Does the Decline in Food Stamp Use by Rural Low-Income Households Represent Less Need or Less Access? Evidence from New Data on Food Insecurity and Hunger

Changes in food insecurity and hunger among low-income nonmetropolitan households that did not receive Food Stamps are analyzed to assess the extent to which the decline in Food Stamp caseloads among these households resulted from reduced need for food assistance versus reduced access to Food Stamps. Changes in nonmetropolitan areas are compared to those at the national level. Food insecurity increased substantially among low-income non-Food Stamp households indicating that the decline in Food Stamp use by low-income households resulted primarily from reduced access to Food Stamps. The lack of a corresponding increase in hunger, however, suggests that the most needy households, those facing hunger without food assistance, were generally still able to access Food Stamps. The patterns in nonmetropolitan areas did not differ substantially from those at the national level.