Households Receiving SNAP measures the share of households that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. SNAP is the nation’s most extensive anti-hunger program, providing monthly benefits that help low-income families afford groceries and stabilize household budgets. This indicator offers insight into economic hardship, food affordability, and the demand for local safety-net services. Tracking SNAP participation helps communities understand where financial strain is most concentrated, identify neighborhoods most vulnerable to food insecurity, and evaluate how shifts in employment, housing costs, and policy changes affect household well-being.

Why Does this Matter?

1. SNAP reduces food insecurity and improves health

• Participation in SNAP is consistently associated with lower rates of food insecurity and very low food security among low-income households, especially during economic downturns. By tracking where households rely on SNAP, communities can see where food budgets are most fragile and where cuts or barriers to benefits would hit hardest.¹

2. SNAP supports children’s long-term outcomes and human capital

• Access to SNAP in early life has been linked to better health, higher high school completion, and improved economic self-sufficiency in adulthood, particularly for women. High neighborhood SNAP use can therefore signal both concentrated child poverty and opportunities to strengthen long-run educational and economic outcomes through supportive policies. ²

3. SNAP benefits stabilize local economies and reduce poverty

• Research shows that SNAP not only reduces the prevalence and depth of poverty, especially for children, but also acts as an automatic stabilizer—supporting household purchasing power and local retail spending during recessions. Mapping households receiving SNAP helps local leaders understand where federal nutrition dollars are flowing and where complementary housing, workforce, and health investments are likely to have the biggest impact.³

1. Nord, M., & Golla, A. M. (2009). Does SNAP decrease food insecurity? Untangling the self-selection effect. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Accessed Decemebr 2025. https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details?pubid=46297
2.  Hoynes, H., Schanzenbach, D. W., & Almond, D. (2016). Long-run impacts of childhood access to the safety net. American Economic Review, 106(4), 903–934. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20130375 
3.  Tiehen, L., Jolliffe, D., & Gundersen, C. (2012). Alleviating poverty in the United States: The critical role of SNAP benefits. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Economic Research Report, 132.