The Agriculture Department’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, served an average of 45.8 million people per month in fiscal year 2015. USDA says the percent of Americans participating in the program declined from 15 percent in 2014 to 14.2 percent in 2015, marking the second consecutive year of a decline in the percent of the population receiving SNAP. Between 2014 and 2015, 39 States and the District of Columbia saw a decrease in the percent of residents receiving SNAP benefits, while 11 states experienced no change or small increases. The percent of state populations receiving SNAP benefits ranged from a low of 5.6 in Wyoming to a high of 21.7 in New Mexico, reflecting differences in need and program policies. Southeastern States have a particularly high share of residents receiving SNAP benefits, with participation rates of 16.4 to 21.3 percent.
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