Based on your location and state, you may be out of luck given your circumstances. Some areas are prone to having more people on food stamps, based on the local economy, job market, and population. Based on results from US Today in a 2015 study, here are the top 5 areas in the U.S. with the highest percentage of people on Food Stamps. Find out why these top states have these numbers. It may not be what you expect!
Ringing in as the top state, or area in this case, with the highest percentage of people on food stamps is the District of Columbia. This area may be the head of the country, where the capital is located, yet there is plenty of poverty and distressed individuals and families in need of government assistance. The District of Columbia has 21.97 percent of their overall population on food stamps. This is due to the high population, low educations standards in the inner city area, and the lack of jobs available.
It is not a shocker that Mississippi hits second on the list. Mississippi is known to have a large population of people below the poverty level, and with 21.74 percent of the population on food stamps it certainly lives up to the expectations. The state is known to have low education standards and high dropout rates. There is also a large number of teenage pregnancies and a lack of resources for young people, which causes higher population and less jobs for everyone to compete for. The trend seems to be spiraling down worse. Much of Mississippi is suffering.
New Mexico comes in third on the list with a whopping 21.5 percent of the population on food stamps. New Mexico has one of the largest populations of people in poverty within the United States, due to the lack of jobs and the growing population. New Mexico is not doing so well right now, and it doesn’t look like the state of the economy will be changing or turning around anytime soon.
Coming in at number four is West Virginia. With 19.96 percent of the population on food stamps, the state is currently struggling with providing jobs and sufficient salaries for their citizens. From rural towns to the mining cities that depend on the land, the resources are swindling down and business is not booming. West Virginia has always been known for being a poor area, and changes have yet to be made to improve the economy. Poor West Virginia may remain poor for quite a while.
At number five on the list, Oregon may come as a shock. Within the past five to 10 years, the percentage of people on food stamps has rapidly grown. This is due to the decrease of available jobs. The percentage of people starting to need food stamps in Oregon is similar to the trend of the rising unemployment rate. The percentage of people on food stamps in Oregon is 19.93 percent, and hopefully things can improve. While many in the state live stable, independent lifestyles, those who have lost their jobs and can’t get back on their feet are suffering. As for now the current state doesn’t seem to be changing, at least not immediately.
If you live in one of these areas, you may be experiencing some of the same issues. Perhaps a move or relocation is something to consider for a better future, as these circumstances can be hard to change.
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