Average benefits have been decreasing per person in Washington County over the last five years. According to the Iowa Data Center, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, formerly known as food stamps, have been declining. Last year, the average benefits per person per month was $107 while five years earlier, in 2008, it was nearly $135.

While the average benefits per month has fallen, the average number of households and recipients has increased in Washington County. In 2008, there were 673 monthly households on average with 1,061 recipients and in 2013, there were 1,109 households with 2,489 recipients. From 2008 to 2013 the number of monthly recipients more than doubled.

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