<p>The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal food assistance initiative in the U.S., supporting roughly one in eight Americans. The program helps low-income households purchase groceries, with monthly benefits averaging around <a href="https://www.fmi.org/blog/view/fmi-blog/2025/04/17/the-snap-program-is-important-and-can-be-even-more-efficient">$180 per person</a> nationwide.</p>

<p>This visualization,<a href="https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-the-states-most-dependent-on-food-stamps/"> via Visual Capitalist's Bruno Venditti, </a>highlights the states most reliant on food stamps, based on 2025 data from <a href="https://smartasset.com/data-studies/snap-benefits-2025">SmartAsset</a>. <strong>While participation rates vary widely, the figures reveal stark contrasts in economic need and <a href="https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-the-most-rent-burdened-states-in-america/">cost of living across states</a>.</strong></p>

<p><a data-image-external-href="" data-image-href="/s3/files/inline-images/States-Most-Dependent-on-Food-St.jpg?itok=E0l8OB_E" data-link-option="0" href="/s3/files/inline-images/States-Most-Dependent-on-Food-St.jpg?itok=E0l8OB_E"><picture><img data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="78133f63-91fd-4dfe-b049-feea74771deb" data-responsive-image-style="inline_images" height="652" width="500" class="inline-images image-style-inline-images" src="https://zh-dev-046fffa0-2095-430f-bd04-a687fe941952.storage.googleapis.com/s3fs-public/styles/inline_image_mobile/public/inline-images/States-Most-Dependent-on-Food-St.jpg?itok=E0l8OB_E" alt="" typeof="foaf:Image" /></picture></a></p>

<h3>New Mexico Leads in SNAP Dependence</h3>

<p>New Mexico stands out as the most SNAP-dependent state, with 21.5% of residents receiving assistance, nearly double the national average. The average monthly benefit there is $176.51 per person, totaling over $80 million in monthly aid. Persistent poverty rates and rural isolation help explain the state’s high reliance on federal food assistance.</p>

<p>Oregon follows closely at 18.1% enrollment, while Louisiana ranks third at 17.5%. In each case, elevated unemployment and cost pressures have contributed to continued demand for benefits.</p>

<h3>Coastal and Urban States See Higher Benefit Amounts</h3>

<p>States like New York ($218.44), Massachusetts ($215.64), and Hawaii ($361.78) report some of the highest average benefits per person. These higher payments reflect steeper living costs in dense urban and island economies.</p>

<table class="tablepress tablepress-id-6538" id="tablepress-6538"><thead><tr class="row-1"><th class="column-1">Rank</th>
			<th class="column-2">State</th>
			<th class="column-3">Population with SNAP</th>
			<th class="column-4">Avg benefit per person</th>
			<th class="column-5">Number of beneficiaries</th>
			<th class="column-6">Total monthly benefits</th>
		</tr></thead><tbody class="row-striping row-hover"><tr class="row-2"><td class="column-1">1</td>
			<td class="column-2">New Mexico</td>
			<td class="column-3">21.5%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$176.51</td>
			<td class="column-5">457,699</td>
			<td class="column-6">$80,790,060</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-3"><td class="column-1">2</td>
			<td class="column-2">Oregon</td>
			<td class="column-3">18.1%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$182.17</td>
			<td class="column-5">772,893</td>
			<td class="column-6">$140,797,421</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-4"><td class="column-1">3</td>
			<td class="column-2">Louisiana</td>
			<td class="column-3">17.5%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$186.90</td>
			<td class="column-5">803,988</td>
			<td class="column-6">$150,268,544</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-5"><td class="column-1">4</td>
			<td class="column-2">Oklahoma</td>
			<td class="column-3">16.9%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$186.85</td>
			<td class="column-5">692,477</td>
			<td class="column-6">$129,386,266</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-6"><td class="column-1">5</td>
			<td class="column-2">W. Virginia</td>
			<td class="column-3">15.5%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$167.74</td>
			<td class="column-5">273,566</td>
			<td class="column-6">$45,886,908</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-7"><td class="column-1">6</td>
			<td class="column-2">Nevada</td>
			<td class="column-3">15.2%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$171.80</td>
			<td class="column-5">496,848</td>
			<td class="column-6">$85,360,880</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-8"><td class="column-1">7</td>
			<td class="column-2">Massachusetts</td>
			<td class="column-3">15.1%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$215.64</td>
			<td class="column-5">1,076,187</td>
			<td class="column-6">$232,066,810</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-9"><td class="column-1">8</td>
			<td class="column-2">Pennsylvania</td>
			<td class="column-3">15.0%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$181.70</td>
			<td class="column-5">1,958,047</td>
			<td class="column-6">$355,777,154</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-10"><td class="column-1">9</td>
			<td class="column-2">New York</td>
			<td class="column-3">14.9%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$218.44</td>
			<td class="column-5">2,962,913</td>
			<td class="column-6">$647,210,404</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-11"><td class="column-1">10</td>
			<td class="column-2">Illinois</td>
			<td class="column-3">14.8%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$195.94</td>
			<td class="column-5">1,879,564</td>
			<td class="column-6">$368,278,250</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-12"><td class="column-1">11</td>
			<td class="column-2">Michigan</td>
			<td class="column-3">14.5%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$175.44</td>
			<td class="column-5">1,473,832</td>
			<td class="column-6">$258,575,524</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-13"><td class="column-1">12</td>
			<td class="column-2">Alabama</td>
			<td class="column-3">14.3%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$193.08</td>
			<td class="column-5">736,178</td>
			<td class="column-6">$142,142,795</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-14"><td class="column-1">13</td>
			<td class="column-2">California</td>
			<td class="column-3">13.9%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$190.25</td>
			<td class="column-5">5,494,318</td>
			<td class="column-6">$1,045,310,679</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-15"><td class="column-1">14</td>
			<td class="column-2">Kentucky</td>
			<td class="column-3">13.0%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$178.94</td>
			<td class="column-5">595,155</td>
			<td class="column-6">$106,498,834</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-16"><td class="column-1">15</td>
			<td class="column-2">Rhode Island</td>
			<td class="column-3">12.8%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$200.95</td>
			<td class="column-5">142,726</td>
			<td class="column-6">$28,680,737</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-17"><td class="column-1">16</td>
			<td class="column-2">Florida</td>
			<td class="column-3">12.6%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$181.97</td>
			<td class="column-5">2,943,012</td>
			<td class="column-6">$535,551,777</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-18"><td class="column-1">17</td>
			<td class="column-2">North Carolina</td>
			<td class="column-3">12.5%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$174.75</td>
			<td class="column-5">1,378,291</td>
			<td class="column-6">$240,858,724</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-19"><td class="column-1">18</td>
			<td class="column-2">Ohio</td>
			<td class="column-3">12.2%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$186.03</td>
			<td class="column-5">1,450,955</td>
			<td class="column-6">$269,917,495</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-20"><td class="column-1">19</td>
			<td class="column-2">Georgia</td>
			<td class="column-3">12.1%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$186.08</td>
			<td class="column-5">1,356,493</td>
			<td class="column-6">$252,417,633</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-21"><td class="column-1">20</td>
			<td class="column-2">Mississippi</td>
			<td class="column-3">12.1%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$180.46</td>
			<td class="column-5">357,042</td>
			<td class="column-6">$64,432,174</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-22"><td class="column-1">21</td>
			<td class="column-2">Arizona</td>
			<td class="column-3">11.7%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$182.25</td>
			<td class="column-5">887,253</td>
			<td class="column-6">$161,705,602</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-23"><td class="column-1">22</td>
			<td class="column-2">Maine</td>
			<td class="column-3">11.6%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$176.55</td>
			<td class="column-5">163,520</td>
			<td class="column-6">$28,869,975</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-24"><td class="column-1">23</td>
			<td class="column-2">Wisconsin</td>
			<td class="column-3">11.6%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$163.89</td>
			<td class="column-5">689,315</td>
			<td class="column-6">$112,973,934</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-25"><td class="column-1">24</td>
			<td class="column-2">Washington</td>
			<td class="column-3">11.4%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$184.51</td>
			<td class="column-5">905,471</td>
			<td class="column-6">$167,068,578</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-26"><td class="column-1">25</td>
			<td class="column-2">Hawaii</td>
			<td class="column-3">11.3%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$361.78</td>
			<td class="column-5">163,576</td>
			<td class="column-6">$59,178,123</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-27"><td class="column-1">26</td>
			<td class="column-2">Delaware</td>
			<td class="column-3">11.2%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$180.54</td>
			<td class="column-5">118,209</td>
			<td class="column-6">$21,340,950</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-28"><td class="column-1">27</td>
			<td class="column-2">Texas</td>
			<td class="column-3">11.0%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$177.82</td>
			<td class="column-5">3,455,085</td>
			<td class="column-6">$614,386,464</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-29"><td class="column-1">28</td>
			<td class="column-2">Maryland</td>
			<td class="column-3">10.7%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$182.49</td>
			<td class="column-5">667,981</td>
			<td class="column-6">$121,902,010</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-30"><td class="column-1">29</td>
			<td class="column-2">Missouri</td>
			<td class="column-3">10.5%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$196.10</td>
			<td class="column-5">655,940</td>
			<td class="column-6">$128,629,589</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-31"><td class="column-1">30</td>
			<td class="column-2">South Carolina</td>
			<td class="column-3">10.4%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$186.42</td>
			<td class="column-5">567,895</td>
			<td class="column-6">$105,867,349</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-32"><td class="column-1">31</td>
			<td class="column-2">Colorado</td>
			<td class="column-3">10.3%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$195.97</td>
			<td class="column-5">614,843</td>
			<td class="column-6">$120,493,408</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-33"><td class="column-1">32</td>
			<td class="column-2">Vermont</td>
			<td class="column-3">10.0%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$188.75</td>
			<td class="column-5">64,633</td>
			<td class="column-6">$12,199,424</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-34"><td class="column-1">33</td>
			<td class="column-2">Connecticut</td>
			<td class="column-3">9.9%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$192.89</td>
			<td class="column-5">363,524</td>
			<td class="column-6">$70,118,853</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-35"><td class="column-1">34</td>
			<td class="column-2">Tennessee</td>
			<td class="column-3">9.6%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$203.20</td>
			<td class="column-5">690,545</td>
			<td class="column-6">$140,318,213</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-36"><td class="column-1">35</td>
			<td class="column-2">Virginia</td>
			<td class="column-3">9.4%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$173.84</td>
			<td class="column-5">824,866</td>
			<td class="column-6">$143,392,688</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-37"><td class="column-1">36</td>
			<td class="column-2">Alaska</td>
			<td class="column-3">9.0%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$364.31</td>
			<td class="column-5">66,377</td>
			<td class="column-6">$24,181,479</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-38"><td class="column-1">37</td>
			<td class="column-2">New Jersey</td>
			<td class="column-3">8.7%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$194.63</td>
			<td class="column-5">826,094</td>
			<td class="column-6">$160,778,766</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-39"><td class="column-1">38</td>
			<td class="column-2">Indiana</td>
			<td class="column-3">8.5%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$195.71</td>
			<td class="column-5">586,403</td>
			<td class="column-6">$114,763,019</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-40"><td class="column-1">39</td>
			<td class="column-2">Iowa</td>
			<td class="column-3">8.2%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$169.04</td>
			<td class="column-5">267,158</td>
			<td class="column-6">$45,159,537</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-41"><td class="column-1">40</td>
			<td class="column-2">South Dakota</td>
			<td class="column-3">8.1%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$198.24</td>
			<td class="column-5">75,282</td>
			<td class="column-6">$14,923,544</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-42"><td class="column-1">41</td>
			<td class="column-2">Minnesota</td>
			<td class="column-3">7.8%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$158.45</td>
			<td class="column-5">451,966</td>
			<td class="column-6">$71,616,027</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-43"><td class="column-1">42</td>
			<td class="column-2">Arkansas</td>
			<td class="column-3">7.8%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$172.82</td>
			<td class="column-5">239,748</td>
			<td class="column-6">$41,434,391</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-44"><td class="column-1">43</td>
			<td class="column-2">Nebraska</td>
			<td class="column-3">7.5%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$181.00</td>
			<td class="column-5">150,600</td>
			<td class="column-6">$27,258,920</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-45"><td class="column-1">44</td>
			<td class="column-2">North Dakota</td>
			<td class="column-3">7.2%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$174.33</td>
			<td class="column-5">57,129</td>
			<td class="column-6">$9,959,141</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-46"><td class="column-1">45</td>
			<td class="column-2">Montana</td>
			<td class="column-3">7.1%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$170.68</td>
			<td class="column-5">80,523</td>
			<td class="column-6">$13,743,731</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-47"><td class="column-1">46</td>
			<td class="column-2">Idaho</td>
			<td class="column-3">6.7%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$179.01</td>
			<td class="column-5">133,545</td>
			<td class="column-6">$23,906,189</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-48"><td class="column-1">47</td>
			<td class="column-2">Kansas</td>
			<td class="column-3">6.3%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$177.23</td>
			<td class="column-5">186,036</td>
			<td class="column-6">$32,971,957</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-49"><td class="column-1">48</td>
			<td class="column-2">New Hampshire</td>
			<td class="column-3">5.4%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$169.56</td>
			<td class="column-5">75,717</td>
			<td class="column-6">$12,838,748</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-50"><td class="column-1">49</td>
			<td class="column-2">Utah</td>
			<td class="column-3">5.1%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$192.17</td>
			<td class="column-5">177,087</td>
			<td class="column-6">$34,030,139</td>
		</tr><tr class="row-51"><td class="column-1">50</td>
			<td class="column-2">Wyoming</td>
			<td class="column-3">4.6%</td>
			<td class="column-4">$183.81</td>
			<td class="column-5">27,122</td>
			<td class="column-6">$4,985,385</td>
		</tr></tbody></table><p>In contrast, benefits tend to be smaller in lower-cost Midwestern states such as Wisconsin ($163.89) and Minnesota ($158.45), where overall food prices and housing costs are lower.</p>

<h3>Low Participation in Western States</h3>

<p>Wyoming has the lowest SNAP participation rate at just 4.6%, followed by Utah (5.1%) and New Hampshire (5.4%). Still, even in these states, food stamps remains a crucial safety net for tens of thousands of residents. Utah alone distributes more than $34 million in benefits each month to about 177,000 people.</p>

<p><em>If you enjoyed today’s post, check out <a href="https://www.voronoiapp.com/current-events/The-longest-government-shutdown-in-US-history-7073">The Longest Government Shutdown in U.S. History</a> on <strong>Voronoi</strong>, the new app from Visual Capitalist.</em></p>


Wyoming and Utah report the lowest participation, both around only 5% of their populations...


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