What is the racial/ethnic breakdown of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients in the latest USDA data?
Executive summary
USDA’s most recent public characteristics report (FY2023) and related coverage show that the largest single racial group of SNAP participants is non‑Hispanic White, with Black/African American and Hispanic participants making up substantial shares — commonly reported figures are roughly White ~35–37%, Black/African American ~26–27%, Hispanic ~15–16%, Asian ~3–4%, Native American ~1–2%, and multiracial/other or unknown filling the remainder (examples and summaries: USDA FY2023 report; Al Jazeera and PolitiFact summaries) [1] [2] [3]. USDA data also indicate that most SNAP participants are U.S.‑born citizens (about 89.4% in one summary), meaning foreign‑born participants are a minority of recipients [2].
1. What the official USDA report says — the headline breakdown
The USDA’s Characteristics of SNAP Households report for fiscal year 2023 is the primary source used by journalists and fact‑checkers to report racial/ethnic shares of SNAP recipients; summaries of that dataset and the FY2023 Quality Control data underpin the commonly cited percentages above [1] [4]. Multiple outlets referencing the USDA report (Al Jazeera, PolitiFact, FRAC summaries) conclude the largest group is White, followed by Black/African American and Hispanic participants, with Asians and Native Americans representing much smaller shares [2] [3] [5].
2. Numbers commonly cited — what you will see in the media
Several reputable summaries and third‑party analyses repeat a similar distribution: White roughly 35–37%, Black/African American roughly 26–27%, Hispanic roughly 15–16%, Asian about 3–4%, Native American about 1–2%, and a share listed as unknown or multiracial in some tabulations [5] [6] [2]. Those figures appear across fact‑checks (PolitiFact), advocacy analyses (FRAC), and data aggregators referencing the USDA report [3] [5] [6].
3. Citizenship and immigrant status — majority U.S.‑born
The USDA‑based summaries note that the overwhelming majority of SNAP recipients are U.S.‑born citizens; one referenced figure is 89.4% U.S.‑born, implying less than 11% are foreign‑born — a key corrective to viral claims that noncitizens dominate SNAP enrollment [2] [3].
4. Data collection caveats and recent rule changes
SNAP race/ethnicity counts have methodological complexities: historically states could record race/ethnicity by observation if applicants declined to answer; the USDA issued a Race and Ethnicity Data Collection Final Rule in 2023 to standardize reporting, and in 2025 proposed rescinding that final rule — meaning how race/ethnicity are collected and reported has been in flux and can affect totals and “unknown” categories [7]. Wired and others noted that reporting categories are broad (White, African American, Hispanic) and that some viral charts invented finer subcategories the USDA does not collect [8].
5. Why percentages don’t tell the full story — context on need and poverty
SNAP is an income‑based program: most benefits go to households at or below the poverty level and to children and families with low incomes (USDA data show high shares of benefits go to households at or below poverty thresholds and that SNAP reduces poverty depth) [1] [9]. Advocacy groups emphasize SNAP serves people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds and that people of color bear disproportionate burdens of poverty and food insecurity, meaning cuts to SNAP can disproportionately harm communities of color even if Whites form the largest single racial group of recipients [10] [11].
6. Misinformation and viral charts — what to watch for
Multiple fact‑checks and reporting pieces alarm that viral charts have misrepresented USDA data by inventing categories or reversing proportions (claiming most recipients are non‑white or noncitizens). PolitiFact and Al Jazeera used the USDA FY2023 report to correct viral misinformation, and Wired flagged fabricated or misattributed charts and the USDA’s limited ethnicity categories [3] [2] [8].
7. Limitations and what sources don’t say
Available sources do not mention a definitive, single “latest” FY2024 racial breakdown by the exact same categories; most reporting relies on the FY2023 characteristics report and FY2024 participation totals elsewhere. State‑level breakdowns exist (CBPP/FRAC dashboards and state reports), but national comparability can be affected by reporting practices and the “unknown” or non‑response category in some datasets [1] [12] [13].
8. Bottom line for readers
Use USDA’s Characteristics report (FY2023) and the SNAP data tables at FNS as authoritative references; expect headline shares roughly White ~35–37%, Black ~26–27%, Hispanic ~15–16%, Asian ~3–4%, Native American ~1–2%, with most recipients U.S.‑born [1] [5] [2]. Treat viral charts with skepticism unless they cite USDA tables directly, and remember that racial shares reflect who uses the program today but do not, by themselves, explain underlying poverty dynamics that shape SNAP participation [3] [11].