The Changing Face of SNAP: A Look at America’s Food Assistance Program from 2022 — 2025

Young mother grocery shopping

Over the past several years, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has served as a vital safety net for millions of low-income Americans. From 2022 to 2025, the program has undergone significant shifts due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and policy changes.

Demographics

SNAP provides monthly food benefits to help families stretch their grocery budgets and access the nutritious food they need to thrive. In 2024 alone, the program supported more than 41 million people in the United States each month, helping them afford a nutritionally adequate diet. Operated across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Guam, and the Virgin Islands, SNAP is fully funded by the federal government.

America’s Most Vulnerable Citizens Receive SNAP

FIGURE 1: US Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, (n.d.). Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Data visualization and action. https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/data-research/data-visualization/snap/action

Figure 1 highlights the demographic breakdown of individuals participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP benefits disproportionately support the most vulnerable populations. A demographic breakdown reveals that 40% of recipients are children, 18% are elderly adults, and 9% are adults with disabilities. Combined, these three groups account for 67% of all SNAP participants. The data highlights how essential SNAP is for those who are often most in need of assistance.

Participation Trends

Following a spike in participation during the pandemic, SNAP saw a slight decline in enrollment from 2022 to 2023. This decrease was largely due to the end of emergency pandemic aid. However, participation began rising again in 2024 and 2025, with more than 42 million Americans receiving benefits in 2025. This rebound indicates ongoing economic hardship and continued reliance on food assistance among many U.S. households.

More U.S. Citizens Rely on SNAP

FIGURE 2: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE. (2025). SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP): MONTHLY DATA HTTPS://FNS- PROD.AZUREEDGE.US/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/RESOURCE-FILES/SNAP-4FYMONTHLY-4.PDF

Figure 2 depicts the trend in the number of people participating in the SNAP program from fiscal years 2022 to 2025. The number of participants initially decreased from 2022 to 2023, likely reflecting the end of the expanded pandemic-related aid. However, from 2023 to 2025, the participation steadily increased, reaching over 42 million individuals by 2025

Interestingly, from 2023 to 2025, the trend reversed. Participation slowly began to increase again, reaching over 42 million people by 2025. This upward trend may reflect persistent economic pressures like inflation, stagnant wages, and rising living costs that continue to make food affordability a challenge for many working families and individuals on fixed incomes.

Benefit Levels

The 2022–2025 SNAP benefit level trend provides a clear illustration of how policy changes might affect millions of American households. The average monthly SNAP benefit per person was $230.30 during the peak of pandemic-related help in 2022, an all- time high made possible by emergency federal action. To keep up with the rising cost of food and support families during the COVID-19 pandemic, these benefits were expanded.

Average benefit levels dropped sharply following the expiration of emergency allotments, falling to $211.40 in 2023 and then to just $187.50 in 2024. Although there was a slight increase in 2025, benefits remained well below their pandemic- era peak. This decline has had real consequences for families already grappling with rising grocery costs.

There are actual repercussions to the sharp drop in benefit levels. Families that previously relied on SNAP to pay for a large amount of their shopping expenses now have to spread out their limited benefits over rising food prices. Every dollar in SNAP payments now buys less than it did even a year or two ago because, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, inflation for food at home stayed high for a large portion of this time.

Moreover, this reduction has placed additional strain on food banks and community organizations, which often serve as the fallback when federal assistance falls short. Many advocacy groups argue that without a reevaluation of benefit formulas and thresholds, the effectiveness of SNAP in combating food insecurity may continue to diminish.

According to The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Immediately cutting benefits for all SNAP participants by an average of $1.40 per day.” Food banks and community organizations, which frequently act as a backup when federal support is insufficient, have been further burdened by this cut. Numerous advocacy organizations believe that SNAP’s ability to address food insecurity may continue to deteriorate in the absence of a review of benefit formulas and standards.

Federal Spending

There has been a dramatic decline in total SNAP benefit costs from fiscal year 2022 to 2025. In 2022, total spending on SNAP benefits peaked at around $113.9 billion—a reflection of expanded pandemic- related support and higher average benefit levels.

By 2023, this figure had slightly decreased, and by 2024, it dropped significantly. Most notably, in 2025, the program’s total cost plummeted to just $32.76 billion, representing a more than 70% decrease from its peak.

These drastic reductions in spending are more likely the result of stricter eligibility and a rollback of federal emergency money than it is of a decline in need. Although the cheaper cost might seem like a sensible financial move on paper, receivers would have to pay an enormous cost for it. These days, many households are expected to survive on decreasing benefit amounts while dealing with growing living costs, food inflation, and continuous economic instability. Community resources and charitable food assistance organizations are under more pressure to fill the gap for individuals who are still in need, as SNAP expenses decrease.

Inflation

These trends are further illustrated when we compare the declining SNAP benefit levels to the steady rise in inflation during this period. As living costs continued to climb, SNAP benefits failed to keep pace, widening the gap between what low-income families needed and what they received. While inflation rates peaked at 8.3% in 2022 and declined in recent years, they have still remained elevated through 2025. Average SNAP payments steadily fell, however, from $250 per person in 2022 to just $220 by 2025. This decrease shows how those who receive SNAP are under pressure as living expenses increase and benefits decrease, which lowers their ability to buy things. The widening gap between SNAP benefits and inflation indicates possible issues with food security for disadvantaged groups. It is, therefore, necessary to take policy into account as the economy changes and the price of essentials rises.

The examination of SNAP payments from 2022 to 2025 shows a troubling pattern in which average benefit amounts are declining in line with rising inflation. The availability of food for millions of low-income households may be impacted if SNAP consumers’ purchasing power declines due to the ongoing increase in living expenses.

The importance of policy changes that take rising prices and changes in the economy into consideration is highlighted by this widening gap. The next steps could include expanded eligibility requirements or inflation- linked changes to maintain SNAP’s availability and usefulness while ensuring that those most in need can satisfy their needs for food in the face of economic risk. For those who depend on SNAP benefits, closing these gaps is important for ensuring food security and creating financial stability.

References

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2023, May 18). Millions of low-income households would lose food aid under proposed House plan. https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/millions-of-low-income-households- would-lose-food-aid-under-proposed-house

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. (n.d.). Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Data visualization and action. https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/data-research/data- visualization/snap/action
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. (2025). Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Monthly data https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-4fymonthly- 4.pdf