Buchanan County experienced a 2.5% increase in the number of households relying on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) between 2023 and 2024, according to data from Iowa’s Department of Human Services.
In 2024, the program assisted 1,160 individuals across 609 households, while in 2023, 1,143 people living in 594 households received food stamps in the county.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides monthly benefits to help low-income households buy food. The program is federally funded and administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Qualified recipients in the program are eligible to receive financial assistance in the form of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which can then be used to buy selected groceries. The amount of benefits depends on the net income and household size.
Overall, food assistance in Buchanan County reached a total of $2,197,177 in 2024, in comparison to $1,988,474 the year before.
Statewide, Polk County registered the largest number of households receiving food stamps, with 24,656 families sharing a total of $106,299,625 in benefits. Linn County came in second, with 10,571 households receiving a total sum of $43,746,208.
Buchanan County ranked 38th in Iowa for food assistance.
In 2024, a total of 266,349 Iowans, living in 131,174 households received food assistance benefits, totaling $533,540,387.
SNAP Funding Among Iowa Counties in 2024
| County | Total Households | Amount Allocated | Avg per Household |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adair | 238 | $878,158 | $3,690 |
| Adams | 138 | $533,400 | $3,865 |
| Allamakee | 385 | $1,498,961 | $3,893 |
| Appanoose | 706 | $2,553,770 | $3,617 |
| Audubon | 185 | $697,008 | $3,768 |
| Benton | 786 | $3,013,825 | $3,834 |
| Black Hawk | 7,287 | $28,794,205 | $3,951 |
| Boone | 696 | $2,692,830 | $3,869 |
| Bremer | 469 | $1,666,730 | $3,554 |
| Buchanan | 609 | $2,197,177 | $3,608 |
| Buena Vista | 861 | $3,745,304 | $4,350 |
| Butler | 389 | $1,414,580 | $3,636 |
| Calhoun | 323 | $1,178,625 | $3,649 |
| Carroll | 632 | $2,327,039 | $3,682 |
| Cass | 650 | $2,500,567 | $3,847 |
| Cedar | 382 | $1,467,910 | $3,843 |
| Cerro Gordo | 2,061 | $7,424,651 | $3,602 |
| Cherokee | 337 | $1,292,357 | $3,835 |
| Chickasaw | 245 | $849,652 | $3,468 |
| Clarke | 379 | $1,461,411 | $3,856 |
| Clay | 646 | $2,296,410 | $3,555 |
| Clayton | 465 | $1,506,236 | $3,239 |
| Clinton | 2,846 | $11,272,300 | $3,961 |
| Crawford | 546 | $2,194,357 | $4,019 |
| Dallas | 1,515 | $7,078,292 | $4,672 |
| Davis | 231 | $894,028 | $3,870 |
| Decatur | 386 | $1,419,001 | $3,676 |
| Delaware | 438 | $1,573,378 | $3,592 |
| Des Moines | 2,599 | $10,340,710 | $3,979 |
| Dickinson | 508 | $1,760,473 | $3,465 |
| Dubuque | 3,650 | $15,011,402 | $4,113 |
| Emmet | 345 | $1,353,614 | $3,924 |
| Fayette | 938 | $3,345,641 | $3,567 |
| Floyd | 682 | $2,761,979 | $4,050 |
| Franklin | 300 | $1,335,831 | $4,453 |
| Fremont | 280 | $1,099,981 | $3,929 |
| Greene | 406 | $1,649,617 | $4,063 |
| Grundy | 256 | $1,040,467 | $4,064 |
| Guthrie | 309 | $1,226,701 | $3,970 |
| Hamilton | 431 | $1,681,703 | $3,902 |
| Hancock | 258 | $990,099 | $3,838 |
| Hardin | 599 | $2,322,527 | $3,877 |
| Harrison | 556 | $2,056,569 | $3,699 |
| Henry | 842 | $3,331,740 | $3,957 |
| Howard | 276 | $950,065 | $3,442 |
| Humboldt | 271 | $1,007,766 | $3,719 |
| Ida | 211 | $884,919 | $4,194 |
| Iowa | 337 | $1,291,976 | $3,834 |
| Jackson | 735 | $2,840,943 | $3,865 |
| Jasper | 1,518 | $5,732,094 | $3,776 |
| Jefferson | 856 | $2,880,009 | $3,364 |
| Johnson | 4,499 | $19,968,427 | $4,438 |
| Jones | 604 | $2,205,756 | $3,652 |
| Keokuk | 401 | $1,614,589 | $4,026 |
| Kossuth | 456 | $1,661,188 | $3,643 |
| Lee | 2,126 | $8,459,973 | $3,979 |
| Linn | 10,571 | $43,746,208 | $4,138 |
| Louisa | 322 | $1,326,658 | $4,120 |
| Lucas | 380 | $1,605,494 | $4,225 |
| Lyon | 174 | $777,058 | $4,466 |
| Madison | 342 | $1,261,046 | $3,687 |
| Mahaska | 984 | $3,675,642 | $3,735 |
| Marion | 910 | $3,573,220 | $3,927 |
| Marshall | 1,798 | $7,659,875 | $4,260 |
| Mills | 450 | $1,888,851 | $4,197 |
| Mitchell | 242 | $818,772 | $3,383 |
| Monona | 380 | $1,447,270 | $3,809 |
| Monroe | 241 | $927,484 | $3,848 |
| Montgomery | 573 | $2,265,196 | $3,953 |
| Muscatine | 2,184 | $8,779,512 | $4,020 |
| Osceola | 176 | $633,630 | $3,600 |
| Page | 656 | $2,491,990 | $3,799 |
| Palo Alto | 296 | $1,056,217 | $3,568 |
| Plymouth | 562 | $2,278,624 | $4,054 |
| Pocahontas | 275 | $1,092,434 | $3,972 |
| Polk | 24,656 | $106,299,625 | $4,311 |
| Pottawattamie | 5,564 | $21,651,635 | $3,891 |
| Poweshiek | 518 | $1,940,121 | $3,745 |
| Ringgold | 205 | $759,569 | $3,705 |
| Sac | 251 | $1,011,262 | $4,029 |
| Scott | 10,086 | $42,734,077 | $4,237 |
| Shelby | 348 | $1,327,413 | $3,814 |
| Sioux | 467 | $1,969,337 | $4,217 |
| Story | 2,075 | $8,344,095 | $4,021 |
| Tama | 576 | $2,386,722 | $4,144 |
| Taylor | 218 | $806,210 | $3,698 |
| Union | 683 | $2,596,112 | $3,801 |
| Van Buren | 285 | $1,091,768 | $3,831 |
| Wapello | 2,539 | $10,191,130 | $4,014 |
| Warren | 1,057 | $4,148,114 | $3,924 |
| Washington | 658 | $2,553,991 | $3,881 |
| Wayne | 268 | $1,056,017 | $3,940 |
| Webster | 2,150 | $8,488,094 | $3,948 |
| Winnebago | 302 | $1,112,981 | $3,685 |
| Winneshiek | 346 | $1,230,253 | $3,556 |
| Woodbury | 5,714 | $24,916,490 | $4,361 |
| Worth | 204 | $796,474 | $3,904 |
| Wright | 408 | $1,594,795 | $3,909 |
| Total for Iowa | 131,174 | $533,540,387 | $4,067 |
