What are the most recent percentages of households by race receiving SNAP benefits in the U.S.?
Executive summary
The most recent public reporting shows that Whites are the single largest racial group among SNAP recipients in absolute numbers, while non‑White groups (Black, Hispanic, Asian, AIAN, NHPI) make up substantial shares and — in some measures — have higher participation rates relative to their population. Major recent sources include USDA’s FY2023 Characteristics report (quoted by PolitiFact and others) and 2024–25 program totals such as 42.4 million people in 22.7 million households receiving SNAP in early FY2025 [1][2].
1. What the official totals say — Whites are the largest single group
USDA data cited by PolitiFact and other outlets show that in absolute numbers non‑Hispanic Whites constitute the largest single racial category of SNAP recipients; viral claims that most SNAP recipients are non‑White or mostly immigrants are contradicted by USDA counts [1]. Available reporting does not provide a single up‑to‑the‑month percentage table in the search snippets, but multiple fact‑checks and summaries point to Whites being the plurality [1].
2. How many people and households are on SNAP now — scale matters
Recent summaries put program scale at roughly 42.4 million people in 22.7 million households on average through the first eight months of FY2025 (October 2024–May 2025), with a national average benefit of about $188.45 per person in May 2025 [2]. Those totals frame any racial breakdowns: percentages of racial groups translate into millions of people and millions of households [2].
3. Why race data can shift — rule changes and “race unknown”
FNS issued a Race and Ethnicity Data Collection Final Rule to improve how states collect that information and to stop relying on visual observation when applicants decline to state race — a change that affects trend‑comparability and the “race unknown” category [3]. Some recent sources note roughly 16–17 percent of participants recorded as “race unknown,” which complicates simple percentage tallies and can change reported shares as data collection improves [4][5].
4. Disputed charts, viral claims, and what fact‑checkers found
A viral chart claiming SNAP is “mostly” non‑White and mostly used by noncitizens was debunked by PolitiFact and reporting in WIRED: the chart misread USDA tables and omitted context; the correct reading of USDA data shows Whites as the largest group by absolute numbers [1][6]. These fact‑checks underscore that presentation choices (percent of recipients vs. participation rate by race vs. household counts) can create misleading impressions [1][6].
5. Participation rates vs. population shares — two different stories
Analysts such as the Economic Policy Institute emphasize that Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native households participate in SNAP at higher rates relative to their share of the U.S. population — meaning those groups are disproportionately represented among recipients even if Whites are the largest single group by raw numbers [7]. This is an important distinction: absolute counts (largest group = Whites) do not negate disproportionality in participation rates [7].
6. State and household detail — granular data exists but varies
The USDA’s “Characteristics of SNAP Households” reports and state fact sheets (CBPP) provide detailed breakdowns by race and household type; the ERS SNAP key statistics page adds context on incomes and benefit sizes [8][9]. However, the snippets in current reporting do not supply a single consolidated, most‑recent percentage table by race across the entire program—users must consult the USDA/FNS full datasets for FY2023–FY2024 characteristics for exact percentages [8][3].
7. Takeaway and where to look for the exact percentages
Available sources confirm: Whites are the largest single racial group among SNAP recipients in absolute numbers, several non‑White groups show higher participation rates relative to their population share, and about 42.4 million people (22.7 million households) received SNAP in early FY2025 [1][7][2]. For precise, up‑to‑date percentage breakdowns by race (e.g., White non‑Hispanic %, Black non‑Hispanic %, Hispanic any race %, Asian, AIAN, NHPI, and “race unknown”), consult the USDA/FNS Characteristics of SNAP Households reports and the ERS key statistics pages cited above; those datasets are the primary sources behind the fact‑checks and summaries referenced here [8][1].
Limitations: the supplied search snippets do not include a single, consolidated recent table of percentages by race for all SNAP households; they instead point to USDA reports, fact‑checks, and summaries that reach the conclusions summarized here [1][8][2].