Welfare Recipients by State 2025
California
5,496,920
Texas
3,489,634
Florida
3,026,108
New York
2,974,909
Pennsylvania
1,984,515
Illinois
1,908,007
Georgia
1,604,479
Michigan
1,508,947
North Carolina
1,483,773
Ohio
1,444,052
Massachusetts
1,098,366
Washington
906,403
Arizona
898,476
New Jersey
830,058
Louisiana
825,467
Virginia
822,941
Oregon
774,581
Alabama
742,614
Oklahoma
701,611
Wisconsin
700,370
Tennessee
695,903
Maryland
680,346
Missouri
659,962
Colorado
620,478
Indiana
600,776
Kentucky
582,803
South Carolina
569,075
Nevada
503,643
New Mexico
471,266
Minnesota
451,151
Connecticut
377,990
Mississippi
369,036
West Virginia
273,926
Iowa
261,142
Arkansas
239,627
Kansas
187,290
Utah
178,282
Maine
171,238
Hawaii
155,843
Nebraska
151,994
District of Columbia
141,346
Rhode Island
138,264
Idaho
134,855
Delaware
119,497
Montana
80,591
New Hampshire
76,174
South Dakota
75,412
Vermont
65,808
Alaska
63,474
North Dakota
55,532
Wyoming
28,334
State | SNAP Recipients in Jan 2025↓ | SNAP Recipients in Dec 2024 | Change in SNAP Recipients Dec 2024 to Jan 2025 | Change in SNAP Recipients Jan 2024 to Jan 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | California | 5,496,920 | 5,504,763 | -0.1% | 3% |
 | Texas | 3,489,634 | 3,492,479 | -0.1% | 12.8% |
 | Florida | 3,026,108 | 3,340,582 | -9.4% | 4.3% |
 | New York | 2,974,909 | 2,981,000 | -0.2% | 2.7% |
 | Pennsylvania | 1,984,515 | 1,994,842 | -0.5% | |
 | Illinois | 1,908,007 | 1,923,744 | -0.8% | -0.8% |
 | Georgia | 1,604,479 | 1,496,492 | 7.2% | 12.8% |
 | Michigan | 1,508,947 | 1,488,830 | 1.4% | 0.3% |
 | North Carolina | 1,483,773 | 1,510,420 | -1.8% | 6.1% |
 | Ohio | 1,444,052 | 1,434,294 | 0.7% | 4.9% |
 | Massachusetts | 1,098,366 | 1,101,049 | -0.2% | -0.7% |
 | Washington | 906,403 | 901,224 | 0.6% | 2.5% |
 | Arizona | 898,476 | 905,583 | -0.8% | -1.6% |
 | New Jersey | 830,058 | 837,730 | -0.9% | 1.6% |
 | Louisiana | 825,467 | 874,845 | -5.6% | -2.9% |
 | Virginia | 822,941 | 815,427 | 0.9% | -0.1% |
 | Oregon | 774,581 | 772,311 | 0.3% | 3.5% |
 | Alabama | 742,614 | 750,680 | -1.1% | -0.6% |
 | Oklahoma | 701,611 | 699,307 | 0.3% | 3.4% |
 | Wisconsin | 700,370 | 697,818 | 0.4% | -1% |
 | Tennessee | 695,903 | 744,566 | -6.5% | 2.2% |
 | Maryland | 680,346 | 687,664 | -1.1% | -1.3% |
 | Missouri | 659,962 | 668,210 | -1.2% | 0.6% |
 | Colorado | 620,478 | 617,764 | 0.4% | 7.9% |
 | Indiana | 600,776 | 610,429 | -1.6% | -2.2% |
 | Kentucky | 582,803 | 587,025 | -0.7% | -0.9% |
 | South Carolina | 569,075 | 695,302 | -18.2% | -1.5% |
 | Nevada | 503,643 | 505,691 | -0.4% | 0.3% |
 | New Mexico | 471,266 | 474,029 | -0.6% | 14.4% |
 | Minnesota | 451,151 | 454,865 | -0.8% | -0.1% |
 | Connecticut | 377,990 | 381,151 | -0.8% | -2.5% |
 | Mississippi | 369,036 | 374,087 | -1.4% | -5.2% |
 | West Virginia | 273,926 | 269,234 | 1.7% | -0.4% |
 | Iowa | 261,142 | 262,104 | -0.4% | 1.5% |
 | Arkansas | 239,627 | 235,533 | 1.7% | -2.9% |
 | Kansas | 187,290 | 188,590 | -0.7% | 0.5% |
 | Utah | 178,282 | 177,134 | 0.6% | 7.1% |
 | Maine | 171,238 | 172,409 | -0.7% | -0.1% |
 | Hawaii | 155,843 | 157,287 | -0.9% | -5.1% |
 | Nebraska | 151,994 | 151,895 | 0.1% | -2.9% |
 | District of Columbia | 141,346 | 141,492 | -0.1% | 4.7% |
 | Rhode Island | 138,264 | 138,028 | 0.2% | -3.8% |
 | Idaho | 134,855 | 134,279 | 0.4% | 3.8% |
 | Delaware | 119,497 | 121,278 | -1.5% | 0.4% |
 | Montana | 80,591 | 80,009 | 0.7% | -0.7% |
 | New Hampshire | 76,174 | 76,035 | 0.2% | -0.6% |
 | South Dakota | 75,412 | 75,103 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
 | Vermont | 65,808 | 65,525 | 0.4% | -2.6% |
 | Alaska | 63,474 | 61,351 | -1.4% | 7.5% |
 | North Dakota | 55,532 | 53,683 | 3.4% | 19.1% |
 | Wyoming | 28,334 | 28,072 | 0.9% | -3.5% |
- Data indicate the number of people receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in each state.
Welfare is a type of government support for the citizens of that society to meet their basic human needs such as food and shelter. Welfare programs typically provide either a free or subsidized supply of certain goods and services such as healthcare and education.
The United States has six major welfare programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income, Earned Income Tax Credit, Housing Assistance, and Medicaid. These six welfare programs are not to be confused with the four entitlement programs: Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, and worker’s compensation.
Welfare recipients in the United States must prove their income falls below a certain target based on the federal poverty level in order to qualify. In April 2018, President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to review employment requirements for TANF, Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance. Childless SNAP recipients who do not have disabilities, for example, must find a job within three months or lose their benefits.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) refers to food stamps. The number of SNAP recipients has decreased overall in most states. The number of recipients grew during 2007-2011 due to the recession and has seen a steady decline since, most likely because of an improving economy and the imposed three-month limit.
Top 10 States with the Most SNAP Recipients (2022)
State | SNAP Recipients in Jan 2025 |
|---|---|
| California | 5,496,920 |
| Texas | 3,489,634 |
| Florida | 3,026,108 |
| New York | 2,974,909 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,984,515 |
| Illinois | 1,908,007 |
| Georgia | 1,604,479 |
| Michigan | 1,508,947 |
| North Carolina | 1,483,773 |
| Ohio | 1,444,052 |
