Get the Facts on SNAP and Senior Hunger

Across the U.S., about 8.3 million low-income older adults rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help them stay healthy and afford the food they need.¹ On average, households with adults age 60 and older receive about $188 per month. But for many people, that still falls short of covering the rising cost of groceries.²

Below, learn more about food insecurity and explore key facts about senior hunger and SNAP.

Senior Hunger and SNAP: Quick Facts

What is food insecurity? 

Food insecurity means you don’t always have enough money or resources to get the food you need for an active, healthy life. You might worry about running out of food, or buy cheaper processed foods that don’t meet your nutritional needs. You may find yourself trying to stretch your groceries by portioning out what you have into smaller meals.

Food insecurity can lead to hunger—the feeling of physical discomfort caused by an insufficient intake of food—if you skip meals or eat too little. But you can be food insecure without feeling hungry.

Tammara M., 62, needed help paying for food. But she was worried she didn’t have all the paperwork to apply for SNAP. Her local Benefits Enrollment Center guided her through the application by phone and showed her how to find helpful resources on her smartphone. She was approved for $162 a month in SNAP benefits—support she said arrived at just the right time. “It's a Godsend they helped me with application assistance,” she said.

SNAP and senior hunger: Key facts and statistics

Too many older adults are going hungry

• Millions of older Americans are at risk for hunger. In 2024, nearly 8 million Americans age 60+ were food insecure,³ and research shows this number could rise to 9 million by 2050.⁴
• Food insecurity is greater among older adults in minority communities. Black, Hispanic, and Native American older adults have higher rates of food insecurity.⁵

Too few seniors are enrolled in SNAP

• Over half of all people age 60+ who qualify for SNAP do not participate. NCOA’s research found that as many as 6 out of 10 qualifying older adults aren’t enrolled in SNAP.⁶ This means more than 9 million people are missing out on key financial assistance that can make a real difference in their day-to-day lives.
• Several factors contribute to the low participation rate. Many seniors face barriers related to mobility, technology, and stigma and are discouraged by widespread myths about how the program works and who can qualify.

Some groups of seniors are more affected

Seniors are more likely to be food insecure if they:

• Are people of color: Food insecurity disproportionately affects Hispanic older adults (19%), Black older adults (19%), and those who identify as Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native American, or multiracial (13%).⁵
• Live in the South: In 2024, 8 out of 10 of the states with the highest rates of senior food insecurity were in the South. In some counties, rates climbed to 21.5% or more.³
• Have a disability: Older adults with disabilities are twice as likely to be food insecure as their non-disabled peers. Other groups disproportionately affected by food insecurity include immigrant communities, those formerly incarcerated, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and veterans.³

SNAP is a good investment

• SNAP improves health outcomes. Food insecure seniors are worse off for a wide array of health outcomes.⁷They have lower nutrient intakes and are more likely to suffer from diabetes, depression, limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs), high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, heart attacks, gum disease, and asthma.

SNAP stimulates the economy. The USDA Economic Research Service has estimated that $1 billion in SNAP benefits would generate an additional $32 million the U.S. agricultural industry.⁸

NCOA's role in fighting senior hunger

NCOA provides several resources that help eligible older adults find and apply for benefits that pay for food.

 

Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative

With generous support from the Walmart Foundation, NCOA has awarded over $2 million in grant funding to community-based organizations to assist older adults (i.e., age 60 and over) in applying for and enrolling in SNAP. NCOA supports their and other organizations’ efforts through outreach and enrollment tools. Learn more. 

Benefits Enrollment Centers

NCOA’s network of 88 Benefits Enrollment Centers across 39 states and Puerto Rico connect older adults to a range of federal, state, and local benefits programs, including SNAP. Learn more. 

BenefitsCheckUp®

BenefitsCheckUp is NCOA’s online tool that empowers older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers to find and apply for critical benefits. These public and private programs can help those with limited means pay for health care, medicine, food, utilities, and more. Explore BenefitsCheckUp now. 

Sources

1. USDA. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - Key Statistics and Research. August 31, 2026. Found on the internet at https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research

2. USDA. Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Households: Fiscal Year 2023. April 2025. Found on the internet at https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-FY23-Characteristics-Report.pdf

3. Feeding America. Map the Meal Gap 2026. Found on the internet at https://www.feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2026-08/Map%20the%20Meal%20Gap%202026%20Report.pdf

4. Feeding America. Facts about senior hunger. Found on the internet at https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/senior-hunger-facts 

5. Meals on Wheels America. The Escalating Issue of Senior Hunger and Isolation. 2026. Found on the internet at https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-The-Issue-National-Snapshot-Fact-Sheet.pdf

6. National Council on Aging. Estimation of National, State, and Substate Program Participation Rates for Adults 65 and Older. March 2026. Found on the internet at https://assets.ncoa.org/ffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca/3462824a-d7e9-4ddb-a936-7c2172599005/Estimated_Program_Participation_Rates_for_Adults_65_and_Older_2023.pdf

7. Steven Carlson and Brynne Keith-Jennings. SNAP is Linked with Improved Nutritional Outcomes and Lower Health Care Costs. Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. Jan. 17, 2018. Found on the internet at https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/snap-is-linked-with-improved-nutritional-outcomes-and-lower-health-care

8. USDA. Economic Research Service. Quantifying the Impact of SNAP Benefits on the U.S. Economy and Jobs. July 18, 2019. Found on the internet at https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2019/july/quantifying-the-impact-of-snap-benefits-on-the-u-s-economy-and-jobs/