SNAP Benefits Remained Too Low to Help Families Afford Food in 2023

The Issue

An analysis of data from 2023 found the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual cost-of-living adjustment had little effect on the generosity of SNAP benefits in 2023.

Key Findings

• In the last quarter of 2023, a 53-cent gap remained between the $3.37 cost of a modestly priced meal, and SNAP’s average maximum benefit of $2.84—a shortfall of 19%.
• In the first three quarters of the year, SNAP benefits fell $58.59 short of monthly food costs. By the end of 2023, SNAP benefits fell short of monthly food costs by $49.29.
• The gap between the cost of a meal and the maximum benefit was larger in urban areas than in rural areas.
• The gap between SNAP benefits and meal costs remained about 70% throughout 2023 in the in the five counties with the largest gaps. The five counties are New York County, N.Y.; Leelanau County, Mich.; Teton County, Idaho; and Dukes County and Nantucket County, Mass.

Conclusion: Researchers conclude reductions in SNAP funding would further reduce the ability for SNAP enrollees to afford nutritious and healthy food.

About the Author/Grantee

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.