Data & Research
This annual report provides details on the demographic characteristics and economic circumstances of SNAP households at both the national and state level. In 2013, most participants were children or elderly - 44 percent of participants were under age 18 and 9 percent were age 60 or older.
Each year, FNS estimates the number of eligible individuals for WIC during an average month of the calendar year. FNS uses estimates of the number of individuals eligible for WIC and the number likely to participate to better predict future funding needs, measure WIC performance, and identify potentially unmet nutrition assistance needs.
This report is the latest in a series of annual reports presenting information on national participation rates among people eligible for program benefits. In 2012, SNAP served 83 percent of all eligible individuals, and the program provided 96 percent of the benefits that all eligible individuals could receive.
Under the Community Eligibility Provision, schools do not collect or process meal applications for free and reduced-price meals served in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Schools must serve all meals at no cost with any costs in excess of the federal reimbursement paid from non-federal sources.