Most U.S. states have experienced a decline in the number of households using the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, over the last decade.
Only 14 states have seen an increase in the number of households using the food assistance program, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data for fiscal years 2015 to 2024.
Rural states have seen major drops in the number of households using the program, with Iowa, Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee seeing the most significant declines.
The decline in the program’s use comes as it faces one of its largest budget cuts ever.
Congressional Republicans have announced nearly $290 billion in cuts to the program over the next decade as a part of ongoing federal budget negotiations for a reconciliation package dubbed by President Donald Trump as the “big, beautiful bill.”
The Senate Agriculture Committee recently announced the inclusion of language in ongoing budget battles that would force some costs onto states, a move lambasted by many Democratic governors across the country.
“If states are forced to end their SNAP programs, hunger and poverty will increase, children and adults will get sicker, grocery stores in rural areas will struggle to stay open, people in agriculture and the food industry will lose jobs, and state and local economies will suffer,” the governors wrote in a June 2025 letter to Congressional leaders.
The recent proposal could also put SNAP benefits in jeopardy for millions of adults as Congress seeks to expand work requirements for able-bodied adults aged 55 to 64, a requirement currently stopped at 54 years old.
Data Harvest (formerly Graphic of the Week) is Investigate Midwest’s way of making complex agricultural data easy to understand. Through engaging graphics, charts, and maps, we break down key trends to help readers quickly grasp the forces shaping farming, food systems, and rural communities. Want us to explore other data trends? Let us know here.
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