United States: Food Stamps
Food stamps are federal benefits, and rules regarding eligibility and benefit levels are generally set at the federal level and uniform across the states. States are responsible for administering the program and make a number of important decisions regarding application, reporting, and recertification procedures that impact program accessibility [More detail...]
National Participant & Spending Data
Participants
Number of recipients
| Number of recipients (households w/ children)1 | 5.8 million households (FY 2005) |
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| Number of recipients (children)1 | 12.4 million children (FY 2005) |
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Spending
Total spending
| Total spending (federal)2 | $28.6 billion (FY 2005) |
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Spending per recipient
| Monthly average benefit3 | $213/month (FY 2005) |
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Data Notes and Sources
Data on Food Stamps were compiled by NCCP in April 2007. Some policy decisions may have changed since these data were collected.
- This is an average monthly number.
Allison Barrett, Characteristics of Food Stamp Households: Fiscal Year 2005, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, September 2006, http://www.fns.usda.gov (accessed March 29, 2007).
- Figure reflects total spending on food stamp benefits, including benefits for households with and without children.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, "Food Stamp Program Data," http://www.fns.usda.gov (accessed March 19, 2007).
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, "Food Stamp Program Data," http://www.fns.usda.gov (accessed March 19, 2007).
