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Background

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2014, about 46.5 million peopleliving in nearly 22.7 million U.S. householdsparticipated in the USDA Supplemental NutritionAssistance Program (SNAP), on average, per month.

SNAP households are a diverse group. Becausebenefits are available to most low-incomehouseholds with few resources, regardless of age,disability status, or family structure, participantsrepresent a broad cross-section of the Nation's poor.This report provides information about thedemographic and economic circumstances of SNAPhouseholds in FY 2014.

General Characteristics

Nearly two-thirds percent of SNAP participantswere children, elderly, or had disabilities. Forty-four percent of participants were under age 18, 10percent were age 60 or older, and 10 percent weredisabled nonelderly adults.

Most SNAP households live in majormetropolitan areas, but a substantial number liveoutside of them. Nearly 82 percent of SNAPhouseholds live in or near large cities, while about10 percent live in or near smaller cities and townsand about 7 percent live in rural areas.

Many SNAP participants had jobs. About 31percent of SNAP households had earnings in 2014and nearly 43 percent of all SNAP participants livedin a household with earnings.

The majority of SNAP households did not receivecash welfare benefits. Only 6 percent of all SNAPhouseholds received Temporary Assistance forNeedy Families (TANF) benefits, and only 3 percentreceived State General Assistance (GA) benefits.Nearly 25 percent of SNAP households receivedSocial Security, and 20 percent receivedSupplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits givento the aged and disabled.

SNAP households had little income. Nearly 22percent of SNAP households had no cash income ofany kind in the month the data was collected. Only16 percent had gross income above the poverty line,while 43 percent had income at, or below, half thepoverty line. The average SNAP household incomewas slightly less than 58 percent of the poverty line.The average gross income for all SNAP householdswas $759 per month. For a SNAP household withthe average gross income, 25 percent of monthlyfunds (gross income plus SNAP benefits) came from

SNAP.

The average monthly benefit received by SNAPhouseholds was $253, as compared to $275 in2013. This decrease reflects in part the reduction inbenefits resulting from the expiration of theRecovery Act. Forty-two percent of SNAPhouseholds received the maximum benefit for theirfamily size. Only 6 percent received the minimumbenefit ($15) available to households with one ortwo members.

Most SNAP households were small. Just over halfof SNAP households contained only one person.The average SNAP household size was 2.0 persons,but varied considerably by household composition.Households with children were larger, averaging 3.2members, while households with elderly participantswere smaller, averaging 1.3 members.

SNAP has a powerful antipoverty effect. WhenSNAP benefits are added to gross income, 10percent of SNAP households move above thepoverty line. The impact is even greater on the

poorest households, moving 13 percent of themabove 50 percent of the poverty line.

Changes Over Time

Notable changes in the characteristics of SNAPparticipants in the last 25 years include:

The primary form of income among SNAPparticipants shifted from welfare to work. In

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMHOUSEHOLDS: FISCAL YEAR 2014(SUMMARY)

Food and Nutrition Service December 2015

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

1989, nearly 42 percent of all SNAP householdsreceived cash welfare benefits and less than 20percent had earnings. In 2014, only 6 percentreceived cash welfare, while 31 percent hadearnings.

The percentage of households with no cash

income of any kind tripled. The percent ofhouseholds with zero gross income has gone from 7percent in 1989 to 22 percent in 2014. Thepercentage of SNAP households with zero netincome rose more than two-fold, from 18 percent in1989 to 41 percent in 2014.

SNAP households have gotten smaller. In 1989,the average household size was 2.6 persons. In2014, the average had fallen to 2.0 persons.Households with only one person accounted for halfthe caseload (52 percent) in 2014.

For More Information

Farson Gray, Kelsey and Shivani Kochhar. (2015)Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition

Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2014.Prepared by Mathematica Policy Research for theUSDA Food and Nutrition Service (available onlineat www.fns.usda.gov/research-and-analysis).