Description

FOODSTMP indicates whether anyone in the household received Food Stamps (now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) at any time in the past 12 months. The Food Stamp Act of 1977 was enacted to increase the food purchasing power of eligible households through the use of coupons to purchase food. The Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the Food Stamp Program/SNAP through state and local welfare offices. The Food Stamp Program/SNAP is the major national income support program which provides benefits to all low-income and low-resource households, regardless of the person's characteristics (e.g., sex, age, disability, etc.). Although all of the ACS questionnaires 2007 and before asked respondents to report the total value of Food Stamps received in the past 12 months, this information is made publicly available only in the ACS and PRCS variable FDSTPAMT, which is available only from 2005-2007.

Comparability

This variable is available only for the 2000-onward ACS and 2005-onward PRCS samples. See also LUNCHSUB (government school food subsidy), which is available for the 2000-2002 ACS samples.

Universe

Availability

• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: ACS; ACS 3yr; ACS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2004: All samples
• 2003: All samples
• 2002: All samples
• 2001: All samples
• 2000: ACS
• 1990: --
• 1980: --
• 1970: --
• 1960: --
• 1950: --
• 1940: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --
• 1900: --
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: PRCS; PRCS 3yr; PRCS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2000: --
• 1990: --
• 1980: --
• 1970: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --

Flags

Editing Procedure

FOODSTMP (Food stamp recipiency)
The ACS asks if a household received food stamps in the past year and the amount of the benefits received. The amount received is only available in 2005 and 2007. This document addresses both edits made to the variable indicating if a household received food stamps (FOODSTMP) for all years and the amount of food stamps received (FDSTPAMT ) for 2005-2007.
ACS Years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
ACS editing procedure:
If a household has a "No" value for receiving food stamps or SNAP (FOODSTMP) and has a "Blank, Don't know, Refused, or Bad Value" for the amount of food stamps (FDSTPAMT), FDSTPAMT will be replaced with "Didn't receive food stamps."
If a household reports receiving more than the maximum benefit amount for food stamps (FDSTPAMT) based on the number of people in the household, FDSTPAMT will be replaced with the maximum benefit amount. QFOODSTM will show that this value is allocated.
If a household reports receiving an amount of food stamps that appears to be a monthly amount rather than annual (if the reported amount is within 25% of the average monthly amount of food stamps received), the value of food stamps will be allocated. The allocated value will be drawn from another household that reports receiving food stamps and is the same size. QFOODSTM will show that this value is allocated.
If a household reports receiving food stamps, but reports a "Blank, Don't know, Refused, or Bad Value" for the amount received (FDSTPAMT), the value of food stamps will be allocated. The allocated value will be drawn from another household that reports receiving food stamps and is the same size. QFOODSTM will show that this value is allocated.
If a household reports a "Blank, Don't know, Refused, or Bad Value" for if they received food stamps and the amount of food stamps is missing, both will be allocated. FOODSTMP will be allocated from another household of the same type (HHTYPE), number of related children, poverty status (POVERTY), and race group. QFOODSTM will show that this value is allocated.
For households with an allocated value of FOODSTMP of "Yes," FDSTPAMT will be allocated. The allocated value will be drawn from another household that reports receiving food stamps and is the same size. For households with an allocated value of FOODSTMP of "No," FDSTPAMT will be allocated as "Didn't receive food stamps."
For all vacant units, FDSTPAMT will be replaced with a missing value.
Internal ACS variable : FSX, FS