10 States That Rely The Most On Food Stamps: USDA

Of all the disastrous consequences of the economic crisis, perhaps the most devastating is the idea of even more Americans struggling to feed their families.

Recent statistics from the USDA indicate that 14.2 percent of the U.S. population was using food stamps in February 2011, or around 44.2 million total, up from 33 million just two years before in 2009.

In 2006, the year before the financial crisis, 26.5 million people participated in the program, officially titled the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The increased rate of food stamp participation has led, in turn, to a significant increase in the amount of money SNAP spends on food benefits. In 2010, the total cost of food stamp redemption in the U.S. rose 29 percent from the previous year, totaling around $64 billion, according to the USDA’s 2010 annual report.

And use of food stamps still varies widely by state. New York, for one, saw an 11 percent increase in food stamp participation last year, and the cost of redemptions in the state rose to $5.1 billion from $4.3 billion. Today, around 15 percent of New York's population collects food benefits.

States with smaller populations participate in food stamp programs most often, particularly in the South, where as many as 20 percent of the population is found to use food stamps.

Below are the ten states with the highest percentage of population using food stamps.

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• 10. South Carolina

  <strong>Percentage of Population on Food Stamps:</strong> 18.2 percent <strong>Annual Change in Food Stamps from 2010:</strong> 7.1 percent <strong>2010 Total State Population:</strong> 4,625,364

• 9. Maine

  <strong>Percentage of Population on Food Stamps:</strong> 18.6 percent <strong>Annual Change in Food Stamps from 2010:</strong> 8 percent <strong>2010 Total State Population:</strong> 1,328,361

• 8. West Virginia

  <strong>Percentage of Population on Food Stamps:</strong> 18.7 percent <strong>Annual Change in Food Stamps from 2010:</strong> 2.4 percent <strong>2010 Total State Population:</strong> 1,852,994

• 7. Kentucky

  <strong>Percentage of Population on Food Stamps:</strong> 18.8 percent <strong>Annual Change in Food Stamps from 2010:</strong> 5.9 percent <strong>2010 Total State Population:</strong> 4,339,367

• 6. Louisiana

  <strong>Percentage of Population on Food Stamps:</strong> 19.2 percent <strong>Annual Change in Food Stamps from 2010:</strong> 7.5 percent <strong>2010 Total State Population:</strong> 4,533,372

• 5. Michigan

  <strong>Percentage of Population on Food Stamps:</strong> 19.7 percent <strong>Annual Change in Food Stamps from 2010:</strong> 11.4 percent <strong>2010 Total State Population:</strong> 9,883,640

• 4. New Mexico

  <strong>Percentage of Population on Food Stamps:</strong> 19.8 percent <strong>Annual Change in Food Stamps from 2010:</strong> 17.9 percent <strong>2010 Total State Population:</strong> 2,059,179

• 3. Tennessee

  <strong>Percentage of Population on Food Stamps:</strong> 19.8 percent <strong>Annual Change in Food Stamps from 2010:</strong> 17.9 percent <strong>2010 Total State Population:</strong> 6.2 million <i>Correction: A previous version of this slide misstated the state's population. </i>

• 2. Oregon

  <strong>Percentage of Population on Food Stamps:</strong> 20.1 percent <strong>Annual Change in Food Stamps from 2010:</strong> 9.6 percent <strong>2010 Total State Population:</strong> 3,831,074

• 1. Mississippi

  <strong>Percentage of Population on Food Stamps:</strong> 20.7 percent <strong>Annual Change in Food Stamps from 2010:</strong> 8.4 percent <strong>2010 Total State Population:</strong> 2,967,297

 

Comments

[GustavoRejivik]

12:39 AM on 06/13/2011

Hmmmm .. a lotta Blue States on there ..

Well done Social Workers .. promoting this program and getting help to those who need it.

[hollyann1963]

12:13 PM on 06/10/2011

In the RED states they will vote for ANYONE who agrees with their moral beliefs, I mean "any republican" regardless of any other destructive plans for our country. Their causes are noble, but being blindsided, by evil republicans is costing us the whole country. Now that our jobs have been sold out from under us. They want to take the food out of everyones mouths. The states that use it the most, will hurt the most when we lose it, when the republicans take it away.

[newthinktank]

09:41 AM on 06/05/2011

So many people are on food stamps, not because they are lazy, but because the US has a higher level of income inequality than any other developed nation on Earth.

Americans have an average income of $19,352 ($9.30 / hr) based on the Census. They pay an overall average tax of 23.4%.

The upper 1% have an average income of $1,137,684. The top 1% currently pays 18.8% in total taxes.

In 2008 corporations made 1.830 Trillion and paid 12.6% in taxes.

Net Worth of the top 1% combined: $27.74 Trillion
Net Worth of the next 19% combined: $32.678 Trillion
Net Worth of the bottom 80% combined: $4.547 Trillion

Those are the facts!

It's easier to think you haven't been fooled by politicians and the elite into giving away the wealth of the nation. If you did that you'd have yourself to blame.

The bottom 80% have been fueled by hate of our fellow citizens based on race, income, religion, etc. While we were distracted our money was stolen.

Are you going to continue to be distracted?

[nokabosh1]

09:06 AM on 05/27/2011

Some of these states are in their current situation because of the economy and current or former nanny state policies.

[koos458]

01:10 PM on 06/11/2011

Nanny state/ Mississippi, for example?

[dimplesmile7]

07:41 PM on 05/23/2011

Mostly Red States.

[TheSheeple]

01:09 AM on 05/24/2011

Most states ARE red states...

[LibRule]

12:59 PM on 05/25/2011

Aren't red states the ones that want to stop welfare, though? How interesting that they are the primary users.

[JustaGirl79]

04:19 PM on 06/07/2011

As of 2010 this is how each of these states vote historically across all elections:

1) Miss (RED)
2) Oregon (BLUE)
3) Tenn (BLUE)
4) New Mexico (BLUE)
5) Michigan (BLUE)
6) Louisana (RED)
7) Kentucky (RED)
8) West Virginia (RED)
9) Maine (BLUE)
10) South Carolina (RED)

Thats split pretty even if you ask me. But hey i'm a conservative who don't know jack!

Lets not forget State Debt Per Capita
1) Mass. @ $11,357
2) Alaska @ $9,505
3) RI @ $8,716
4) Conn @ $8,088
5) Del @ $6,796
6) NJ @ $6,551
7) NH @ $6,357
8) NY @ $6,288
9) VT @ $5,514
10) Hawaii @ $5,328

Mainly blue!!! I love numbers, they are my friend!

[SitandStay]

02:08 AM on 05/20/2011

10 States - Seven with Republican Governors, Four with Democratic Governors.

[spinotter11]

10:59 PM on 05/22/2011

Hah! You are obfuscatingly non-additive. Perhaps you are funning someone else.

[LibRule]

01:00 PM on 05/25/2011

Most of us are astute enough to get the inference.

[nokabosh1]

09:10 AM on 05/27/2011

At least one state (Maine) has been run by dems. The last election saw a repub gov elected and majority repub gen'l assemby for the first time in many years. Their state-wide health plan (Dirigo) is a bust -- too few people with income to take care of those that don't have work. One reason why ObamaCare is bound to be a disaster.

[Bill Hummel]

02:18 AM on 05/19/2011

You dont see many skinny underfed people in Miss.

[credulousDolt]

11:11 AM on 06/06/2011

No, you see fat, under-nourished people in Miss.

[brigidoshaunessy]

05:39 PM on 05/18/2011

Why so high? It's because today one can't pay rent/mortgage, put gas in car and eat all at the same time. Something had to give.

[Bruce H Majors]

12:34 PM on 05/18/2011

One wonders if any of the states that rank lowest in infant mortality, literacy, etc or highest in food stamp use or other forms of the dole, have a Federal Reserve Bank? Distance from newly created fiat money and credit, the inability to use new credit before it has caused inflation and reduced the new dollar's purchasing power, probably correlates with poverty. The desert areas are farther from the faucet....

[evelynstrategies]

12:10 PM on 05/18/2011

The tragedy is that in almost all of these states, the people most affected either voted Republican or didn't vote. When people choose to vote against their best interests for health, employment, schools, and benefits they create chaos for themselves and sadly for those who believe in these needs. Think of how many women voted Republican so that they would lose reproductive care, mammograms, pap smears, and the right to a legal, rather than illegal, abortion. What are all these sad folks thinking?

[nokabosh1]

09:14 AM on 05/27/2011

How do you know who didn't vote or not? Abortions have not been illegal since Roe v Wade. Stop with making stuff up to fit your flawed ideology.

[mspender]

11:02 PM on 05/17/2011

Interesting. With the exception of Oregon, perhaps, they seem to be the very same people who vote Republican...i.e. to get the government off of their backs.

[LibRule]

01:02 PM on 05/25/2011

New Mexico, Michigan & Maine are also blue.

[jasongrundy]

08:26 PM on 05/17/2011

All RED states except 2

[WadeLaycook]

01:22 AM on 05/17/2011

A lot of you don't realize that states like Tennessee and Mississippi have large African American populations who don't necessarily vote every election. Quit acting as if these states only contain Tea Party neocons. It's equally ignorant. It appalls me to see people crying for the government to stop sending aid to the communities devastated by the flood - especially when most in those communities are most likely to vote along YOUR ideological lines.

[jasongrundy]

08:26 PM on 05/17/2011

Grow up!!!

[LibRule]

01:04 PM on 05/25/2011

re-read the post.

[q786opi]

11:16 PM on 05/17/2011

WV,OR,MA don't have a lot of African American - what's race got to do with this? Everyone is feeling the economic crunch. I agree with the assessment that these states are ruled by Tea Party votes - which is the vast majority of all these states population.

[ritgar]

07:52 PM on 05/16/2011

The Repubs want their constituents cold, sick & hungry. Well, you voted yourselves off the island, Red States. You asked for it, you got it! I feel bad for residents in those areas who can see what is going on & want to fix it - you seriously have my best wishes & hope for better in the future. Please VOTE!

[jasongrundy]

08:26 PM on 05/17/2011

Grow up!!!!!

[LibRule]

01:06 PM on 05/25/2011

You know, you need to contribute something besides insults to the conversation.

[ritgar]

09:53 PM on 05/17/2011

You first. And I'll even toss in a teabagger "na na na nana" for you.

[DRBOTTS]

05:04 PM on 05/16/2011

As soon as the rich pool their tax break money, they will make jobs out the wazoo and everybody will be happy.