Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2009

This report provides information on the demographic and economic characteristics of SNAP households in fiscal year 2009. The average monthly number of participants reached a record high of 32.9 million. Nearly half of recipients were children, another 8 percent were over age 60, about 40 percent lived in households with earnings, the majority of households did not receive cash welfare benefits, and the average monthly benefit was $272.