Reaching Those in Need: State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation Rates in 2009

This document presents estimates of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation rates for all eligible people and for the working poor, by state, for fiscal year 2009. Eighteen states had rates that were significantly higher (in a statistical sense) than the national rate, and 12 states had rates that were significantly lower. Among the regions, the Midwest Region had the highest participation rate—82 percent—a rate significantly higher than all of the other regions. The Western Region's participation rate of 63 percent was significantly lower than the rates for all of the other regions.