Greetings—


Though the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps families purchase the food they need, the maximum benefit is rarely enough.
[link removed]
An updated map from Urban Institute experts allows users to explore the gap between the maximum SNAP benefit and the cost of a modestly priced meal in their county.  


In 2022, the inflation adjustment to SNAP benefits improved the benefits’ adequacy, but this progress eroded almost entirely in 2023. The fiscal year 2024 cost-of-living adjustment, which took effect in October 2023, had little impact on the adequacy of SNAP benefits for 2023, merely decreasing the share of counties with inadequate benefits from 99 to 98 percent.

[link removed]
The researchers also found that:
- Nationally, the gap between the maximum SNAP benefit and the cost of a meal remained high. The gap was $0.63 per meal (23 percent) in the first three quarters and dropped to $0.53 per meal (19 percent) in the last quarter of 2023.
- At the end of 2023, SNAP benefits fell short of covering monthly food costs by $49.29 for families with zero net income. In the first three quarters of the year, SNAP benefits fell $58.59 short.
- The gap between SNAP benefits and meal costs was larger in urban areas than in rural areas. By the end of 2023, urban areas had meal costs 28 percent higher, on average, than SNAP benefits. The gap was 17 percent for rural areas.
- In the five counties with the largest gaps between SNAP benefits and meal costs, the gap remained above 70 percent all year.

[link removed]


Explore the
[link removed]
map and
[link removed]
fact sheet to learn more.  


If you have questions or would like to connect with lead researcher
[link removed]
Elaine Waxman , please
mailto:[email protected]?subject=
email me .  


Sincerely,


Amy Elsbree
Associate VP for Strategic Communications and Outreach

Deputy Chief Communications Officer

202-261-5513

mailto:[email protected]
[email protected]

[link removed]
@aelsbree

U R B A N I N S T I T U T E

[link removed]
www.urban.org




Urban Institute is a nonprofit research organization that believes in the power of evidence to improve people’s lives. Urban as an organization does not take policy positions but Urban’s independent experts are empowered to make recommendations based on their research.


You are receiving this email because External Affairs believes the featured information is relevant to your field of work. If you would like to stop receiving communications like this, please email
mailto:[email protected]?subject=Please remove me from External Affairs communications
[email protected] .









----------------------------------------
This email was sent by: Urban Institute
500 L’Enfant Plaza SW,
Washington, DC, 20024

Privacy Policy: [link removed]
Update Profile: [link removed]
Manage Subscriptions: [link removed]
Unsubscribe: [link removed]