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?
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.
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