More people living in the nation's capital use food stamps, when compared to their overall population, than in the rest of the nation, an analysis of federal data reveals.
There were 144,768 food stamp recipients in September and 146,278 recipients in Washington, D.C., according to the
USDA's most recent state-by-state data report, and the Census Bureau, reports an analysis by
The Wall Street Cheat Sheet.
While this number is much lower than those listed for other states, it still means that nearly 22 percent of the population of the nation's capital are on food stamps, at a total cost of about $18 million, with each person receiving about $27.19 in benefits.
Overall, the
USDA Food and Nutrition service reports, as of September, about 46.5 million people nationwide, in 22.7 million households, got an average of $123.74 each, or $257 a household.
The other top seven states, when it comes to the percentage of population collecting food stamps, include:
Seventh place: Louisiana, with 868,192 recipients and 18.67 percent of the state's population at a total cost of $107.4 million; sixth, Tennessee, with 1.28 million recipients, or 19.58 percent of the state's population, costing $158.7 million; fifth, Oregon with 791,222 recipients, or 19.93% of the population, costing $98 million; fourth, West Virginia, with 369,249 recipients at 19.96% of the population and costing $45.7 million; New Mexico, third, with 448,328 recipients, or 21.5% of the population, costing $55.5 million; and Mississippi second, with 650,911 recipients or 21.74 percent netting $80.5 million.
But the amount received can pale in comparison with grocery prices, Cheat Sheet reports. Groceries can average to as much as $1,300 a month for a family,
USDA reports show.
Households are eligible for food stamp assistance when families earn a gross income of less than 130 percent of the national poverty level, or a net income (the gross income minus any deductions) of less than 100 percent of the poverty level.
In other words, single people can draw food stamps if they have a gross monthly income of less than $15,180 a year, and families of four whose gross income is less than $31,008 a year can get the benefits.
The food stamp program is
growing nationwide, as more than 46 million people received food stamps in 2014 — 20 million more than before the recession began, reports
The Washington Examiner.
The total costs nationwide have been estimated at $80 billion, or more than double the $38 billion cost in 2007 and quadruple the approximately $20 billion spent in 2000 (all in inflation-adjusted dollars).
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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