Does SD have one of the lowest SNAP recipient rates in the country?

South Dakota’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation rate of 8.1% is among the lowest in the nation.

As of 2024, the state was ranked 12th for percentage of people who receive food stamps. Utah (4.8%), Wyoming (4.9%) and New Hampshire (5.5%) are the lowest, while New Mexico (21.2%), Louisiana (18.4%) and Oregon (17.7%) have the highest rates.

About 75,000 South Dakota residents receive SNAP benefits. Households in the state receive an average of $356 per month. 

SNAP funds will not be available for more than 42 million Americans starting Saturday, Nov. 1, because of the federal government shutdown. 

Attorneys general and governors from 25 states have sued the Trump administration, saying the government is legally required to use a $5 billion contingency fund to pay for benefits during the shutdown. The funds would be enough to fund the program for a month and a half.