16.9% Increase In Wisconsin Residents Receiving SNAP

For all the states in the analysis, the number of people taking part in SNAP rose by 14% in September 2019 vs. September 2020.

Wisconsin residents receiving SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) numbered 710,412 in September of 2020, a 16.9% increase over the number taking part in September 2019, according to newly released data.

Wisconsin Right Now has learned that the number of Wisconsin residents receiving SNAP in September 2019 was 607,844, according to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service. The data from August and September of 2020 is preliminary and subject to change, the agency said.

For all the states and territories in the analysis, the number of people taking part in SNAP rose by 14% in the September 2019 vs. September 2020 comparison – numbers that contrast participation rates before and after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Which States Saw the Biggest Jumps in SNAP Participation?

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State / Territory	September 2019	August 2020 (Preliminary)	September 2020 (Initial)	% Change for September 2020 vs. September 2019	Rank Based on % Change (Highest to Lowest)
Florida	2,755,509	3,834,528	3,886,747	41.1%	1
Georgia	1,372,965	1,839,348	1,874,541	36.5%	2
Maryland	612,399	833,691	795,255	29.9%	3
Louisiana	798,536	858,903	1,012,935	26.8%	4
Iowa	309,126	302,232	376,876	21.9%	5
Kentucky	506,778	606,216	616,169	21.6%	6
Colorado	438,326	534,175	523,098	19.3%	7
Texas	3,346,851	3,900,408	3,962,503	18.4%	8
District of Columbia	111,402	129,186	131,844	18.3%	9
Washington	804,663	956,647	951,090	18.2%	10
Wisconsin	607,844	704,821	710,412	16.9%	11
Virgin Islands	21,623	24,957	25,235	16.7%	12
Hawaii	155,293	177,083	179,205	15.4%	13
North Carolina	1,262,554	1,456,891	1,452,360	15.0%	14
Massachusetts	764,203	868,410	877,118	14.8%	15
Oregon	586,111	701,881	670,776	14.4%	16
California	4,004,917	4,519,289	4,537,280	13.3%	17
Minnesota	400,877	444,664	451,755	12.7%	18
Wyoming	24,928	28,572	28,072	12.6%	19
Indiana	574,304	637,154	646,193	12.5%	20
Nevada	421,015	468,945	470,857	11.8%	21
Arkansas	351,199	398,219	391,984	11.6%	22
New Jersey	682,918	741,832	761,384	11.5%	23
Virginia	698,350	782,261	778,370	11.5%	24
Missouri	678,716	771,906	752,531	10.9%	25
New Mexico	450,410	493,689	491,512	9.1%	26
Oklahoma	578,189	625,551	626,298	8.3%	27
Arizona	798,130	915,512	860,912	7.9%	28
New York	2,586,186	2,756,187	2,789,533	7.9%	29
Illinois	1,770,574	1,854,047	1,904,524	7.6%	30
Michigan	1,147,972	1,195,967	1,223,611	6.6%	31
Pennsylvania	1,744,769	1,826,611	1,852,391	6.2%	32
Alabama	719,827	751,129	756,314	5.1%	33
South Carolina	586,163	617,334	614,905	4.9%	34
Guam	43,773	46,286	45,615	4.2%	35
Kansas	198,285	207,124	205,451	3.6%	36
Delaware	122,139	120,609	126,197	3.3%	37
Connecticut	364,474	380,909	375,825	3.1%	38
Vermont	67,209	67,728	68,416	1.8%	39
Ohio	1,381,245	1,399,895	1,401,212	1.4%	40
Maine	155,648	161,975	157,300	1.1%	41
Alaska	85,147	88,597	86,007	1.0%	42
West Virginia	307,638	301,459	305,262	-0.8%	43
South Dakota	79,186	78,149	78,491	-0.9%	44
Tennessee	876,772	855,072	865,381	-1.3%	45
Idaho	142,105	143,926	139,833	-1.6%	46
Nebraska	156,439	153,128	153,996	-1.6%	47
Utah	165,162	176,700	161,348	-2.3%	48
North Dakota	48,070	44,731	46,731	-2.8%	49
New Hampshire	73,506	69,573	69,787	-5.1%	50
Rhode Island	147,857	142,035	137,892	-6.7%	51
Mississippi	443,382	399,561	411,965	-7.1%	52
Montana	106,053	85,636	96,042	-9.4%	53
TOTAL	37,637,717	42,481,339	42,917,341	14.0%

Source: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

What is SNAP?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal nutrition assistance program. SNAP provides benefits to eligible low-income individuals and families via an Electronic Benefits Transfer card. This card can be used like a debit card to purchase eligible food in authorized retail food stores.

Wisconsin Residents Receiving SNAP Eligibility

Wisconsin residents receiving SNAP must live in Wisconsin and meet bank balance limits. A household with an elderly (over 60) or disabled household member may have a higher bank balance limit.

Visit SNAP’s eligibility page to find out more about eligibility requirements and how benefits are computed.