Texas SNAP Enrollment Falls to 17-Year Low as Families Face Delays

AUSTIN — The number of Texans receiving food assistance has fallen to its lowest level in 17 years, even as food banks report sustained demand and the state processes barely two-thirds of applications within the required time.

About 2.8 million Texans were enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in September 2026, according to the latest Texas Health and Human Services Commission data. That is the smallest monthly enrollment since August 2009 and a 20.8% drop from September 2025 — roughly 738,000 fewer participants in one year.

Children experienced more than half of the statewide enrollment loss. About 1.4 million Texas children still receive SNAP, but enrollment among children younger than 5 is at its lowest level in more than two decades, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of state data.

The decline matters beyond groceries. Children in households receiving SNAP are automatically eligible for free school meals, and SNAP status can also affect priority for subsidized child care. Falling enrollment can therefore create additional costs for families and school systems.

Applications face longer waits

Texas processed 64% of SNAP applications within 30 days in September, down from 91% a year earlier. Federal rules call for states to process at least 95% on time, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

HHSC told the Tribune that new federal mandates require a more detailed review of each case. The agency said it would continue supporting eligible families “as quickly as possible,” but it did not identify a single cause for the enrollment decline.

The drop follows major federal changes enacted in 2025. The law expanded work requirements to additional adults, including some parents of teenagers and people through age 64. It also ended eligibility for some lawfully present immigrants and created future cost-sharing penalties for states with high payment-error rates.

Texas faces particular pressure because its SNAP payment error rate is nearly 9%. If the state does not lower that rate below 6%, it could face as much as $2 billion in added costs during the 2028–29 budget cycle.

National decline mirrors Texas

The trend is national. SNAP participation fell to 36.1 million people in July 2026, the lowest point in 17 years, according to a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis of USDA and state data. That analysis found enrollment fell by 5.5 million people, or 13%, between July 2025 and July 2026.

The center said participation dropped in every state except Alaska and that children accounted for close to half of the losses in states with available age data. National unemployment remained near 4% during the period, complicating claims that the decline mainly reflects less need.

Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole told the Tribune that food banks are seeing high demand despite the lower enrollment count. Some food banks have limited how often families may visit or how much food they may receive as they struggle to keep up.

Texas households can review eligibility and apply for SNAP through YourTexasBenefits.com. The state says a family of four may qualify with monthly income of $4,421 or less, although eligibility depends on household circumstances and current program rules.

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