SNAP Reach - Age 60+ in United States
United States
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United States Value:
81.0
Number of adults age 60 and older who participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) per 100 adults age 60 and older who live in poverty
SNAP Reach - Age 60+ in depth:
Appears In:
SNAP Reach - Age 60+ by State
Number of adults age 60 and older who participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) per 100 adults age 60 and older who live in poverty
SNAP Reach - Age 60+ in
Data from U.S. Department of Agriculture, Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households Report Series, 2019
>= 100.0
79.3 - 99.9
61.3 - 79.2
50.3 - 61.2
<= 50.2
SNAP Reach - Age 60+
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households Report Series, 2019
About SNAP Reach - Age 60+
US Value: 81.0
Top State(s): Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia: 100.0
Bottom State(s): Wyoming: 17.7
Definition: Number of adults age 60 and older who participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) per 100 adults age 60 and older who live in poverty
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Department of Agriculture, Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households Report Series, 2019
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households Report Series, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the most extensive federal nutrition program in the United States, helping millions of low-income Americans access food and improve their economic security and health outcomes. Older adults received an average of $105 a month in SNAP benefits in 2020. Despite SNAP and other nutritional aid programs, food insecurity remains a problem in the United States. An estimated 5.5 million older adults were food insecure in 2021, and that number is expected to increase to more than 7 million by 2050 if things do not improve.
To be eligible for SNAP, households must meet certain income and resource limits. Eligibility criteria and monthly SNAP benefits can vary by state. State-specific resources and applications can be found on the Food and Nutrition Service website.
Not everyone eligible for SNAP enrolls in it. Barriers to enrollment include lack of knowledge about the program and how it works, cultural beliefs, difficulty completing an application and stigma associated with receiving social services.
According to estimates from a 2019 study, investing an additional $1 billion in SNAP could increase the U.S. gross domestic product by $1.54 billion and support over 13,500 jobs. SNAP may also reduce medical expenses associated with food insecurity, which currently cost each state an average of $687 million a year.
SNAP participation is higher among:
- Older adults who live alone compared with those who live with at least one other person.
- Older adults living at or below the poverty level compared with those with higher incomes.
- Older adults with U.S. citizenship compared with eligible non-citizens.
The National Council on Aging’s Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative supports community-based organizations and agencies that assist adults age 60 and older in applying for and enrolling in SNAP. The council’s free online BenefitsCheckUp tool helps connect older adults to benefits they may be eligible for, including SNAP. AARP spotlights multiple policies that make it easier for individuals age 60 and over to enroll in SNAP.
Healthy People 2030 has an objective to reduce overall household food insecurity.
Berkowitz, Seth A., Sanjay Basu, Craig Gundersen, and Hilary K. Seligman. “State-Level and County-Level Estimates of Health Care Costs Associated with Food Insecurity.” Preventing Chronic Disease 16 (July 11, 2019): 180549. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd16.180549.
Cronquist, Kathryn, and Brett Eiffes. “Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2020.” Alexandria, VA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, 2022. https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/Characteristics2020.pdf.
Dean, Olivia, Rachel Bleiweiss-Sande, and Andrew Gothro. “Solutions: State Policies Associated with Higher Participation.” Older Adult SNAP Participation Series. Washington, D.C.: AARP Public Policy Institute, July 13, 2022. https://doi.org/10.26419/ppi.00166.003.
Ziliak, James P., and Craig Gundersen. “The Health Consequences of Senior Hunger in the United States: Evidence from the 1999-2016 NHANES.” Feeding America, August 18, 2021. https://www.feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2021-08/2021%20-%20Health%20Consequences%20of%20Senior%20Hunger%201999-2016.pdf.
Ziliak, James P., and Craig Gundersen. “The State of Senior Hunger in America in 2021: An Annual Report.” Feeding America, April 26, 2023. https://www.feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/State%20of%20Senior%20Hunger%20in%202021.pdf.
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