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SNAP Update: SNAP Caseloads Fell in December 2017 by 1.6 Million Over Previous December; Lowest Level Since June 2010
December 2017 State Tables
National/State Trends
SNAP participation continued to decline in Florida in December 2017, as temporary SNAP benefits to disaster victims expired. In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, participation in SNAP had increased by 3.9 million people in Florida and Texas in October 2017 compared to the previous month. In November, participation in these states fell by 3.9 million. In December, participation in Florida declined by an additional 665,000 people.
Nationally, the average SNAP participation level fell by 1,644,175 persons to 41,324,904 in December 2017 compared to the prior December. Alaska was the only state with a year-over-year caseload increase (15.2%), while participation declined in all other states and the District of Columbia. After North Carolina reported a year-over-year drop of 588,151 participants from November 2016 to November 2017, apparently due to data reporting accuracy issues, the state reported a 1-month increase of 517,528 persons in December 2017, leaving North Carolina’s caseload at about the same level as in December 2016.
SNAP Caseloads Fall to Pre-Disaster Levels, Continue Overall Downward Trend
November 2017 State Tables
National/State Trends
SNAP participation declined sharply in Texas and Florida in November 2017, as temporary SNAP benefits to disaster victims in those states expired. In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, participation in SNAP had increased by 3.9 million people in Florida and Texas in October 2017 compared to the previous month. In November, participation in these states fell by 3.9 million.
Nationally, the average SNAP participation level fell by 1,538,031 persons to 41,658,868 in November 2017 compared to the prior November. Caseloads increased year-over-year in four states – Alaska (20.6%), Florida (20.6%), Texas (0.9%), and Massachusetts (0.5%) – while participation declined in the District of Columbia and all other states. The largest drop was in North Carolina (588,151, or 38.6% of the state’s caseload), where the state is looking into data reporting accuracy issues.
Disaster SNAP Drives Temporary Increase in Program Caseloads
October 2017 State Tables
National/State Trends
Delivery of temporary SNAP benefits to disaster victims in Texas and Florida drove up national participation in SNAP in October 2017 compared with October 2016, even as caseloads declined over the year in the District of Columbia and all other states except for Alaska. In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, participation in SNAP in October 2017 increased over the prior October by 2,093,812 persons in Texas and 2,518,826 persons in Florida. Nationally, the average SNAP participation level was 45,641,674 persons, the highest level since March 2015.
SNAP Monthly Participation Increases Due to Hurricane Harvey in September 2017; Continues Over-the-Year Decline Trend
September 2017 State Tables
National/State Trends
Largely due to a temporary disaster response to Hurricane Harvey, SNAP participation in September 2017 increased to 42,048,425 persons (a jump of 796,781 persons over August 2017), but continued the over-the-year decline trend (a drop of 1,444,724 persons compared with September 2016). See FRAC’s Disaster Relief: Nutrition Programs Respond information page.
In Texas, SNAP participation increased in September 2017 by 809,109 persons, as Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and other areas hard. USDA approved requests from Texas to operate Disaster SNAP for hurricane victims who were not already participating in regular SNAP.
SNAP participation declined between September 2016 and September 2017 in 48 states and the District of Columbia, mostly reflecting improved economic conditions. In some states, the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for certain jobless adults also factored into declining participation.
Nine of the 10 states with the sharpest over-the-year declines in SNAP participation either had:
- no waivers to preserve SNAP eligibility for unemployed adults in areas with insufficient jobs (NC, KS, WY, IN);
- or had only partial area waivers of the time limit (RI, OR, NJ, ID, UT).
In addition, the ACLU alleged that Rhode Island was failing to comply with a court order to correct computer systems issues that were causing significant delays in enrolling many eligible applicants.
On the other hand, the 14.2 percent decline in SNAP participation in Louisiana between September 2016 and September 2017 largely reflects the end to the temporary D-SNAP that had operated last year in response to major flooding.
SNAP Over-the-Year Participation Down More Than Two Million People in August 2017, the Lowest Level in Over Seven Years
August 2017 State Tables
SNAP Over-the-Year Participation Down More Than Two Million People in July 2017, the Lowest Level in Over Seven Years
July 2017 State Tables
National/State Trends
SNAP participation decreased to its lowest monthly level since May 2010, totaling 41,203,721 persons in July 2017, a drop of 236,417 persons compared with June 2017, and a drop of 2,130,722 persons compared with June 2016.
Participation declined between July 2016 and July 2017 in 46 states and the District of Columbia, mostly reflecting improved economic conditions. In some states, the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for certain jobless adults also likely contributed to steep participation declines.
Eight of the 10 states with the sharpest over-the-year declines in SNAP participation either had:
- no waivers to preserve SNAP eligibility for unemployed adults in areas with insufficient jobs (Indiana, North Carolina, Wyoming);
- or had only partial area waivers of the time limit (New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington, West Virginia).
Rhode Island’s full waiver shifted to a partial area waiver in July 2017.
SNAP Over-the-Year Participation Down More Than Two Million People in June 2017, the Lowest Level in Seven Years
June 2017 State Tables:
National/State Trends
SNAP participation decreased to its lowest monthly level since June 2010, totaling 41,440,138 persons in June 2017, a drop of 137,131 persons compared with May 2017, and a drop of 2,096,183 persons compared with June 2016.
Participation declined between June 2016 and June 2017 in 48 states and the District of Columbia. Improved economic conditions, three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for certain jobless adults contributed to steep participation declines.
Nine of the 10 states with the sharpest over-the-year declines in SNAP participation either had:
- no waivers to preserve SNAP eligibility for unemployed adults in areas with insufficient jobs (Florida, Indiana, North Carolina);
- or had only partial area waivers of the time limit (Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, Washington).
SNAP Over-the-Year Participation Down More Than Two Million People in May 2017, the Lowest Level in Nearly Seven Years
May 2017 State Tables:
National/State Trends
SNAP participation decreased to its lowest monthly level since June 2010, totaling 41,577,269 persons in May 2017, a drop of 122,439 persons compared with April 2017, and a drop of 1,904,000 persons compared with May 2016.
Participation declined between May 2016 and May 2017 in 46 states and the District of Columbia. Improved economic conditions have lessened financial need among some households. Harsh, three-month time limits have pushed certain jobless adults off the rolls.
Nine of the 10 states with the sharpest over-the-year declines in SNAP participation either had:
- no waivers to preserve SNAP eligibility for unemployed adults in areas with insufficient jobs (Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina);
- or had only partial area waivers of the time limit (Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Washington).
SNAP Over-the-Year Participation Down Nearly Two Million People in April 2017, the Lowest Level in Over Six Years
Trends Factors: Economic Improvement Combined with Jobless Worker Cutoffs
See the latest state tables (for April 2017):
National Trends
See full size
| Indicator | Number of Participants |
|---|---|
| SNAP Participation, 4-2017: | 41,616,233 |
| Lowest Level Since: | June 2010 |
| 1-Month Change (3-2017 to 4-2017): | -361,917 |
| 1-Year Change (4-2016 to 4-2017): | -1,954,144 |
National Factors
SNAP matters for many Americans across the country as they struggle against problems of underemployment and stagnant wages
- Improved economic conditions have lessened financial need among some households.
- Harsh time limits have pushed certain jobless adults off the rolls.
State Trends
Table includes District of Columbia as a state.
| States with | Number |
|---|---|
| Participation Increase: | 7 |
| Participation Decrease: | 44 |
State Factors
SNAP participation declined between April 2016 and April 2017 in 43 states and the District of Columbia, mostly reflecting improved economic conditions, but in some states, the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for certain jobless adults also likely contributed to steep participation declines.
Eight of the 10 states with the sharpest over-the-year declines in SNAP participation either had:
- no waivers to preserve SNAP eligibility for unemployed adults in areas with insufficient jobs:
- Indiana, North Carolina
- or had only partial area waivers of the time limit:
- Connecticut, Maryland, Georgia, New jersey, Washington, Idaho
SNAP Over-the-Year Participation Down More than 2 Million People in March 2017, the Lowest Level in More Than Six Years
March 2017 state tables:
Trends Factors: Economic Improvement Combined with Jobless Worker Cutoffs
SNAP participation decreased to its lowest monthly level since July 2010, totaling 41,970,417 persons in March 2017, a drop of 424,723 persons compared with February 2017, and a drop of 2,374,357 persons compared with March 2016.
The over-the-year downward SNAP participation trend in March 2017 likely reflects a mix of factors. On the one hand, improved economic conditions have lessened financial need among some households. On the other, harsh time limits have pushed certain jobless adults off the rolls. SNAP matters for many Americans across the country as they struggle against problems of underemployment and stagnant wages, particularly in states experiencing sharp job losses in the energy sector.
State Trends
SNAP participation declined between March 2016 and March 2017 in 42 states and the District of Columbia, mostly reflecting improved economic conditions, but in some states, the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for certain jobless adults also likely contributed to steep participation declines. Twelve of the 15 states with the sharpest over-the-year declines in SNAP participation either had no waivers to preserve SNAP eligibility for unemployed adults in areas with insufficient jobs (Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Missouri, Kansas) or had only partial area waivers of the time limit (Georgia, Connecticut, Washington, Maryland, Idaho, New Jersey).
Kentucky, whose over-the-year percentage increase in SNAP participation was the highest in the nation, reportedly has addressed systems problems that were keeping eligible low-income people from accessing benefits in March 2016. The Courier-Journal reported on March 25, 2016 on how introduction of a new eligibility system had disrupted operations.
SNAP Over-the-Year Participation Down More than 2 Million People in February 2017, the Lowest Level in Six Years
Trends Factors: Economic Improvement Combined with Jobless Worker Cutoffs, Weak Energy Sector, and Disaster Aid
February 2017 Participation Tables (pdf)
SNAP participation decreased to its lowest monthly level since July 2010, totaling 42,263,361 persons in February 2017, a drop of 421,330 persons compared with January 2017, and a drop of 2,119,565 persons compared with February 2016.
The over-the-year downward SNAP participation trend in February 2017 likely reflects a mix of factors. On the one hand, improved economic conditions have lessened financial need among some households. On the other, harsh time limits have pushed certain jobless adults off the rolls. SNAP matters for many Americans across the country as they struggle against problems of underemployment and stagnant wages, particularly in states experiencing sharp job losses in the energy sector.
State Trends
SNAP participation declined between February 2016 and February 2017 in 42 states and the District of Columbia, mostly reflecting improved economic conditions, but in some states, the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for certain jobless adults also likely contributed to steep participation declines. Nine of the ten states with the sharpest over-the-year declines in SNAP participation either had no waivers to preserve SNAP eligibility for unemployed adults in areas with insufficient jobs (Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Indiana, North Carolina, and Missouri) or had only partial area waivers of the time limit (Washington, Maryland, and Idaho).
Five of the eight states registering over-the-year increases in SNAP participation in February 2017 ranked among the 15 worst SNAP state participation rates for reaching eligible people in 2014 (Nevada, Texas, Louisiana, Montana and Nebraska). Also exacerbating economic need in February 2017 in some of those states were weak energy sectors (Texas and Louisiana) and tornadoes that prompted Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) operations to get temporary benefits to storm victims (Louisiana).
SNAP Over-the-Year Participation Down More than 2 Million People in January 2017, the Lowest Level in Six Years
Trends Factors: Economic Improvement Combined with Jobless Worker Cutoffs and Weak Energy Sector
January 2017 Participation Tables (pdf)
SNAP participation decreased to its lowest monthly level since September 2010, totaling 42,715,121 persons in January 2017, a drop of 248,930 persons, compared with December 2016, and a drop of 2,137,226 persons, compared with January 2016.
The over-the-year downward SNAP participation trend in January 2017 likely reflects a mix of factors. On the one hand, improved economic conditions have lessened financial need among some households. On the other, harsh time limits have pushed certain jobless adults off the rolls. SNAP matters for many Americans across the country as they struggle against problems of underemployment and stagnant wages, particularly in states experiencing sharp job losses in the energy sector.
State Trends
SNAP participation declined between January 2016 and January 2017 in 42 states and the District of Columbia, mostly reflecting improved economic conditions, but in some states, the three-month time limit on SNAP benefits for certain jobless adults also likely contributed to steep participation declines. The ten states with the sharpest over-the-year declines in SNAP participation either had no waivers to preserve SNAP eligibility for unemployed adults in areas with insufficient jobs (Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, and Kansas) or had only partial area waivers of the time limit (Georgia, Washington, Idaho, and Maryland).
In the eight states registering flat participation or over-the-year increases in SNAP participation in January 2017, likely factors include economic need exacerbated by a weak energy sector, and/or progress in closing SNAP participation gaps. Seven of the thirteen states that either registered over-the year- increases or the smallest over-the-year decreases in SNAP participation in January 2017 (Louisiana, Texas, Wyoming, Oklahoma, North Dakota, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania) rank among the ten states with the biggest job losses in oil and gas rigs as a share of total employment. Read the full Brookings Institution analysis here.