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Interactive

SNAP payment error rates by state, FY 2003–24

June 30, 2025 Economic Security & Inequality, Social Insurance, Tax Policy & Budget

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For the entirety of its more than 50-year history, SNAP benefits have always been paid by the federal government alone. Both the House and the initial Senate bills change the structure of SNAP by mandating that states payment for a portion of SNAP benefits based on their payment error rates. 

This data interactive shows SNAP payment error rates for the U.S. and for each state from fiscal year 2003 through fiscal year 2024. Horizontal lines are drawn through 6 percent, 8 percent, and 10 percent errors; when a state’s payment error rate crosses one of those thresholds, the bar is shown in various shades of orange. 

The House bill mandates that states pay for no less than 5 percent of SNAP benefits starting in FY2028. Based on annual payment error rates, states would be required to pay 15 percent of benefits (if a state’s error rate is equal to or greater than 6 percent but less than 8 percent), 20 percent of benefits (if a state’s error rate is equal or greater than 8 percent but less than 10 percent), or 25 percent of benefits (if a state’s error rate is 10 percent or higher). 

The Senate bill mandates that starting in FY2028, states would be required to pay for a portion of SNAP benefits based on the state’s FY2025 or FY2026 payment error rate. Starting in FY2029, states would be required to pay for a portion of SNAP benefits based on the payment error rate from three years prior. Based on annual payment error rates, states would be required to pay states would be required to pay for 5 percent of SNAP benefits (if a state’s error rate is equal to or greater than 6 percent but less than 8 percent), 10 percent of benefits (if a state’s error rate is equal or greater than 8 percent but less than 10 percent), or 15 percent of benefits (if a state’s error rate is 10 percent or higher). 

In fiscal year 2024, 25 states and the District of Columbia reported a payment error rate of 10 percent or higher, 13 states reported a payment error rate between 8 and 9.9 percent, seven states reported an error rate between 6 and 7.9 percent, and five states reported a payment error rate less than 6 percent. 

The SNAP payment error rate reflects how accurately states make eligibility and benefit determinations for participating households: It is not a measure of fraud. Currently, when a state has a payment error rate of 6 percent or above, the state works with USDA on a Corrective Action Plan, and substantial penalties are levied against states with high payment error rates. The House bill redefines the tolerance threshold for a payment error from $57 in either an over- or under-payment (the dollar amount is set annually) to “$0.” In doing so, measured payment error rates will increase because USDA will no longer disregard errors with negligible cost. The Senate bill does not make this change. 

Both bills makes it harder for states to invest the resources needed to reduce errors by cutting in half (from 50 percent to 25 percent) the share of state SNAP administrative costs that the federal government covers, and eliminating some program simplifications, making eligibility and benefit determinations more complex, despite the fact that greater complexity tends to result in more errors. The House bill makes this change immediately while the Senate bill starts this change in FY2027. 

In providing an estimate for the House bill of the effect of pushing no less than 5 percent of SNAP benefit costs onto states, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has warned that this policy could lead some states to drop out of the program, reflecting compelling evidence that with nearly all states being required to balance their budget each year, many states would not be able to shoulder the substantial costs of this policy change even under good economic conditions. Moreover, states certainly do not have the flexibility or tools that the federal government does to borrow to cover increased program costs during a recession. 

The consequences of restructuring SNAP to mandate that states pay a portion of benefits will not be borne solely by SNAP participants. States that attempt to preserve SNAP benefits may find it necessary to cut education, health, or other programs as a result. Without SNAP serving as an automatic stabilizer, there will be less stimulation of the economy, worsening downturns. Such outcomes occur if SNAP changes from a fully federally funded basic needs program to one in which states are responsible for paying for a portion of benefits, regardless of the exact details of the policy change. 

This interactive was developed by Lauren Bauer, Asha Patt, and Eileen Powell. It accompanies “Proposed SNAP cuts would permanently undermine recession readiness and responsiveness” by Lauren Bauer and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach. 

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Proposed SNAP cuts would permanently undermine recession readiness and responsiveness

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