Yearly trends in SNAP participants, unemployment, and poverty

Yearly trends for SNAP participations, unemployment, and poverty (numbers in millions).
Year SNAP individual participants Individuals at or below 130 percent of poverty Individuals in poverty Unemployed individuals
1985 20 48 34 8
1986 19 46 33 8
1987 19 46 33 7
1988 19 46 32 7
1989 19 46 32 7
1990 21 48 34 7
1991 23 51 36 9
1992 26 53 38 10
1993 27 55 40 9
1994 27 54 39 8
1995 26 53 37 7
1996 25 53 37 7
1997 22 51 36 7
1998 19 49 35 6
1999 18 49 34 6
2000 17 47 32 6
2001 18 49 34 7
2002 20 51 36 8
2003 22 53 37 9
2004 24 53 38 8
2005 26 54 37 8
2006 26 53 37 7
2007 27 54 38 7
2008 29 57 41 9
2009 35 61 44 14
2010 42 64 47 15
2011 45 65 46 14
2012 47 66 47 12
2013 48 64 46 11
2014 46 65 47 10
2015 46 61 44 8
2016 44 58 42 8
2017 42 57 41 7
2018 40 55 39 6

Definitions:

  • SNAP participants: Average monthly number of individuals in households receiving a SNAP benefit.
  • Individuals at or below 130 percent of poverty: Annual number of individuals with income at or below 130% of the poverty guidelines issued by HHS.
  • Individuals in poverty: Annual number of individuals with income at or below the poverty guidelines issued by HHS.
  • Unemployed individuals: Average monthly number of individuals in the labor force who are unemployed.

Sources:

  • SNAP participants: Food and Nutrition Service SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary.
  • Individuals in poverty and individuals at or below 130 percent of poverty: Special tabulations of the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC) by Decision Demographics, Arlington, VA.
  • Unemployed individuals: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.