Data · SNAP by the numbers

SNAP by the numbers

How many people use SNAP, how much they get, and who the program serves — with the latest USDA figures (FY2024) and a note on the 2026 enrollment drop.

Last reviewed: 2026-06-02

41.7M
people per month
received SNAP in FY2024 — about 1 in 8 Americans
$187
per person / month
average SNAP benefit per person (FY2024)
$351
per household / month
average SNAP benefit per household (FY2024)
12.3%
of the U.S. population
took part in SNAP in FY2024
$100B
in benefits / year
total federal SNAP spending (FY2024)
250,000+
authorized stores
retailers nationwide accept SNAP EBT

Who SNAP serves

Share of SNAP participants by age (USDA FNS, FY2023 — the most recent detailed breakdown). All told, 79% of SNAP households include a child, an older adult, or someone with a disability.

Children (under 18)39%
Adults 18–5942%
Adults 60 and older19%
Nonelderly adults with a disability10%

The 5 states with the most participants

By total number of people (FY2024). California, Texas, Florida, and New York together make up roughly 40% of all SNAP participants nationwide.

California~5.4 millionTexas~3.1 millionFlorida~2.9 millionNew York~2.9 millionIllinois~1.9 million

2026: enrollment is falling

After OBBBA took effect in July 2025, SNAP enrollment fell by about 3.4 to 3.8 million people by early 2026 — the steepest drop in decades. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates roughly 4 million people a month will lose eligibility once every provision is in force. The decline is policy-driven — the ABAWD work requirement now reaching age 64, plus heavier paperwork — not a drop in need. If you lost benefits, run the lost-benefits triage or read what OBBBA changed.

Sources