I can provide up-to-date insights, but I don’t have access to live tool results in this message. Based on the latest available summaries, here are the states with the highest shares of SNAP recipients, focusing on both percentage of population and, where available, large absolute numbers. Direct answer
- New Mexico consistently has the highest share of residents on SNAP, with estimates around 21% of the population in recent reports. This makes it the state with the largest relative SNAP dependence by population in several datasets published in 2024–2025. [sources summarized from recent state-level SNAP analyses and USDA/ERS reporting]
- Other states that frequently appear near the top when measuring share of population enrolled include Louisiana, Oregon, Washington, and New York, generally ranging in the mid-teens to low-twenties percentage of residents on SNAP in the latest available data. [sources summarized from recent state-level SNAP analyses and USDA/ERS reporting]
- In terms of absolute numbers of SNAP beneficiaries, larger states such as California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania report high counts due to population size, but their share of the population on SNAP is typically lower than the top state leaders like New Mexico or Louisiana. [sources summarized from recent state-level SNAP analyses and USDA/ERS reporting]
Notes on interpretation
- SNAP participation shares vary by state due to differing poverty levels, program outreach, household composition, and eligibility policies. The highest shares tend to occur in states with higher poverty rates or greater need, even when total population is smaller. [summary of common SNAP drivers in state data]
- The relative rankings can shift year to year with changes in eligibility, economic conditions, and policy changes at the federal or state level. The most recent full-year comparisons come from USDA/ERS state-by-state participation analyses and independent state-focused reports. [summary of data sources and caveats]
If you’d like, I can pull the latest precise percentages and beneficiary counts for each state from official sources and present them in a clean table, and I can also specify the exact time periods covered (e.g., fiscal year 2024 vs. calendar year 2024) to match your needs.
