Annual Statistical Supplement, 2003

Public Assistance

Food Stamps

Table 9.H1 Number of participants, total annual benefits, and average benefit, fiscal years 1962–2002
Year Average number
of participants
(thousands)		 Total annual benefits
(thousands of dollars)		 Average
monthly benefit a
(dollars)
1962 143 13,153 7.66
1963 226 18,639 6.87
1964 367 28,643 6.50
1965 424 32,494 6.39
1966 864 64,781 6.25
1967 1,447 105,455 6.07
1968 2,211 172,982 6.52
1969 2,878 228,587 6.62
1970 4,340 550,806 10.58
1971 9,368 1,522,904 13.55
1972 11,103 1,794,875 13.47
1973 12,190 2,102,133 14.37
1974 12,896 2,725,988 17.62
1975 17,063 4,386,144 21.42
1976 18,557 5,310,133 23.85
1977 17,058 5,057,700 24.71
1978 16,044 5,165,209 26.83
1979 17,710 6,484,538 30.51
1980 21,077 8,685,521 34.34
1981 22,430 10,615,964 39.44
1982 b 21,716 10,205,799 39.18
1983 21,630 11,153,867 42.98
1984 20,858 10,696,100 42.74
1985 19,910 10,744,200 44.99
1986 19,428 10,604,950 45.49
1987 19,113 10,500,344 45.78
1988 18,644 11,149,051 50.00
1989 18,766 10,676,436 51.85
1990 20,038 14,184,028 59.01
1991 22,629 17,307,235 63.89
1992 25,403 20,899,531 68.57
1993 c 26,982 22,006,031 67.96
1994 c 27,468 22,748,559 69.01
1995 c 26,619 22,765,478 71.27
1996 25,533 22,440,298 73.23
1997 22,851 19,555,263 71.31
1998 19,787 16,879,929 71.09
1999 18,123 15,761,615 72.23
2000 17,155 14,985,093 72.79
2001 17,313 15,546,941 74.83
2002 19,094 18,257,136 79.68
a. That portion of the food stamp allotment, before the elimination of the purchase requirement, represented the government's share of total food stamps received. Since January 1979, only the bonus portion of the total food stamp allotment is received by participants.
b. Excludes participants and benefits under the Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Program after July 1, 1982.
c. Revised data.
SOURCE: Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.
NOTE: Between 1974 and 1979, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients were made ineligible for food stamps in California, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and selected counties in New York and Virginia because those areas supplemented SSI payments in amounts that included the value of food stamps. As of 1983 and 1992, SSI recipients were returned to the Food Stamp program in Massachusetts and Wisconsin, respectively, when those states chose to stop including a value for food stamps in the SSI supplement.
CONTACT: Jenny Genser (703) 305-2152.