Economic Security
Households Receiving SNAP, by Race/Ethnicity

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau

What does this measure?

The proportion of households broken out by race and ethnicity that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps).

Why is this important?

The SNAP program provides government funding for people with low incomes to buy food. It therefore is an indication of how many people in a region rely on government assistance to meet their basic needs. Differences among racial and ethnic groups may reflect the economic health of these groups, as well as potential disparities in access to economic opportunity.

How is Westchester County performing?

In 2018-22, 22% of African Americans and 18% of Hispanics in Westchester County participated in the SNAP program, compared to 5% of Asians and 4% of White households. Rates among African American, Hispanic and Asian households increased modestly from 2008-12 (by four, one and two percentage points, respectively), while rates among Whites were essentially flat.

Participation among all groups in Westchester County was below state and national levels. Rates among African American and Hispanic households were higher or the same in Westchester as in both Rockland and Nassau. Rates in Yonkers were higher than the County for all groups: Hispanics (26%), African Americans (25%), and Whites (10%), the Asian population was too small to report reliable data.

Why do these disparities exist?

Historic and current policies and systems, from racist housing policies to employment discrimination to education systems that fail to equitably serve all populations, have prevented people of color from fully participating in our economy, locking them out of economic opportunity. This has increased the need for some groups to access programs to support basic needs such as SNAP.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS). Studies have found that ACS estimates of enrollment in public benefit programs tend to underestimate the true rate. The estimates reported above should be considered a lower bound of the true estimate. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census.

Studies have found that national survey estimates (including the ACS) of enrollment in public benefit programs tend to underestimate the true rate due to underreporting by participants, compared to state counts of program participants. Underreporting can occur for a variety of reasons, including the social stigma of program participation and participants' confusion about the source of the services they receive. For these reasons, the estimates reported above should be considered a lower bound of the true estimate.

Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity, 2018-22
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County5%*22%18%4%
Nassau County4%11%8%3%
Putnam County3%***2%***6%**3%*
Rockland County6%*18%18%11%
New York State13%27%28%9%
Mount Vernon5%***25%26%*8%**
New Rochelle10%***19%*20%*6%*
Peekskill23%***26%**16%**9%***
Rye City2%***0%***2%***1%***
White Plains7%***14%**11%*2%**
Yonkers12%*25%26%10%
Westchester County Towns
Bedford0%***37%***6%***1%***
Cortlandt1%***13%***8%***3%**
Eastchester2%***13%***8%***2%**
Greenburgh1%***7%**7%**2%**
Harrison3%***0%***14%***1%***
Lewisboro0%***0%***0%***0%***
Mamaroneck0%***44%***7%***2%***
Mount Kisco9%***32%***16%***6%***
Mount Pleasant1%***10%***18%**4%*
New Castle0%***0%***0%***0%***
North Castle1%***0%***0%***0%***
North Salem0%***N/A***0%***0%***
Ossining0%***22%***5%***2%**
Pelham12%***0%***3%***1%***
Pound Ridge0%***0%***0%***1%***
Rye7%***26%**12%*3%**
Scarsdale1%***6%***0%***0%***
Somers0%***0%***0%***2%***
Yorktown0%***6%***8%***3%***
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley8%***0%***0%***3%***
Briarcliff Manor0%***0%***0%***1%***
Bronxville0%***0%***0%***2%***
Buchanan0%***0%***0%***5%***
Croton-on-Hudson0%***0%***2%***2%***
Dobbs Ferry5%***0%***3%***1%***
Elmsford0%***12%***22%***5%***
Village of Harrison3%***0%***14%***1%***
Hastings-on-Hudson5%***0%***7%***1%***
Irvington0%***0%***0%***0%***
Larchmont0%***0%***0%***1%***
Village of Mamaroneck0%***55%***7%***4%**
Village of Mount Kisco9%***32%***16%***6%***
Village of Ossining0%***26%***6%***3%***
Village of Pelham21%***0%***5%***2%***
Pelham Manor0%***0%***0%***1%***
Pleasantville0%***N/A***21%***5%***
Port Chester11%***32%***13%*4%***
Rye Brook6%***9%***0%***0%***
Village of Scarsdale1%***6%***0%***0%***
Sleepy Hollow0%***19%***20%**13%**
Tarrytown0%***0%***3%***4%***
Tuckahoe1%***18%***14%***2%***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Number of Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity, 2018-22
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County1,082*11,90713,9959,315
Nassau County1,8945,2204,7818,346
Putnam County19***19***282**942*
Rockland County382*2,1342,7447,590
New York State77,632289,001344,548460,965
Mount Vernon31***4,3541,138*450**
New Rochelle138***1,225*1,525*924*
Peekskill62***668**559**439***
Rye City7***0***10***49***
White Plains133***401**676*321**
Yonkers478*3,9477,6874,037
Westchester County Towns
Bedford0***46***54***36***
Cortlandt5***166***153***378**
Eastchester34***39***74***246**
Greenburgh53***243**298**378**
Harrison18***0***140***64***
Lewisboro0***0***0***11***
Mamaroneck0***228***124***174***
Mount Kisco11***79***168***207***
Mount Pleasant9***32***407**505*
New Castle0***0***0***10***
North Castle3***0***0***15***
North Salem0***0***0***0***
Ossining0***207***201***242**
Pelham37***0***12***40***
Pound Ridge0***0***0***19***
Rye50***231**670*282**
Scarsdale11***8***0***9***
Somers0***0***0***110***
Yorktown2***33***99***369***
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley13***0***0***42***
Briarcliff Manor0***0***0***29***
Bronxville0***0***0***34***
Buchanan0***0***0***31***
Croton-on-Hudson0***0***6***45***
Dobbs Ferry15***0***10***23***
Elmsford0***45***121***33***
Village of Harrison18***0***140***64***
Hastings-on-Hudson8***0***8***27***
Irvington0***0***0***0***
Larchmont0***0***0***21***
Village of Mamaroneck0***206***124***189**
Village of Mount Kisco11***79***168***207***
Village of Ossining0***207***201***184***
Village of Pelham37***0***12***27***
Pelham Manor0***0***0***13***
Pleasantville0***0***58***111***
Port Chester34***225***670*207***
Rye Brook16***6***0***0***
Village of Scarsdale11***8***0***9***
Sleepy Hollow0***32***325**264**
Tarrytown0***0***24***142***
Tuckahoe7***39***42***34***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.








Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity, 2008-12
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County3%*18%17%4%
Nassau County4%15%9%3%
Putnam County0%***2%***9%**3%
Rockland County6%*12%16%8%
New York State12%26%30%9%
Mount Vernon13%***21%25%*11%*
New Rochelle7%***15%*11%*4%*
Peekskill5%***20%*18%**8%**
Rye City0%***0%***0%***1%***
White Plains1%***11%**11%*3%*
Yonkers9%*24%28%9%
Westchester County Towns
Bedford0%***0%***0%***2%***
Cortlandt5%***15%***7%***3%*
Eastchester2%***6%***8%***1%***
Greenburgh1%***6%**6%***2%*
Harrison0%***0%***6%***2%***
Lewisboro0%***0%***0%***1%***
Mamaroneck0%***19%***0%***1%***
Mount Kisco0%***19%***6%***3%***
Mount Pleasant0%***9%***10%**1%***
New Castle0%***0%***12%***0%***
North Castle0%***0%***8%***1%***
North SalemN/A***0%***0%***1%***
Ossining2%***9%***9%**3%**
Pelham0%***21%***5%***1%***
Pound RidgeN/A***0%***0%***0%***
Rye0%***25%**9%**2%**
Scarsdale0%***0%***18%***0%***
Somers0%***0%***0%***1%***
Yorktown1%***17%***7%***1%**
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley0%***22%***12%***0%***
Briarcliff Manor0%***0%***0%***2%***
Bronxville0%***N/A***0%***0%***
BuchananN/A***0%***0%***2%***
Croton-on-Hudson11%***0%***8%***2%***
Dobbs Ferry0%***0%***8%***4%***
Elmsford10%***2%***8%***3%***
Village of Harrison0%***0%***6%***2%***
Hastings-on-Hudson0%***0%***11%***1%***
Irvington0%***0%***0%***1%***
Larchmont0%***N/A***0%***1%***
Village of Mamaroneck0%***21%***4%***3%***
Village of Mount Kisco0%***19%***6%***3%***
Village of Ossining3%***10%***10%**3%***
Village of Pelham0%***28%***7%***1%***
Pelham Manor0%***0%***0%***2%***
Pleasantville0%***0%***0%***0%***
Port Chester0%***28%**8%**4%**
Rye Brook0%***0%***17%***0%***
Village of Scarsdale0%***0%***18%***0%***
Sleepy Hollow0%***16%***14%**5%***
Tarrytown0%***0%***9%***2%***
Tuckahoe6%***7%***21%***4%***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Number of Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity, 2008-12
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
Westchester County549*9,1159,8248,970
Nassau County1,0566,3614,3349,074
Putnam County0***14***291**1,059
Rockland County370*1,3691,9165,655
New York State53,483272,704306,963460,489
Mount Vernon69***3,236832*848*
New Rochelle78***804*621*811*
Peekskill13***381*391**386**
Rye City0***0***0***37***
White Plains17***349**523*476*
Yonkers303*3,3895,8803,954
Westchester County Towns
Bedford0***0***0***120***
Cortlandt18***119***107***375*
Eastchester12***26***62***125***
Greenburgh22***229**183***416*
Harrison0***0***53***160***
Lewisboro0***0***0***44***
Mamaroneck0***50***0***136***
Mount Kisco0***49***68***85***
Mount Pleasant0***31***206**183***
New Castle0***0***17***16***
North Castle0***0***22***43***
North Salem0***0***0***10***
Ossining11***87***291**242**
Pelham0***62***20***37***
Pound Ridge0***0***0***0***
Rye0***243**441**257**
Scarsdale0***0***32***9***
Somers0***0***0***57***
Yorktown6***60***75***143**
Westchester County Villages
Ardsley0***6***12***0***
Briarcliff Manor0***0***0***41***
Bronxville0***0***0***0***
Buchanan0***0***0***15***
Croton-on-Hudson11***0***22***43***
Dobbs Ferry0***0***15***125***
Elmsford16***9***35***29***
Village of Harrison0***0***53***160***
Hastings-on-Hudson0***0***12***20***
Irvington0***0***0***14***
Larchmont0***0***0***18***
Village of Mamaroneck0***71***36***164***
Village of Mount Kisco0***49***68***85***
Village of Ossining11***87***291**176***
Village of Pelham0***62***20***10***
Pelham Manor0***0***0***27***
Pleasantville0***0***0***0***
Port Chester0***222**368**196**
Rye Brook0***0***37***15***
Village of Scarsdale0***0***32***9***
Sleepy Hollow0***31***206**138***
Tarrytown0***0***57***71***
Tuckahoe12***26***62***75***

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




INDICATORS TREND | WESTCHESTER
Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Infant Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels 0
Maintaining
Children Receiving Subsidized Child Care 0
Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19 -1
Decreasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Single Female-Headed Households -1
Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate 1
Increasing
Voter Participation Rate -1
Decreasing
Serious Crimes -1
Decreasing
Reported Victims of Domestic Violence -1
Decreasing
Arrest Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households With Internet Access, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households without Vehicles 0
Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Air Quality 1
Increasing
Population Density 0
Maintaining
Water Quality of the Long Island Sound 10 Not Applicable*
Open Space in Westchester County 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Population, by Age 10 Not Applicable*
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
People 65 or Older Living Alone -1
Decreasing
Foreign-Born Population 1
Increasing
Change in Total Jobs 1
Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Average Salary by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level 10 Not Applicable*
Unemployment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
People Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Seniors Living in Poverty 1
Increasing
Seniors Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Food Insecurity -1
Decreasing
Households Receiving SNAP, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Public Assistance 0
Maintaining
People Receiving Supplemental Security Income 0
Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Overall Housing Cost Burden -1
Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Rent Burdened Households -1
Decreasing
Homelessness, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Homelessness, by Sex 10 Not Applicable*
Per-Student Spending 0
Maintaining
Student Suspensions -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
College Enrollment Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
People Without Health Insurance -1
Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Mortality Rate from Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Diabetes Mortality, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Suicide Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*


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