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Reaching
Those in Need: Food Stamp Participation
Rates in the States in 2001
SUMMARY
This report is
the latest in a series of publications
presenting estimates of the percentage
of eligible persons, by State, who
participate in the Food Stamp Program.
This issue presents food stamp
participation rates for States in an
average month in fiscal year 2001 and
for the two previous fiscal years. These
estimates differ slightly from those
reported last year because of the change
in the reference period from the month
of September to the average month across
the fiscal year, and improvements in
data and methods.
Findings
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Food
stamp participation rates continue
to vary widely among States in
fiscal year 2001. Estimated
rates in some States were below 50
percent; in others, the estimated
rates exceeded 70 percent.
-
Some
States have had consistently high
participation rates relative to
other States. In all 3 fiscal
years from 1999 to 2001, West
Virginia, Hawaii, Maine, Kentucky,
the District of Columbia, Michigan,
and Vermont have had significantly
higher participation rates than
two-thirds of the States. Missouri,
Illinois, Louisiana, Alaska,
Tennessee, and Pennsylvania have had
significantly higher rates than half
of the States.
-
Some
States have had consistently low
participation rates relative to
other States. Kansas,
California, New Jersey, and Florida
have had significantly lower rates
than half of the States in all three
years. North Carolina, Arizona,
Idaho, Texas, Nevada, and
Massachusetts have had significantly
lower rates than two-thirds of the
States.
-
In
most States, participation rates
remained unchanged between fiscal
year 2000 and 2001. Although the
margin of error in estimating
changes in a State's rates over
short periods can be substantial,
the data suggests that food stamp
participation rates may have
improved in Oregon, North Dakota and
Wisconsin.
The estimates
are derived using a statistical approach
known as shrinkage estimation that draws
on data from the Current Population
Survey, the decennial census, and
administrative records. The shrinkage
estimator averages direct sample
estimates of participation rates with
predictions from a regression model
based on indicators of socioeconomic
conditions. Shrinkage estimates are
substantially more precise than direct
sample estimates from the Current
Population Survey even though larger
sample sizes in recent years improved
the precision of direct estimates for
States with smaller populations.
Nevertheless, the estimated
participation rates are still based on
fairly small samples of households in
many States, and the uncertainty
associated with these estimates is
substantial. Users of these data should
take the estimated confidence intervals
into account when interpreting
differences between States and within a
State over time.
February
2004
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