What percentage of the U.S. is on food stamps?

In the U.S., an estimated 12.3 percent of the population was on food stamps (also called SNAP), each month, according to USDA data about the 2025 fiscal year.

The average monthly participation in food stamps last year was 42,125,007 people. This number includes seniors, adults, children, and babies. The U.S. population in 2025 was 341.8 million, as of the latest census data.

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What are food stamps?#what-are-food-stamps

Food stamps (SNAP) are a federal program that helps millions of individuals and families with low income buy food every month.

How does this compare to other national statistics?#how-does-this-compare-to-other-national-statistics

• About 10.6% of the U.S. population (35.9 million people) lived below the federal poverty line for their household size in 2024. This percentage is similar to the 12.3% of people who get SNAP because SNAP is one of the main tools used to reduce food needs among people with limited income.
• The annual average U.S. unemployment rate was around 4.3% in 2025. SNAP is not only for unemployed people, but can be a useful resource when you have limited income.
• About 26.6% of the U.S. population was enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) in 2024. Like SNAP, Medicaid is for low-income families. Both programs provide support with essentials when budgets are tight, but a larger share of the U.S. population uses Medicaid because of differences in eligibility and need.

Where does food stamp data come from?#where-does-food-stamp-data-come-from

Most food stamps data comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the federal agency that oversees SNAP.

Each month, state SNAP agencies report information to the USDA about:

• The number of people who received food stamps benefits
• The number of households that participated
• The average benefit amount

The USDA uses this information to create national reports that show trends over time.

SNAP numbers can change from month to month as people apply for benefits, leave the program, or experience changes in SNAP eligibility. The USDA regularly updates this data, which is why SNAP statistics may look slightly different depending on the month or year being referenced.