Less Than 4% Of U.S. Households Were Dependent On TANF, SNAP & SSI In 2023

Less than 4% of U.S. households were classified as "dependent on welfare" in both 2022 and 2023, according to a recent federal report. A household is classified as welfare dependent when more than 50% of its total annual income comes from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The percentage of welfare-dependent households declined from 3.9% in 2022 to 3.7% in 2023.

For this measure, total income includes cash benefits from TANF and SSI, along with the cash-equivalent value of SNAP . . .