ML Hayes

Approximately 12.3% of American citizens qualified for free food through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in fiscal year 2024, which served an average of 41.7 million people.

Food-insecure households include those with low food security and very low food security. 13.5 percent (18.0 million) of U.S. households were food insecure at some time during 2023. The 2023 prevalence of food insecurity was statistically significantly higher than the 12.8 percent (17.0 million) in 2022.

Approximately 28% of SNAP recipients work full-time, though figures can vary depending on the data source and time period.

Some analyses found that around 70% of adult SNAP recipients worked full-time hours in a given month, but this refers to adults in the programs overall, not just the total number of recipients. Many of these workers rely on SNAP to supplement their low wages.

Overall work patterns: About 28% of SNAP recipients are full-time workers, while another 16% work part-time.

Low wages: Many full-time workers still struggle to make ends meet due to low wages, variable schedules, and limited benefits, making them eligible for SNAP.

Program reliance: Some individuals and families rely on SNAP to supplement their income because their wages are not high enough to cover basic needs.

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/11/14/what-the-data-says-about-food-stamps-in-the-us/ #:~:text=The%20vast%20majority%20of%20both,employed%20at%20all%20that%20year.