From my blog, see link for full data and analysis: https://polimetrics.substack.com/p/which-counties-are-most-reliant-on

Data from US Census ACS 2023. Graphic made with Datawrapper.

I wanted to provide a quick breakdown on which counties in the US are most reliant on SNAP benefits. These areas of the US are likely to feel the cuts in SNAP benefits more than others, with some counties having around 50% of all households participating in the SNAP program.

As you can see on the map, Southern states like Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi all have significant numbers of counties that have higher reliance on SNAP than other states. New Mexico, West Virginia, and Oregon are also other notable states with high levels of participation.

I’ll be trying to track the economic impact of the SNAP cuts by monitoring unemployment claims by state while accounting for state level reliance on the SNAP program as well.

Posted by Public_Finance_Guy

31 comments

  2. Alaska has no income tax, they pay households more than enough for groceries every year, yet there are still that many people on SNAP? WTH?

  3. Most of the maps are basically identical. Whether it is poverty, education, employment, healthcare, anything really…. the south sucks.

  4. I’d really like to see these maps by head count, not by household. I have suspicions that single member households are higher in certain areas – so while “only” 16% of households are on SNAP in certain places, the true percentage of people is higher.

  6. How can the difference between the PNW states and Idaho be explained

  8. About that area in South Dakota: I saw a 2008 documentary called Battle for Whiteclay where Whiteclay, Nebraska, just over the border, has a population of under a dozen people and sells millions of dollars worth of alcohol to a nearby Indian reservation, just over the border in South Dakota. When the documentary was filmed it was illegal to possess alcohol on the reservation so people would drive to the nearest town. There were numerous problems, hence the documentary.

    The Arizona/New Mexico area of the four corners also has a high Native American population.

  10. It appears that the southern portion of many states have darker colors than the northern ones… why would that be?

  11. I live in a super red county. SNAP cuts are definitely hurting MAGA.

  12. South Texas along the border swung for trump in a surprising way last year. Between SNAP cuts and ICE terrorism I imagine a lot of folks are having a tough moment of reflection.

  13. What’s up Arizona? Thought y’all were supposed to be the bootstrap state.

  14. Yeah, mostly the dumb fucks who voted for this shit. I’ve got a used pair of bootstraps for sale.

  15. This one is a bit odd. Normally even in red states there is some glimmer of ‘hope’ but WV is as dark as it gets across the state

  16. This needs to be by population count not percentage, many counties I see are sparsely populated but makes the state look worse than it is.

  18. Looks like mostly a red hat problem, good that you guys have bootstraps to pull yourself up by and don’t want any handouts.

  19. Land isn’t on snap, people are and this map poorly shows the real numbers, it’s like showing the mostly red map of counties I. The US on a year when a Democrat wins.

  20. Wow, I had no idea there were so many people on SNAP. I have technically qualified for it for many years now but have never felt like I was poor enough to deserve it.

  21. Hopefully owning the libs doesn’t make you too hungry

  22. Lots of Republican areas in blue states and Democratic areas in red states. Almost like when you are down and out, you go against whoever is in power, regardless of the policies.

  24. That’s a lot of conservative red states.. like West Virginia

  26. I’m from South Dakota. The areas that are dark purple are native reservations. This really breaks my heart. 🙁

  27. wow. just looking at my state I can see that the more conservative the county, the more it relies on SNAP. huh.

    I am disappointed but not surprised that so many people voted to cut off their own food aid.

  28. Anyone else shocked by generally how high this is across the board? Would be cool to see the historical data/maps

  29. These maps always make me wonder what the hell’s going on in New Mexico? Dang

  30. This also loosely guides you to where its easiest to score heroin, meth, and crack at

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