Kentucky (4.1 percent), and Maine (3.7 percent) saw the largest declines in participation over the previous month, while another 24 states experienced one-month declines between 1 and 3 percent. The caseload increased slightly in Alaska, Massachusetts, Florida, and Georgia.

SNAP Update: SNAP Caseloads Fell in March 2018 by Nearly 2 Million Over Previous March; Lowest Level Since February 2010

March 2018 State Tables

National/State Trends
Nationally, the average SNAP participation level fell by 1,966,448 persons to 40,083,954 in March 2018 compared to the prior March. Participation in Alaska increased 3.4%, while caseloads in Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania held steady with changes of less than 1 percent over March 2017. Participation declined in all other states and the District of Columbia. (Rhode Island’s participation data are not reported because the state is in the process of revising its data.)

Drops in participation largely reflect improvement in the unemployment rate as well as loss of eligibility for some unemployed and underemployed adults. Nine of the ten states with the greatest percentage one-year caseload declines in March 2018 either had no area waivers (NC, WY, IN, KS) or only partial area waivers (AZ, UT, ID, OR, TN) of the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for able-bodied adults (aged 18 to 50) without dependents who do not work sufficient hours each week.

SNAP participation declined in March 2018 between 1 and 2 percent over the previous month in eleven states plus the District of Columbia. The largest one-month caseload increases occurred in Kentucky (2.5 percent) and Illinois (2.1 percent).

SNAP Update: SNAP Caseloads Fell in February 2018 by 2.3 Million Over Previous February; Lowest Level Since February 2010

February 2018 State Tables

National/State Trends
Nationally, the average SNAP participation level fell by 2,257,235 persons to 40,032,131 in February 2018 compared to the prior February. Alaska (7.0%), Massachusetts (1.5%), and Illinois (0.4%) were the only states with a year-over-year caseload increase, while participation declined in all other states and the District of Columbia. (Rhode Island’s participation data show no change because the state is in the process of revising its data.)

Drops in participation largely reflect improvement in the unemployment rate as well as loss of eligibility for some unemployed and underemployed adults. Nine of the ten states with the greatest percentage caseload declines in February 2018 compared with February 2017 either had no area waivers (NC, WY, IN, KS, SC, ME) or only partial area waivers (GA, AZ, UT) of the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for able-bodied adults (aged 18 to 50) without dependents who do not work sufficient hours each week.

The largest percentage declines in SNAP participation over the previous month occurred in Florida (7.7%) and Georgia (5.1%). In Florida, 247,052 fewer people participated in SNAP in February 2018 compared to January, and in Georgia 71,579 fewer participated.

SNAP Update: SNAP Caseloads Fell in January 2018 by 1.9 Million Over Previous January; Lowest Level Since April 2010

January 2018 State Tables

National/State Trends
Nationally, the average SNAP participation level fell by 1,937,228 persons to 40,739,084 in January 2018 compared to the prior January. Alaska (11.1%) and Massachusetts (1.1%) were the only states with a year-over-year caseload increase, while participation declined in all other states and the District of Columbia. (Rhode Island’s participation data show no change because the state is in the process of revising its data.)

Drops in participation largely reflect improvement in the unemployment rate as well as loss of eligibility for some unemployed and underemployed adults. Nine of the ten states with the greatest percentage caseload declines in January 2018 compared with January 2017 either had no area waivers (NC, WY, ME, IN, SC, KS) or only partial area waivers (GA, AZ, UT) of the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for able-bodied adults (aged 18 to 50) without dependents who do not work sufficient hours each week.

The largest percentage declines in SNAP participation over the previous month occurred in North Carolina (17.8%) and the District of Columbia (15.1%). North Carolina reported a drop of 258,764 participants in January 2018 compared to the prior month, continuing a pattern of significant fluctuations in recent months, apparently due to data reporting accuracy issues. The decline in the District of Columbia may be related to computer eligibility system problems.