Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2017
Evidence | Publications

Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2017

Published: Feb 28, 2019
Publisher: Alexandria, VA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support
Human Services Nutrition Nutrition and Food Assistance Programs
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Associated Project

Using Microsimulation in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Policy Analysis

Time frame: 2016–Present

Prepared for:

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service

Clients
USDA
Authors

Kathryn Cronquist

Sarah Lauffer

Key Findings
  • During fiscal year 2017, SNAP provided benefits to approximately 42.1 million people living in 20.8 million households each month across the United States.
  • The total Federal cost of the program in fiscal year 2017 was $68.0 billion, $63.6 billion of which went to SNAP benefits and the remainder to program administration.
  • The majority of SNAP households (80 percent) included a child, elderly individual, or individual with a disability.
  • The number of SNAP households with elderly individuals increased by 2 percent from fiscal year 2016 to fiscal year 2017 even as the total number of SNAP households decreased.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides nutrition assistance to eligible, low-income individuals and households in need. SNAP is the largest of the domestic nutrition assistance programs administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This report describes the characteristics of SNAP households and participants nationwide in fiscal year 2017 (October 2016 through September 2017). It also presents an overview of SNAP eligibility requirements and benefit levels in fiscal year 2017. The appendices provide detailed tabulations of household and participant characteristics at the national and State levels, as well as a review of the source and reliability of estimates and the sampling error associated with the estimates presented in the report.

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