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Fact check: Which states have the lowest percentage of population using SNAP benefits in 2025?
Executive Summary
The available analyses consistently identify Utah as having the lowest SNAP participation rate in 2025, with a cited figure of 5.0% of residents receiving benefits, and they routinely list Wyoming, North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Utah among the states with the lowest shares (all under 8%). The reporting across the provided sources aligns on Utah’s position but varies in how many low-participation states are named and in the precise rankings; several pieces emphasize policy and poverty-rate context as explanations for lower participation [1] [2] [3].
1. What claimants say and where it appeared — a quick inventory of assertions
The claim set in the materials asserts two related points: first, Utah is the single lowest state by SNAP share at 5.0%; second, a small group of states — Wyoming, North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Utah — all register under 8% participation in 2025. The January and March summaries present these numbers as state-by-state outcomes, while other pieces offer datasets that can be parsed to reach similar conclusions. One analysis notes state-level data exists for deeper review but does not itself list the lowest states [1] [2] [4].
2. How multiple sources agree — convergence on Utah and a small low-participation group
Multiple items repeat the same core fact pattern: Utah at about 5.0%, New Hampshire near 5.5%, and a cluster of low-participation states including Wyoming and North Dakota. The March pieces explicitly state Utah’s 5.0% and New Hampshire’s 5.5%; the January summaries list the quartet of states under 8% without precise ordering. This convergence across pieces produced within 2025 provides corroboration that Utah sits at the bottom nationally and that at least three other states record comparatively low SNAP use [1] [2] [3].
3. Where accounts diverge — rankings, completeness, and framing
Differences appear in which states are emphasized, the use of exact percentages, and the analytic frame. Some sources name a four-state group below 8% without specifying exact ranks or which is second-lowest, while others single out New Hampshire as “3rd lowest” at 5.5%. One report does not list low states directly but points readers to underlying state-by-state data for independent verification. These discrepancies reflect editorial choices and dataset slices rather than outright contradictions in the basic numeric claims [2] [3] [4].
4. Missing details and what to watch for — data vintage, methodology, and eligibility rules
The provided materials do not uniformly report the data source vintage, the exact months measured in 2025, or whether percentages represent monthly recipients, annual averages, or program caseloads. They also omit consistent discussion of state eligibility rules, administrative outreach, and poverty rates that shape participation. One analysis flags that lower poverty and more inclusive policies correlate with lower SNAP shares, but the dataset snapshots lack enough metadata to fully explain causality. Users should note these omissions when interpreting rankings [3] [4] [5].
5. Alternative explanations and policy context journalists often miss
The sources point toward two plausible drivers of low state participation: lower poverty rates and state-level program design or outreach differences that reduce the eligible population’s share using benefits. Reports emphasize that some low-participation states combine low poverty prevalence with policy environments and demographic factors (rural composition, employment patterns) that depress caseload rates relative to national averages. The materials caution that participation percentage alone does not measure food hardship or unmet need without complementary poverty and eligibility data [3] [2].
6. Practical takeaway for readers seeking the definitive list in 2025
Based on the assembled analyses, the defensible short answer is that Utah had the lowest reported SNAP participation rate in 2025 at about 5.0%, and Wyoming, North Dakota, and New Hampshire are repeatedly grouped with Utah as the states with the lowest shares (under 8%). For a fully authoritative ranking, consult the underlying state-by-state dataset referenced by several pieces and check the report’s measurement period and methodology before citing a precise order [1] [2].
7. Bottom line and recommended next steps for verification
The documents provided consistently support the claim that Utah led the nation with the lowest SNAP participation share in 2025, while a small set of states clustered below an 8% threshold; however, variations in labeling and missing methodological details mean readers should treat precise ranks beyond Utah as provisional. To finalize a definitive list, obtain the original state-by-state dataset cited in the sources, confirm the month or average used, and cross-check with state SNAP administrative reports or USDA summaries covering 2025 [1] [4] [5].