SNAP Categorical Eligibility State Data

Forty states have adopted an option known as "categorical eligibility" for administration of food stamps, allowing them to provide more households with benefits. The option allows states to align gross income and asset requirements with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other assistance programs.

If Congress eliminates categorical eligibility, as some lawmakers have proposed, an estimated 1.8 million SNAP participants would lose benefits, according to a report by the Congressional Budget Office. The White House released its own estimates, projecting that about 3 million Americans would lose SNAP benefits.

The following table shows White House estimates for states with categorical eligibility, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's most recent individual enrollment totals (initial numbers for April):

State	Categorical Eligibility	Estimated Individuals Losing SNAP	SNAP Enrollment	TANF/MOE Asset Limit	TANF/MOE Gross Income Limit
Alaska	No		95,371
Arkansas	No		500,689
Indiana	No		924,463
Kansas	No		316,523
Missouri	No		931,761
South Dakota	No		104,175
Tennessee	No		1,343,265
Utah	No		252,378
Virginia	No		939,775
Wyoming	No		38,502
Alabama	Yes	70,100	909,254	No limit on assets	130%
Arizona	Yes	81,300	1,099,471	No limit on assets	185%
California	Yes	279,600	4,163,620	No limit on assets	130%
Colorado	Yes	34,500	510,696	No limit on assets	130%
Connecticut	Yes	28,800	423,328	No limit on assets	185%
Delaware	Yes	10,300	153,857	No limit on assets	200%
Florida	Yes	234,100	3,548,465	No limit on assets	200%
Georgia	Yes	135,500	1,945,001	No limit on assets	130%
Hawaii	Yes	12,200	189,366	No limit on assets	200%
Idaho	Yes	17,400	229,927	$5,000	130%
Illinois	Yes	136,600	2,029,103	No limit on assets	130%
Iowa	Yes	28,500	420,360	No limit on assets	160%
Kentucky	Yes	62,700	873,899	No limit on assets	130%
Louisiana	Yes	67,300	919,032	No limit on assets	130%
Maine	Yes	18,900	250,434	No limit on assets	185%
Maryland	Yes	50,800	773,137	No limit on assets	200%
Massachusetts	Yes	61,900	888,531	No limit on assets	200%
Michigan	Yes	146,800	1,773,173	$5,000 ( first vehicle is excluded)	200%
Minnesota	Yes	38,500	555,209	No limit on assets	165%
Mississippi	Yes	47,400	663,151	No limit on assets	130%
Montana	Yes	9,500	130,952	No limit on assets	200%
Nebraska	Yes	13,300	179,816	$25,000 for liquid assets	130%
Nevada	Yes	25,400	358,319	No limit on assets	200%
New Hampshire	Yes	8,600	117,148	No limit on assets	185%
New Jersey	Yes	57,800	871,760	No limit on assets	185%
New Mexico	Yes	31,500	441,550	No limit on assets	165%
New York	Yes	228,400	3,181,218	No limit on assets	200%
North Carolina	Yes	121,100	1,706,588	No limit on assets	200%
North Dakota	Yes	4,600	56,676	No limit on assets	200%
Ohio	Yes	135,500	1,844,692	No limit on assets	130%
Oklahoma	Yes	46,800	614,471	No limit on assets	130%
Oregon	Yes	58,800	817,676	No limit on assets	185%
Pennsylvania	Yes	130,800	1,776,949	$9,000 for elderly and disabled; $5,500 for all other households	160%
Rhode Island	Yes	12,200	180,731	No limit on assets	185%
South Carolina	Yes	64,300	873,591	No limit on assets	130%
Texas	Yes	302,800	3,992,627	Asset limit of $5,000 (excludes 1 vehicle and includes excess vehicle value)	165%
Vermont	Yes	7,000	100,985	No limit on assets	185%
Washington	Yes	80,300	1,111,505	No limit on assets	200%
West Virginia	Yes	26,300	349,325	No limit on assets	130%
Wisconsin	Yes	61,000	860,186	No limit on assets	200%

Gross income limits represent percent of federal poverty guidelines for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and MOE (State maintenance of effort benefit).
Households with seniors or disabled individuals and gross incomes exceeding 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines are subject to a $3,000 asset limit in the following states: Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and West Virginia.
Households without children face gross income limits of 130 percent of poverty in Massachusetts.