The Census Bureau has calculated monthly participation rates for those who received benefits through 6 major means-tested federal programs (TANF (cash welfare), General Assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP/Food Stamps), Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, and Housing Assistance) during calendar years 2004-2007 and 2009. During 2009:
- Total population: an average 18.6% of the general population received benefits under one of the programs for during at least one month
- Household Composition: the averages were 46.3% for female-headed households, 26% for those headed by males, and 12.3% for those headed by married couples
- Educational Attainment: adults with (1) some college education, (2) high school diplomas, and (3) no diplomas averaged 7.8%, 17.8%, and 33.1%, respectively
It shows trends for people with selected characteristics:
- Those Living In Poverty: rates decreased, from 72.1 to 64.8%, over the 2004-2007 period, and then increased to 70.7% in 2009
- Age: From 2004 to 2009, the participation rates for children increased 2.6 percentage points, from 41.3 to 43.9%; for people ages 18 to 64, it rose 4.1 points from 15.6 to 19.7%; and held steady for seniors
