The Surprising Poverty Levels Across the U.S.

[beijingwalker]

The Surprising Poverty Levels Across the U.S.​

Hundreds of needy people line up around the block to receive food from embattled 14th District Los Angeles City Council member Kevin de León, during a free food distribution outside his council office in Los Angeles Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023.

BY JEREMY NEY

OCTOBER 3, 2023 7:00 AM EDT

The U.S. poverty rate saw its largest one-year increase in history. 12.4% of Americans now live in poverty according to new 2022 data from the U.S. census, an increase from 7.4% in 2021. Child poverty also more than doubled last year to 12.4% from 5.2% the year before.

The U.S. poverty level is now $13,590 for individuals and $23,030 for a family of three. The new data shows that 37.9 million people lived in poverty in 2022.

Witness to the 1996 Drive-By Shooting of Tupac Shakur Charged in Rapper's Death Witness to the 1996 Drive-By Shooting of Tupac Shakur Charged in Rapper's Death

America had previously experienced tremendous improvements in poverty reduction over the last two years. Safety net programs including expanded child tax credit lifted millions out of poverty and provided direct aid to low-income households. However, as programs like this were allowed to expire, the data shows that those programs were a short-lived lifeline. The Supplement Poverty Measure (SPM), which has now largely replaced the “official” poverty rate, calculates the poverty rate after accounting for many of the governments’ most important anti-poverty programs as well as differences in the cost of living.

The expiration of government support wasn’t the only reason poverty rose dramatically. Inflation and an overall increased cost of living created new financial challenges for families. SPM is based on the cost of essential items like food and housing, which rose sharply last year. In 2021, a family of four was considered poor if their income was $31,453. In 2022 though, that number increased nearly 10% to $34,518, capturing more households under this higher bar.

While low-income households struggled disproportionately, the average American household took hits as well. Median household income adjusted for inflation fell 2.3% last year to $74,580, The fastest rising inflation rate since 1981 dominated the gains of increased employment and rising wages.

California, Florida, and Mississippi are the three states with the highest percent of residents living in poverty. These represent an interesting mix of regions that economists don’t typically see together.

Much of California’s poverty occurs in Northern counties which are home to farming, mining, and manufacturing communities. High costs across the state have also led to higher poverty rates as often seen in San Francisco and Los Angeles, with 4.5 million living in poverty.

Florida’s higher poverty rates largely occur across the state’s panhandle. In Gadsden County, for example, one in four people live in poverty while two in five children do as well. Residents of Gadsden graduate high school at only half the rate as their peers in the rest of Florida. For decades, these low levels of educational attainment have plagued the region with high levels of unemployment and corresponding higher rates of poverty.

Poverty in Mississippi is not concentrated in one area but spreads far across the state. The regions with the highest poverty rates are concentrated around the Mississippi River, which are also the regions with the highest Black populations. Mississippi’s Black residents are three-times more likely to live in poverty than White residents, one of the worst ratios of any state in America. In Tunica County, right where the Mississippi river meets Tennessee, 68% of Black families live in poverty and 23.8% are unemployed according to a US Commission on Civil Rights, versus 12% of White families in poverty and 2% unemployed.

The highest increases in poverty occurred in the South, where research has shown the Child Tax Credit had the greatest effect in helping low-income families get the support they needed.

The White House was quick to jump in after the Census data release, blaming the rise in child poverty on congressional Republicans. President Biden derided “Republicans’ refusal to extend the enhanced Child Tax Credit” and went further to say that “The rise reported today in child poverty is no accident.” Economists found that child poverty would have been nearly 50% lower in 2022 if the expanded Child Tax Credit had remained in place.

Researchers at American Inequality have also found that the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has had a profound impact in poverty reduction. The number of children living below the poverty line would have been 25% higher without the EITC and the program also decreased poverty severity for another 17 million people. President Biden’s 2024 budget proposed expanding this tax credit, though Republicans remain opposed.

Current poverty rates though are still below historic levels, and look most similar to rates seen in 2019. While financial hardship has decreased for Black and Hispanic Americans, poverty rates have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. A tremendous influx of funds to low-income households during the pandemic actually improved poverty in America.

For Americans over 65, support has not arrived. The poverty rate rose to 14.1% for these older Americans, reaching levels not seen since 2016. This happened despite the 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment in social security payments, largely because labor force participation among older people has remained low as pandemic job losses have made it harder for this group to re-enter the workforce.

Poverty in America reflects the inequality that plagues U.S. households. While certain regions have endured this pain much more than others, this new rising trend may spell ongoing challenges for even more communities. The federal support over the last 3 years showed just how much progress communities can make to reduce poverty, but the data now reveals what happens when those resources dry up.

The Surprising Poverty Levels Across the U.S.

How U.S. poverty differs state by state is vital to understand

time.com

 

[ST1976]

The Surprising Poverty Levels Across the U.S.​

Hundreds of needy people line up around the block to receive food from embattled 14th District Los Angeles City Council member Kevin de León, during a free food distribution outside his council office in Los Angeles Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023.

BY JEREMY NEY

OCTOBER 3, 2023 7:00 AM EDT

View attachment 958114

The U.S. poverty rate saw its largest one-year increase in history. 12.4% of Americans now live in poverty according to new 2022 data from the U.S. census, an increase from 7.4% in 2021. Child poverty also more than doubled last year to 12.4% from 5.2% the year before.

The U.S. poverty level is now $13,590 for individuals and $23,030 for a family of three. The new data shows that 37.9 million people lived in poverty in 2022.

Witness to the 1996 Drive-By Shooting of Tupac Shakur Charged in Rapper's Death Witness to the 1996 Drive-By Shooting of Tupac Shakur Charged in Rapper's Death

America had previously experienced tremendous improvements in poverty reduction over the last two years. Safety net programs including expanded child tax credit lifted millions out of poverty and provided direct aid to low-income households. However, as programs like this were allowed to expire, the data shows that those programs were a short-lived lifeline. The Supplement Poverty Measure (SPM), which has now largely replaced the “official” poverty rate, calculates the poverty rate after accounting for many of the governments’ most important anti-poverty programs as well as differences in the cost of living.

The expiration of government support wasn’t the only reason poverty rose dramatically. Inflation and an overall increased cost of living created new financial challenges for families. SPM is based on the cost of essential items like food and housing, which rose sharply last year. In 2021, a family of four was considered poor if their income was $31,453. In 2022 though, that number increased nearly 10% to $34,518, capturing more households under this higher bar.

While low-income households struggled disproportionately, the average American household took hits as well. Median household income adjusted for inflation fell 2.3% last year to $74,580, The fastest rising inflation rate since 1981 dominated the gains of increased employment and rising wages.

View attachment 958115

California, Florida, and Mississippi are the three states with the highest percent of residents living in poverty. These represent an interesting mix of regions that economists don’t typically see together.

Much of California’s poverty occurs in Northern counties which are home to farming, mining, and manufacturing communities. High costs across the state have also led to higher poverty rates as often seen in San Francisco and Los Angeles, with 4.5 million living in poverty.

Florida’s higher poverty rates largely occur across the state’s panhandle. In Gadsden County, for example, one in four people live in poverty while two in five children do as well. Residents of Gadsden graduate high school at only half the rate as their peers in the rest of Florida. For decades, these low levels of educational attainment have plagued the region with high levels of unemployment and corresponding higher rates of poverty.

Poverty in Mississippi is not concentrated in one area but spreads far across the state. The regions with the highest poverty rates are concentrated around the Mississippi River, which are also the regions with the highest Black populations. Mississippi’s Black residents are three-times more likely to live in poverty than White residents, one of the worst ratios of any state in America. In Tunica County, right where the Mississippi river meets Tennessee, 68% of Black families live in poverty and 23.8% are unemployed according to a US Commission on Civil Rights, versus 12% of White families in poverty and 2% unemployed.

The highest increases in poverty occurred in the South, where research has shown the Child Tax Credit had the greatest effect in helping low-income families get the support they needed.

View attachment 958116

The White House was quick to jump in after the Census data release, blaming the rise in child poverty on congressional Republicans. President Biden derided “Republicans’ refusal to extend the enhanced Child Tax Credit” and went further to say that “The rise reported today in child poverty is no accident.” Economists found that child poverty would have been nearly 50% lower in 2022 if the expanded Child Tax Credit had remained in place.

Researchers at American Inequality have also found that the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has had a profound impact in poverty reduction. The number of children living below the poverty line would have been 25% higher without the EITC and the program also decreased poverty severity for another 17 million people. President Biden’s 2024 budget proposed expanding this tax credit, though Republicans remain opposed.

Current poverty rates though are still below historic levels, and look most similar to rates seen in 2019. While financial hardship has decreased for Black and Hispanic Americans, poverty rates have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. A tremendous influx of funds to low-income households during the pandemic actually improved poverty in America.

For Americans over 65, support has not arrived. The poverty rate rose to 14.1% for these older Americans, reaching levels not seen since 2016. This happened despite the 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment in social security payments, largely because labor force participation among older people has remained low as pandemic job losses have made it harder for this group to re-enter the workforce.

Poverty in America reflects the inequality that plagues U.S. households. While certain regions have endured this pain much more than others, this new rising trend may spell ongoing challenges for even more communities. The federal support over the last 3 years showed just how much progress communities can make to reduce poverty, but the data now reveals what happens when those resources dry up.

The Surprising Poverty Levels Across the U.S.

How U.S. poverty differs state by state is vital to understand

time.com

US-EU are bubble economies. they have large share of 'Value Added' ratio in GDP, imported component share in industries. if they fall from here then they will beat all the levels of poverty....
heavily indebted economies US-EU -OECD are...........

 

[Menthol]

US-EU are bubble economies. they have large share of 'Value Added' ratio in GDP, imported component share in industries. if they fall from here then they will beat all the levels of poverty....
heavily indebted economies US-EU -OECD are...........

I am quite surprised at how GDP is being calculated.

Owning a house will not increase GDP, because it produces nothing.

But losing a house (because of misfortune) and then renting a house will increase GDP from the renting cost.

GDP is increasing, but the people is getting poorer (except the landlord).


Not to mention the other ways to calculate GDP.

Yes, the country is getting wealthier, but the people are getting poorer...

Innovation and technological advancement bring price and cost reduction.

It won't be calculated in GDP (aka grow nothing or just a little), but people standard of living increases significantly.

 

[fitpOsitive]

The Surprising Poverty Levels Across the U.S.​

Hundreds of needy people line up around the block to receive food from embattled 14th District Los Angeles City Council member Kevin de León, during a free food distribution outside his council office in Los Angeles Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023.

BY JEREMY NEY

OCTOBER 3, 2023 7:00 AM EDT

View attachment 958114

The U.S. poverty rate saw its largest one-year increase in history. 12.4% of Americans now live in poverty according to new 2022 data from the U.S. census, an increase from 7.4% in 2021. Child poverty also more than doubled last year to 12.4% from 5.2% the year before.

The U.S. poverty level is now $13,590 for individuals and $23,030 for a family of three. The new data shows that 37.9 million people lived in poverty in 2022.

Witness to the 1996 Drive-By Shooting of Tupac Shakur Charged in Rapper's Death Witness to the 1996 Drive-By Shooting of Tupac Shakur Charged in Rapper's Death

America had previously experienced tremendous improvements in poverty reduction over the last two years. Safety net programs including expanded child tax credit lifted millions out of poverty and provided direct aid to low-income households. However, as programs like this were allowed to expire, the data shows that those programs were a short-lived lifeline. The Supplement Poverty Measure (SPM), which has now largely replaced the “official” poverty rate, calculates the poverty rate after accounting for many of the governments’ most important anti-poverty programs as well as differences in the cost of living.

The expiration of government support wasn’t the only reason poverty rose dramatically. Inflation and an overall increased cost of living created new financial challenges for families. SPM is based on the cost of essential items like food and housing, which rose sharply last year. In 2021, a family of four was considered poor if their income was $31,453. In 2022 though, that number increased nearly 10% to $34,518, capturing more households under this higher bar.

While low-income households struggled disproportionately, the average American household took hits as well. Median household income adjusted for inflation fell 2.3% last year to $74,580, The fastest rising inflation rate since 1981 dominated the gains of increased employment and rising wages.

View attachment 958115

California, Florida, and Mississippi are the three states with the highest percent of residents living in poverty. These represent an interesting mix of regions that economists don’t typically see together.

Much of California’s poverty occurs in Northern counties which are home to farming, mining, and manufacturing communities. High costs across the state have also led to higher poverty rates as often seen in San Francisco and Los Angeles, with 4.5 million living in poverty.

Florida’s higher poverty rates largely occur across the state’s panhandle. In Gadsden County, for example, one in four people live in poverty while two in five children do as well. Residents of Gadsden graduate high school at only half the rate as their peers in the rest of Florida. For decades, these low levels of educational attainment have plagued the region with high levels of unemployment and corresponding higher rates of poverty.

Poverty in Mississippi is not concentrated in one area but spreads far across the state. The regions with the highest poverty rates are concentrated around the Mississippi River, which are also the regions with the highest Black populations. Mississippi’s Black residents are three-times more likely to live in poverty than White residents, one of the worst ratios of any state in America. In Tunica County, right where the Mississippi river meets Tennessee, 68% of Black families live in poverty and 23.8% are unemployed according to a US Commission on Civil Rights, versus 12% of White families in poverty and 2% unemployed.

The highest increases in poverty occurred in the South, where research has shown the Child Tax Credit had the greatest effect in helping low-income families get the support they needed.

View attachment 958116

The White House was quick to jump in after the Census data release, blaming the rise in child poverty on congressional Republicans. President Biden derided “Republicans’ refusal to extend the enhanced Child Tax Credit” and went further to say that “The rise reported today in child poverty is no accident.” Economists found that child poverty would have been nearly 50% lower in 2022 if the expanded Child Tax Credit had remained in place.

Researchers at American Inequality have also found that the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has had a profound impact in poverty reduction. The number of children living below the poverty line would have been 25% higher without the EITC and the program also decreased poverty severity for another 17 million people. President Biden’s 2024 budget proposed expanding this tax credit, though Republicans remain opposed.

Current poverty rates though are still below historic levels, and look most similar to rates seen in 2019. While financial hardship has decreased for Black and Hispanic Americans, poverty rates have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. A tremendous influx of funds to low-income households during the pandemic actually improved poverty in America.

For Americans over 65, support has not arrived. The poverty rate rose to 14.1% for these older Americans, reaching levels not seen since 2016. This happened despite the 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment in social security payments, largely because labor force participation among older people has remained low as pandemic job losses have made it harder for this group to re-enter the workforce.

Poverty in America reflects the inequality that plagues U.S. households. While certain regions have endured this pain much more than others, this new rising trend may spell ongoing challenges for even more communities. The federal support over the last 3 years showed just how much progress communities can make to reduce poverty, but the data now reveals what happens when those resources dry up.

The Surprising Poverty Levels Across the U.S.

How U.S. poverty differs state by state is vital to understand

time.com

Mostly Mexicans?

 

[ST1976]

I am quite surprised at how GDP is being calculated.

Owning a house will not increase GDP, because it produces nothing.

But losing a house (because of misfortune) and then renting a house will increase GDP from the renting cost.

GDP is increasing, but the people is getting poorer (except the landlord).


Not to mention the other ways to calculate GDP.

Yes, the country is getting wealthier, but the people are getting poorer...

Innovation and technological advancement bring price and cost reduction.

It won't be calculated in GDP (aka grow nothing or just a little), but people standard of living increases significantly.

comparing Price of Panty-Bra, manufactured in US/west and Asia

once i was reading a news, " what we make in Holden car?". in Australian newspaper. mostly we import its components, assemble it and sell it for the AU$ price. and we say this is our output. means, final output of these Industries, their share in GDP hide share of imported component. .. if you manufacture a car then you need to see China, India, Russia, how these 3 countries do? they keep expertise of 'total' of a Car or of any low to high tech manufactured products-services. .....

from here, what if we 'now' have to make 'every' component of Holden car in Australia, our brand of nation? its scaring but "this is the bubble" what i was talking about. the 'Value Added' share, in Western economy (GDP) grew since 80s, which they didn't stop.

i was discussing about WWE's Hulk Hogen time. "if you want to date a girl, call on Landline Number, family can also see whats going on. you straight dial mobile and take the girl?" from here, since when we dating 'Chinese'/Asian price of Panty-Bra? during Hulk Hogen time say, "since when you dating a girl of 'Chinese priced' Panty-Bra, it not you . you have to pay its price in AU$ for the Panty-Bra to date a girl......" the price of Chinese Panty-Bra, Asian products price and here we have reached 'upto now'.

I came to Australia as an International student in 2003, and when we make difference between "made in Japan" and "made in China" product, i walked to St Leonards to buy "made in Japan" Sony laptop on student discount price. "Made in China products were cheap, in price and quality both."
and today, if we go to market then we find only made in China products in Australia, cheap and expansive both. i wonder on these students, "how many of you buy a Sony Laptop and see on the back, is it Made in China or Made in Japan? do you people even know this difference?"
we only have Chinese Laptop in market now. during 2003-04 Sony Laptop was a Product, while its now a 'Commodity', common products which is available in "Made in China" only. and here, Japan-Garmany's products were "We", and "made in China" is not we

from here, what if we have to make-manufacture all the Cars, Laptop etc in Australia, in Japan-Germany 'now'? are we prepared for that? it was also the time, we used to discuss, "what's major difference between Chinese and Indians." and the answer was, "Chinese run their own business, Chinese work for themselves, while Indian students 'usually' work for US-Western firms......" we would now be ready to make all the Car's components, with Laptops etc in Australia, in Japan-Germany, as its 'we'.
and if we have a look on Asia, they have 'total' expertise of Cars-Laptops type thing, we would be ready to manufacture every component of these products. and here, i was talking in my last post#2, "if US-West fall from here? from here????.... then you will have to make-manufacture total TV, Fridge, Aircon etc also. you will break all the records and start from where you will be 'bottom out'.

we will be "bottom-out" with breaking all the records of industrial revolutions in US-West, we will start from almost every 'Value Added" components of imported manufactured parts- services also.....

also, i used to carry bag of my then boss, Mr K-J-Lawrence during employment during recession. one day we were coming back from client and he told us, "Time is coming when Japanese are going to copy Chinese technology." later on he responded those who were not happy, "once you look on what we do in China and what we do in Japan? its too visible..."
it was answer to your post, "Innovation and technological ."

 

[Sam6536]

The Surprising Poverty Levels Across the U.S.​

Hundreds of needy people line up around the block to receive food from embattled 14th District Los Angeles City Council member Kevin de León, during a free food distribution outside his council office in Los Angeles Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023.

BY JEREMY NEY

OCTOBER 3, 2023 7:00 AM EDT

View attachment 958114

The U.S. poverty rate saw its largest one-year increase in history. 12.4% of Americans now live in poverty according to new 2022 data from the U.S. census, an increase from 7.4% in 2021. Child poverty also more than doubled last year to 12.4% from 5.2% the year before.

The U.S. poverty level is now $13,590 for individuals and $23,030 for a family of three. The new data shows that 37.9 million people lived in poverty in 2022.

Witness to the 1996 Drive-By Shooting of Tupac Shakur Charged in Rapper's Death Witness to the 1996 Drive-By Shooting of Tupac Shakur Charged in Rapper's Death

America had previously experienced tremendous improvements in poverty reduction over the last two years. Safety net programs including expanded child tax credit lifted millions out of poverty and provided direct aid to low-income households. However, as programs like this were allowed to expire, the data shows that those programs were a short-lived lifeline. The Supplement Poverty Measure (SPM), which has now largely replaced the “official” poverty rate, calculates the poverty rate after accounting for many of the governments’ most important anti-poverty programs as well as differences in the cost of living.

The expiration of government support wasn’t the only reason poverty rose dramatically. Inflation and an overall increased cost of living created new financial challenges for families. SPM is based on the cost of essential items like food and housing, which rose sharply last year. In 2021, a family of four was considered poor if their income was $31,453. In 2022 though, that number increased nearly 10% to $34,518, capturing more households under this higher bar.

While low-income households struggled disproportionately, the average American household took hits as well. Median household income adjusted for inflation fell 2.3% last year to $74,580, The fastest rising inflation rate since 1981 dominated the gains of increased employment and rising wages.

View attachment 958115

California, Florida, and Mississippi are the three states with the highest percent of residents living in poverty. These represent an interesting mix of regions that economists don’t typically see together.

Much of California’s poverty occurs in Northern counties which are home to farming, mining, and manufacturing communities. High costs across the state have also led to higher poverty rates as often seen in San Francisco and Los Angeles, with 4.5 million living in poverty.

Florida’s higher poverty rates largely occur across the state’s panhandle. In Gadsden County, for example, one in four people live in poverty while two in five children do as well. Residents of Gadsden graduate high school at only half the rate as their peers in the rest of Florida. For decades, these low levels of educational attainment have plagued the region with high levels of unemployment and corresponding higher rates of poverty.

Poverty in Mississippi is not concentrated in one area but spreads far across the state. The regions with the highest poverty rates are concentrated around the Mississippi River, which are also the regions with the highest Black populations. Mississippi’s Black residents are three-times more likely to live in poverty than White residents, one of the worst ratios of any state in America. In Tunica County, right where the Mississippi river meets Tennessee, 68% of Black families live in poverty and 23.8% are unemployed according to a US Commission on Civil Rights, versus 12% of White families in poverty and 2% unemployed.

The highest increases in poverty occurred in the South, where research has shown the Child Tax Credit had the greatest effect in helping low-income families get the support they needed.

View attachment 958116

The White House was quick to jump in after the Census data release, blaming the rise in child poverty on congressional Republicans. President Biden derided “Republicans’ refusal to extend the enhanced Child Tax Credit” and went further to say that “The rise reported today in child poverty is no accident.” Economists found that child poverty would have been nearly 50% lower in 2022 if the expanded Child Tax Credit had remained in place.

Researchers at American Inequality have also found that the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has had a profound impact in poverty reduction. The number of children living below the poverty line would have been 25% higher without the EITC and the program also decreased poverty severity for another 17 million people. President Biden’s 2024 budget proposed expanding this tax credit, though Republicans remain opposed.

Current poverty rates though are still below historic levels, and look most similar to rates seen in 2019. While financial hardship has decreased for Black and Hispanic Americans, poverty rates have now returned to pre-pandemic levels. A tremendous influx of funds to low-income households during the pandemic actually improved poverty in America.

For Americans over 65, support has not arrived. The poverty rate rose to 14.1% for these older Americans, reaching levels not seen since 2016. This happened despite the 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment in social security payments, largely because labor force participation among older people has remained low as pandemic job losses have made it harder for this group to re-enter the workforce.

Poverty in America reflects the inequality that plagues U.S. households. While certain regions have endured this pain much more than others, this new rising trend may spell ongoing challenges for even more communities. The federal support over the last 3 years showed just how much progress communities can make to reduce poverty, but the data now reveals what happens when those resources dry up.

The Surprising Poverty Levels Across the U.S.

How U.S. poverty differs state by state is vital to understand

time.com

Most look like immigrants?

 

[DabbuSardar]

Mostly Mexicans?

I see quite few Chinese there too.

This is what they feel is better than living in China, now wonder so many of these people are getting caught trying to get into such poverty...it's still better than China obviously for them.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Mostly Mexicans?

I don't think the hordes are coming over the wall with much money

 

[fitpOsitive]

I don't think the hordes are coming over the wall with much money

Exactly.

 

[CIA Mole]

communism destroying america

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

Exactly.

Of course because of all these hundreds of thousands of illegals a year people are wondering why there is a shortage of low income housing and why there are lines at food banks.

I think the poverty answer is quite obvious and not "surprising" at all.

 

[StraightEdge]

US has more people in 'extreme poverty' compared to China even though their average per capita GDP is much higher. That's just facts.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

US has more people in 'extreme poverty' compared to China even though their average per capita GDP is much higher. That's just facts.

How are you coming to that conclusion?

Please post the "facts" otherwise your post is meaningless.

 

[StraightEdge]

How are you coming to that conclusion?

Please post the "facts" otherwise your post is meaningless.

You can easily find if you search a bit. And just plain obvious looking at homelessness in US.

Look at the last quintiles, Under the poorest category, you have sizeable population from N.America vs almost none from China.

 

[ST1976]

What the data says about food stamps in the U.S.​

The food stamp program is one of the larger federal social welfare initiatives, and in its current form has been around for nearly six decades. But many misconceptions remain about the program and how it works. (For one thing, no actual stamps are involved.) Here’s a closer look at the food stamp program, based on data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Census Bureau and other sources.

How many Americans use food stamps?​

The numbers vary from month to month. But in April 2023, the most recent month with available figures, 41.9 million people in 22.2 million households received SNAP benefits. That translates to 12.5% of the total U.S. population.

On average, 41.2 million people in 21.6 million households received monthly SNAP benefits in the 2022 fiscal year, which ran from October 2021 through September 2022.

The program operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and the Virgin Islands. A separate nutrition assistance program covers Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.

How has the number of food stamp recipients changed over time?​

The current food stamp program began in 1964 but took several years to ramp up. It wasn’t until July 1974 that states – which share administrative duties over the program with the federal government – were required to extend it to all jurisdictions within their borders. That year, 12.9 million people, or 6.0% of the total U.S. population at the time, received SNAP benefits.

Total participation has ebbed and flowed over the ensuing decades, driven both by economic conditions and changes in eligibility rules. Between fiscal years 1980 and 2008, the share of all U.S. households receiving SNAP benefits oscillated between about 7% and about 11%. But that percentage rose rapidly during the Great Recession and peaked at 18.8% in fiscal 2013 – representing 23.1 million households, or 47.6 million people.

In March 2020, as the nation headed into COVID-19 lockdowns, Congress authorized extra SNAP benefits for recipients and suspended work and training requirements for the duration of the declared public health emergency. The number of recipients immediately jumped from 37.2 million in March 2020 to 40.9 million one month later, and topped out in September 2020 at just over 43 million recipients, or 13% of the resident population.

Who is eligible for food stamps?​

In general, a household qualifies for the program if it has a gross monthly income at or below 130% of the federal poverty level as well as a net monthly income at or below 100% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four in 2023, this works out to $3,007 in gross monthly income and $2,313 in net monthly income. (These limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii.)

Households with older people (defined as ages 60 and older) or people with disabilities only have to meet the net income requirement. And households of all types are limited in how much they can have in cash, investments and other assets and still qualify for SNAP.

In addition, households receiving other types of aid, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), may be eligible for SNAP automatically.

States have a certain amount of latitude in how they administer the SNAP program. For example, they can decide how broadly to extend its benefits to people receiving other TANF-funded benefits, whether to count vehicles as household assets, and whether to count child support payments as income. In addition, there are somewhat different eligibility rules for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

What, if any, work requirements are there for receiving food stamps?​

In general, most Americans ages 16 to 59 who aren’t disabled must register with their state SNAP agency or employment office; meet any work, job search or job training requirements set by their state; accept a suitable job if one is offered to them; and work at least 30 hours a week. Failure to comply with those rules can disqualify people from getting SNAP benefits.

In addition, nondisabled adults without dependents must either work or participate in a work program for 80 hours a month, or participate in a state workfare program. If they fail to do so, they can only receive SNAP benefits for three months out of any 36-month period. Until recently, this additional work requirement applied to people ages 18 to 49. The debt limit deal recently enacted raises the maximum age to 54, a change that will be phased in over three years starting in October. The new law also exempts veterans, homeless people and young adults aging out of foster care from all work requirements.

What do we know about food stamp recipients in the U.S.?​

The most comprehensive data source we have is the Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation, although its most recent data is from 2020. That year, 23.6 million SNAP recipients (63%) were adults, and 13.8 million (36%) were children.

Non-Hispanic White people accounted for 44.6% of adult SNAP recipients and 31.5% of child recipients in 2020. About 27% of both adult and child recipients were Black. Hispanic people, who can be of any race, accounted for 21.9% of adult recipients and 35.8% of child recipients.

The vast majority of both adult and child recipients were born in the United States – 82.3% and 97.1%, respectively.

Among adult recipients, 62.4% had a high school diploma or less education in 2020. And despite the program’s work requirements, 61.6% said they had not been employed at all that year.

The Census Bureau also looked at households where at least one person received SNAP benefits. More than six-in-ten of these households (61.7%) reported having no children in 2020, including 34.4% who were people living alone. More than 40% of SNAP-receiving households were in the South, the highest percentage of any region.

How much do food stamp recipients get each month?​

In April 2023, the national average benefit was $181.72 per person and $343.00 per household. That was a sharp drop from February’s averages ($245.44 per person, $464.36 per household), reflecting the expiration of the extra benefits put in place during the pandemic.

The nationwide averages conceal a considerable amount of state-by-state variation. SNAP beneficiaries in New York received an average of $212.09 per person in April 2023, while recipients in Oklahoma got $127.32. (These rankings exclude Alaska, Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and Guam, which have a different scale to reflect higher food costs in those places.)

Why do benefits vary so much by state? One reason is that benefit amounts are largely determined by recipients’ income, minus certain expenses. Household size also factors into the calculation. So a state’s demographics and the condition of its economy will influence how much its residents can receive through SNAP.

The maximum amount of SNAP benefits is based on the Thrifty Food Plan, an estimate by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of how much it costs to buy groceries needed to provide a “nutritious, practical, cost-effective diet” for a family of two adults and two children. That amount is adjusted for other household types when determining benefit levels. The Thrifty Food Plan was updated in 2021 for the first time in 15 years and is scheduled to be re-evaluated again in 2026.

Which states have the highest and lowest rates of food stamp usage?​

In New Mexico, 22.9% of the population receives SNAP benefits – the highest of any state, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of SNAP recipient figures and Census Bureau population estimates for July 2022, the most recent available. The District of Columbia is next-highest at 21.4%, followed by Oregon at 17.8% and West Virginia at 17.7%. (We excluded the Virgin Islands and Guam from this analysis because the Census Bureau doesn’t have 2022 population estimates for them. But using 2020 census counts instead would give them rates of 23.8% and 23.6%, respectively.)

Utah has the nation’s lowest rate of SNAP use: Just 4.6% of Beehive State residents get the benefits, according to our analysis. Other states with low rates include New Hampshire (5.0%), Wyoming (5.1%) and North Dakota (5.8%).

What the data says about food stamps in the U.S.

The food stamp program is one of the larger federal social welfare initiatives, and in its current form has been around for nearly six decades.

www.pewresearch.org

What the data says about food stamps in the U.S.

The food stamp program is one of the larger federal social welfare initiatives, and in its current form has been around for nearly six decades.

www.pewresearch.org