Over 1 million Illinois families will put turkey on the table this Thanksgiving with the help of federal food assistance.
More than 1 million Illinois families will put turkey on the table this Thanksgiving with federal food help.
Over 1.86 million Illinoisans, or 1.03 million households, received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in September 2025, according to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Human Services. The benefit is currently worth just under $200 per person. The Illinois total was $5.4 billion in fiscal year 2023.
The state data shows 6.5% fewer Illinoisans were taking advantage of the SNAP program in September than one year earlier. Despite that decline, nearly 15% of the population still relies on the federal program to meet basic nutritional needs.
This remains well above pre-COVID levels and includes more than one-quarter of households in some communities.
State data shows 495,200 households in Cook County received SNAP benefits, with two-thirds of those recipients in Chicago. Chicago had the fifth-highest share of households using SNAP statewide at 29%, with Alexander and Pulaski counties in far Southern Illinois having the most at about half of families.
These numbers indicate persistent economic hardship since the pandemic. Illinois’ unemployment rate remained above the national average, with 292,500 residents looking for work in August. The state’s economic outlook ranks the fifth-worst nationwide and last in the Midwest.
Aggravating these issues is Illinois’ low social mobility and its steep benefits cliffs. This makes it harder for low-income individuals and households to climb the economic ladder, and it discourages work advancement that could cost them their welfare benefits.
High SNAP enrollment may also partly reflect the state’s above-average level of administrative errors when determining who qualifies for food assistance. Illinois’ rate of mistakes is worse than most other states, currently at 11.56%.
While SNAP benefits help thousands of families put food on the table each year, the rising cost of goods means those benefits don’t stretch as far for program participants.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s move to eliminate the state grocery tax will provide some relief for families in 2026, but more than half of Illinois’ communities have adopted local grocery taxes of their own. It’s clear more comprehensive solutions are needed.
To address these issues, Illinois must focus on strengthening its fiscal position, removing regulatory burdens and providing real tax relief both to workers who are already finding it difficult to remain and to job creators who are desperately trying to stay. Progress on any of these issues would truly give Illinoisans something to be thankful for.
