In a region with rising income inequality as well as rising obesity rates, access to healthy, affordable food is more important than ever. One way to support access to food is through food stamps. Officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the program helps low-income families purchase food. One million people households in the region, or some 13%, receive food stamps. In some communities, nearly one-third of residents households are food stamp recipients. These communities are predominantly comprised of low-income and minority residents, and data show that these groups also confront health disparities like chronic disease at higher rates and face double the national rates of food insecurity. This map shows the share of households at the census tract level in the New York metropolitan region that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. RPA will be making recommendations on how to improve food access across the region as part of its fourth regional plan, A Region Transformed. The plan, a comprehensive vision for the tri-state area, will be released this fall. Learn more here.

Data: American Community Survey 2014 5-Year Estimates