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Data & Research

Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Participation Characteristics WIC Participant and Program Characteristics 2022

Since 1988, FNS has produced biennial reports on WIC participant and program characteristics for program monitoring and managing WIC information needs. The 2022 report summarizes demographic, income, and health-related characteristics of participants with active certifications in April 2022.
 

02/20/2024
Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Assessing/Improving Operations National and State Level Estimates of WIC Eligibility and Program Reach in 2021

This report, the latest in a series of annual reports on WIC eligibility, presents 2021 national and state estimates of the number of people eligible for WIC benefits and the percents of the eligible population and the US population covered by the program, including estimates by participant category.

11/03/2023
Resource | Research, Analysis & Background | Participation Characteristics Reaching Those in Need: Estimates of USDA's SNAP Program Participation Rates in 2019

​This report presents estimates of the percentage of eligible persons, by state, who participated in SNAP during an average month in FY 2019 and in the two previous fiscal years. SNAP eligibility criteria include maximum income and resource thresholds, as well as certain nonfinancial criteria, such as age and disability status.

02/14/2023
Resource | Research | Breastfeeding National and State Level Estimates of WIC Eligibility and Program Reach in 2020

These graphics, the latest in a series of annual reports on WIC eligibility, present 2020 national and state estimates of the number of people eligible for WIC benefits and the percentages of the eligible population and the US population covered by the program, including estimates by participant category.

01/09/2023
Resource | Research | Food Security Trends in USDA SNAP Participation Rates: Fiscal Years 2016 to 2020

This report is the latest in a series on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation rates, which estimate the proportion of people eligible for benefits under federal income and asset rules to those who actually participate in the program. Because the coronavirus COVID-19 public health emergency affected data collection starting in March 2020, this summary covers only the pre-pandemic period of October 2019 through February 2020.

12/07/2022
Resource | Research | Participation Characteristics Characteristics of SNAP Households: FY 2020 and Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Characteristics of SNAP Households

The SNAP Characteristics report provides information about the demographic and economic circumstances of SNAP households in FY 2020. Because the coronavirus COVID-19 public health emergency affected data collection starting in March 2020, statistics are reported by prepandemic period of October 2019 through February 2020 and the early pandemic period of June to September 2020 (March through May were not reported). 

11/29/2022
Resource | Research | Benefit Content/Cost WIC Food Cost-Containment Practices Study

The WIC Food Cost-Containment Practices Study describes the voluntarily approaches state agencies used in 2018 to reduce food costs when selecting and authorizing WIC foods. This study is the second of its kind; the first was conducted by the USDA Economic Research Service in 2003. This report examines how six types of food cost-containment practices are associated with food costs and WIC participant satisfaction, benefit redemption, and food consumption in 12 state agencies. 

11/09/2022
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations The Use of State Administrative Data to Improve SNAP Eligibility Estimates: Findings and Recommendations from an Expert Panel

FNS has historically estimated the participation rate of SNAP by using Census data and samples of SNAP administrative data, but modeling SNAP eligibility using survey data has a number of challenges. In response, FNS, the Economic Research Service, and the Census Bureau sought potential solutions to these issues by linking Census survey data with monthly administrative records at the person level.

04/05/2022
Resource | Research | Participation Characteristics Trends in USDA SNAP Participation Rates: FY 2016-2019

This report is the latest in a series on SNAP participation rates, which estimate the proportion of people eligible for benefits under federal income and asset rules to those who actually participate in the program. This report presents rates for FY 2019, comparing them to rates for FY 2016-19 and showing participation rates by household characteristics.

03/22/2022
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations WIC Participant and Program Characteristics 2020 - Charts

Since 1988, FNS has produced biennial reports on WIC participant and program characteristics for use in program monitoring and managing WIC information needs. The PC 2020 report summarizes demographic, income and health-related characteristics and behaviors of participants certified to receive WIC benefits in April 2020.

02/14/2022
Page updated: January 12, 2024