Contract No.: 53-3198-6-017

MPR Reference No.: 8370-003

CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDLESS UNEMPLOYED

ADULT AND LEGAL IMMIGRANT

FOOD STAMP PARTICIPANTS:

FISCAL YEAR 1995

FEBRUARY 13, 1997

Authors:

Mike Stavrianos

Scott Cody

Kimball Lewis

Submitted to: Submitted by:

U.S. Department of Agriculture Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.

Food and Consumer Services 600 Maryland Avenue, SW

3101 Park Center Drive Suite 550

2nd Floor Washington, DC 20024-2512

Alexandria, VA 22302 (202) 484-9220

Project Officer: Project Director:

Jenny Genser Carole Trippe
iii

CONTENTS

Page

I INTRODUCTION ..................................................... 1

II PROFILE OF ABLE-BODIED FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS ................. 3

A. TIME LIMIT PROVISIONS ......................................... 3

B. IDENTIFYING PERSONS SUBJECT TO THE TIME LIMIT .............. 4

C. CHARACTERISTICS OF ABLE-BODIED, NON-WORKING, 

CHILDLESS ADULTS ............................................. 7

1. Demographic Characteristics .................................... 7

2. Income Sources and Amounts ................................... 12

3. Economic and Employment Characteristics ........................ 12

4. Work Registration Status/Participation in Employment and 

Training Programs ............................................ 16

5. Distribution by State .......................................... 16

6. Number of Consecutive Months Receiving FSP Benefits ............. 19

III PROFILE OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN FOOD STAMP 

RECIPIENTS ........................................................ 23

A. ALIEN PROVISIONS ............................................. 24

B. DATA SOURCE ................................................. 26

C. THE NUMBER OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS AND 

THEIR UNITS ................................................... 28

D. CHARACTERISTICS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS 

AND THEIR UNITS .............................................. 37

1. Demographic Characteristics ................................... 37

2. Unit Composition ............................................ 37

3. Income Characteristics ........................................ 41
v

TABLES

Page

II.1 PEOPLE WITH CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO ABLE-BODIED STATUS ..... 8

II.2 AGE, UNIT SIZE, RACE/ETHNICITY, CITIZENSHIP STATUS AND 

EDUCATION LEVEL OF ALL FSP PARTICIPANTS, ADULT FSP 

PARTICIPANTS, AND ABLE-BODIED FSP PARTICIPANTS .................... 9

II.3 DISTRIBUTION OF FSP ADULTS AND ABLE-BODIED ADULTS 

BY UNIT SIZE AND GENDER ............................................. 11

II.4 DISTRIBUTION OF FSP ADULTS AND ABLE-BODIED ADULTS 

BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT ........................................ 11

II.5 INCOME SOURCE FOR ALL FSP PARTICIPANTS, ADULT FSP 

PARTICIPANTS AND ABLE-BODIED FSP PARTICIPANTS .................... 13

II.6 INCOME, BENEFIT LEVEL, ASSETS, AND EMPLOYMENT STATUS 

OF ALL FSP PARTICIPANTS, ADULT PARTICIPANTS, AND 

ABLE-BODIED FSP PARTICIPANTS ........................................ 14

II.7 WORK REGISTRATION STATUS OF ALL FSP PARTICIPANTS, 

ADULT FSP PARTICIPANTS, AND ABLE-BODIED FSP PARTICIPANTS ........ 17

II.8 DISTRIBUTION OF ALL FSP PARTICIPANTS, ADULT FSP 

PARTICIPANTS, AND ABLE-BODIED FSP PARTICIPANTS, BY STATE ......... 18

II.9 GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF ALL FSP PARTICIPANTS, ADULT FSP 

PARTICIPANTS, AND ABLE-BODIED FSP PARTICIPANTS ................... 20

II.10 DISTRIBUTION OF FSP ADULTS AND ABLE-BODIED ADULTS 

BY NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE MONTHS PARTICIPATING IN 

THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM ............................................ 21

III.1 DISTRIBUTION OF FSP PARTICIPANTS AND UNITS BY CITIZENSHIP 

STATUS ................................................................ 29

III.2 DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS TO FSP UNITS BY CITIZENSHIP STATUS ....... 30

III.3 DISTRIBUTION OF ALL ALIEN FSP PARTICIPANTS, UNITS BY STATE ........ 32

III.4 DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS TO ALL ALIEN FSP UNITS BY STATE .......... 33
TABLES (continued)

Page

vi

III.5 DISTRIBUTION OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN FSP PARTICIPANTS, 

UNITS BY STATE ........................................................ 34

III.6 DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS TO PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN 

UNITS BY STATE ........................................................ 35

III.7 AVERAGE BENEFITS AND CERTIFICATION PERIOD FOR UNITS

WITH PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS FOR SELECTED STATES ............ 36

III.8 DISTRIBUTION OF FSP PARTICIPANTS AND UNITS WITH 

PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS BY WHETHER THEY ARE 

NEW APPLICANTS, LENGTH OF CERTIFICATION PERIOD, 

AND MONTHS LEFT IN CERTIFICATION PERIOD ........................... 38

III.9 AGE, GENDER AND RACE OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN 

FSP PARTICIPANTS ...................................................... 39

III.10 DISTRIBUTION OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN FSP UNITS 

BY WHETHER THE UNIT IS COMPOSED ENTIRELY OF 

PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS (“PURE”) OR A MIX OF 

PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS AND OTHERS (“MIXED”) .................. 40

III.11 SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF FSP UNITS WITH PERMANENT 

RESIDENT ALIENS AND DISTRIBUTION OF PERMANENT 

RESIDENT ALIEN FSP PARTICIPANTS BY EDUCATION 

LEVEL AND EMPLOYMENT STATUS ...................................... 42

III.12 AVERAGE MONTHLY INCOME CHARACTERISTICS OF FSP 

UNITS WITH PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS ............................. 43

III.13 DISTRIBUTION OF PERMANENT ALIEN UNITS WITH INCOME 

FROM AFDC, INCOME FROM SSI, AND EARNED INCOME BY 

SELECTED STATES ...................................................... 45

III.14 DISTRIBUTION OF UNITS BY GROSS INCOME AS A PERCENT 

OF POVERTY FOR ALL UNITS AND UNITS WITH PERMANENT 

RESIDENT ALIENS ...................................................... 46

III.15 DISTRIBUTION OF UNITS BY VALUE OF UNIT ASSETS FOR 

ALL UNITS AND UNITS WITH PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS ............. 47
1

I. INTRODUCTION

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) made

many changes to the Food Stamp Program (FSP). Of these changes, only two are expected to have a

significant effect on eligibility--the time limits on able-bodied, unemployed adults without children

and the restriction on participation by legal immigrants. This report provides a baseline snapshot of

FSP participants who may be affected by the work requirements and restrictions on benefits to legal

immigrants. It provides counts of individuals potentially affected by the reforms as well as detailed

descriptions of their demographic and economic characteristics. This report is a useful first step for

those interested in better understanding the circumstances of the populations affected by these

changes. It also provides a baseline for future comparisons. 

The source of the data is the Fiscal Year 1995 Integrated Quality Control System sample, based

on a sample of FSP households. It is the most recent data that identifies able-bodied, childless adults

and legal immigrants and provides detailed information about their demographic and economic

characteristics.

It should be cautioned that the data do not contain all of the information needed to determine

whether an individual loses eligibility under the new law. The data are from fiscal year 1995 and do

not capture the substantial decline in overall food stamp participation since then. Furthermore, they

do not identify some of those exempted from the time limit or immigrant provisions. Thus, the figures

in the attached report somewhat overstate the number of people who lose eligibility under the new

law.
Participation in a job search program or job search training program does not count towards

1

PRWORA’s 20 hour work requirement.

3

II. PROFILE OF ABLE-BODIED FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS

With the passage of PRWORA, adults between the ages of 18 and 50 (inclusive) who are

childless, fit for employment, and neither working nor participating in a workfare program, can receive

food stamps for no more than three months in any 36 month period. This chapter is an extract from

a forthcoming report, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Consumer

Service, that will provide a profile of the population subject to this time limit. This chapter describes

the able-bodied provisions of the new law, then draws on FSP Quality Control data to describe the

size and characteristics of the population affected.

A. TIME LIMIT PROVISIONS

PRWORA states that no individual shall be eligible to participate in the FSP if, during the

preceding 36-month period, the individual received food stamps for three or more months

(consecutive or otherwise) during which the individual did not do one of the following: (1) work 20

or more hours per week (averaged monthly), (2) participate in a workfare program, or (3) participate

in a work program for 20 or more hours per week. 

1

The act exempts from this provision any individual who is under age 18 or over age 50, medically

certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment, a pregnant woman, or a parent or other

member of a household with responsibility for a dependent child. The act further exempts any person

who is exempt from FSP work registration under subsection (d)(2) of 7 U.S.C. 2015. This includes

any person who is:

C responsible for the care of a dependent child under age 6 or an incapacitated person
Either under Title IV of the Social Security Act or under the federal-state unemployment

2

compensation system.

4

C a student who meets FSP eligibility requirements

C a regular participant in a drug addiction or alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation

program

C working at least 30 hours per week or earning at least 30 times the minimum wage, or

C subject to and complying with a work registration requirement under another program2

Finally, on a state’s request, the USDA may waive application of the new work requirement to

any group of individuals if the Secretary determines that the area where they reside has an

unemployment rate higher than 10 percent or does not have a sufficient number of jobs to provide

them employment.

An individual who loses eligibility under the work requirement of PRWORA can regain eligibility

by working or participating in a work program for 80 or more hours in a 30-day period or by

complying with a workfare program for 30 days. An individual who regains eligibility in this way

remains eligible as long as he or she continues to meet the 20-hour-per-week work requirement. If,

after regaining eligibility, an individual fails to meet the 20-hour work requirement, he or she remains

eligible for a consecutive three month period starting on the date the individual notifies the state

agency that he or she no longer meets the work requirement. An individual may only receive these

three additional months for a single three-month period in any 36-month period.

B. IDENTIFYING PERSONS SUBJECT TO THE TIME LIMIT

The estimates presented in this chapter are derived from a nationally representative sample of

food stamp households selected for review in fiscal year 1995 as part of the Integrated Quality Control
The IQCS is an ongoing review of food stamp household circumstances designed to determine, 3

(1) if households are eligible to participate or are receiving the correct benefit amount, and (2) if

household participation is correctly denied or terminated.

It is not clear who states will exempt as, “medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for 4

employment.” In this analysis, a person is exempt only if he or she is disabled, defined as: (1) under

age 65 and receiving SSI, or (2) between the ages of 18 and 61 and receiving Social Security, veterans

benefits, or other government benefits as a result of a disability.

5

System (IQCS). The Quality Control (QC) database, constructed from extracts of the IQCS, provides 3

detailed information on the characteristics of food stamp participants. This information can be used

to identify which participants are subject to PRWORA’s time limit. A person on the QC database is

assumed to be subject to the time limit if he or she is able-bodied, not working, and has no children

(as defined below).

Able-Bodied. A person is considered able-bodied if he or she is between the ages of 18 and 50,

not disabled, and not exempt from work registration for any of the following reasons: 4

C pregnant

C needed in the home to care for an ill or incapacitated person

C relative or other caretaker of a dependent child

C student meeting FSP eligibility requirements

C receiving or have applied for unemployment compensation

C subject to/complying with work requirements under other programs

C participating in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program

C participating in Community Work Experience Program or other work experience

program
$368.33 is the federal minimum wage in fiscal year 1995 ($4.25) times 20 hours per week times 5

4.33 weeks per month.

It is not clear who states will exempt as a “parent or other member of a household with

6

responsibility for a dependent child.” In this analysis, a person is exempt if he or she lives in a food

stamp unit that contains a child.

For example, faced with a three-month time limit, some adults may begin to comply with the

7

act’s work requirements (i.e., work or participate in a work program for 20 or more hours a week) and

thus remain eligible for the FSP. The QC-based analysis presented in this chapter assumes that this

does not occur.

6

Not Working. People who work fewer than 20 hours per week and earn less than $368.33

monthly.5

No Children. No one under age 18 in the FSP unit.6

The QC database does not contain all of the information needed to determine whether an

individual loses eligibility under the able-bodied provisions of PRWORA. For example, eligibility

under PRWORA depends on employment and program participation over a 36-month period. The

QC database, however, only contains information observed in a single month (the sample month).

People who fail to meet the work requirement in the QC sample month may have been working (or

otherwise exempt) in the months leading up to the sample month. Thus, the estimates presented in

this chapter pertain to the population that is subject to PRWORA’s three-month time limit, not the

population that would actually lose eligibility.

The QC-based definition described above may overstate the number of people subject to the time

limit for two reasons. First, the QC definition does not exempt people living in an area with high

unemployment or an insufficient number of jobs. Second, the QC definition assumes that there is no

behavioral response to the time limit. Consequently, the QC-based estimates presented in this chapter 7

may overstate the number of people subject to the three-month time limit.
The term “food stamp unit” refers to the persons in a household who together are certified for 8

and receive food stamps.

7

C. CHARACTERISTICS OF ABLE-BODIED, NON-WORKING, CHILDLESS ADULTS

Of the 27 million food stamp participants in an average month of fiscal year 1995, 2.5 million (9

percent) are childless adults between the ages of 18 and 50 (Table II.1). About half of these are either

meeting or exempt from PRWORA’s work requirement. The remaining 1.3 million (5 percent of all

participants) are able-bodied, non-working, childless adults (henceforth, able-bodied), and thus subject

to the three-month time limit. Table II.1 shows how many food stamp recipients have various

characteristics related to able-bodied status.

Other tables in this chapter present selected characteristics of four groups: (1) all participants;

(2) all adult participants (age 18 and over); (3) participants age 18 to 50 with no children; and (4) ablebodied participants. Because this analysis considers units with children to be exempt from the time

limit, there are no children in the able-bodied category. Therefore, it is preferable to compare ablebodied persons to adult FSP participants, rather than to all FSP participants.

1. Demographic Characteristics

Able-bodied adults differ demographically from other FSP participants in two key respects: ablebodied adults are more likely to be male and more likely to live in a small food stamp unit (Table

II.2). Males comprise 58 percent of able-bodied adults but only 30 percent of FSP adults. Still, over 8

40 percent of able-bodied adults are women. The difference in terms of unit size is more striking--74

percent of able-bodied adults live in a one-person FSP unit, compared with only 29 percent of FSP

adults. On average, able-bodied units (those with at least one able-bodied person) are about half as

large as the typical FSP unit (1.3 people compared with 2.5 people).
TABLE II.1

PEOPLE WITH CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO ABLE-BODIED STATUS

FSP Participants

Percent Percent

(000s) of Total of Subgroup

All FSP Participants 26,955 100.0 100.0

Under Age 18 13,883 51.5 51.5

Over Age 50 2,989 11.1 11.1

Age 18 to 50 10,052 37.3 37.3

Age 18 to 50 10,052 37.3 100.0

Disabled 1,204 4.5 12.0

Non-Disabled 8,848 32.8 88.0

Children in unit 7,547 28.0 75.1

No children in unit 2,505 9.3 24.9

Working 20+ hours per week 2,051 7.6 20.4

Not working 20+ hours per week 8,001 29.7 79.6

Not disabled, no children,

not working 20+ hours per week 1,562 5.8 15.5

Age 18 to 50, non-disabled, no children,

not working 20+ hours per week 1,562 5.8 100.0

Exempt from work registration because:

Student meeting FSP eligibility criteria 52 0.2 3.3

Receiving unemployment compensation 21 0.1 1.3

Pregnant 14 0.1 0.9

Caring for ill or incapacitated person 61 0.2 3.9

Caring for a dependent child 28 0.1 1.8

Meeting work requirement in other program 36 0.1 2.3

In drug or alcohol rehabilitation program 50 0.2 3.2

In CWEP / other work experience program 6 0.0 0.4

Able-Bodied based on QC definition* 1,315 4.9 84.2

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 Quality Control Database

* Not exempt from work registration for any of the reasons listed

This assumes that the education of adults with missing information does not differ systematically 9

from that of adults whose information is reported. Tabulations based on data from the SIPP suggest

that this assumption is valid. In a January 1992 SIPP sample, high school graduates comprise 56

percent of able-bodied adults--similar to the QC-based estimate of 59 percent. Able-bodied adults in

the SIPP sample were identified using a definition largely analogous to the QC-based definition. 

10

Of the 972 thousand able-bodied adults that file for food stamps by themselves (i.e., one-person

food stamp units), 590 thousand (61 percent) are male (Table II.3). In contrast, only 41 percent of FSP

adults in one-person units are male. Of the 268 thousand able-bodied adults that are in a two-person

unit, 219 thousand (82 percent) are in a unit containing one male and one female. FSP adults in twoperson units also tend to be in male/female units (63 percent), though units containing two women

(34 percent) are also common. By definition, able-bodied persons are between the ages of 18 and 50.

Just over half (53 percent) are between the ages of 36 and 50, and the average age is 35.

Whites represent the largest share of both groups (43 percent of able-bodied adults, 46 percent

of FSP adults), though African Americans represent a larger share of able-bodied adults (41 percent)

than of FSP adults (31 percent). Compared to FSP adults, able-bodied adults are less likely to be

Hispanic (11 percent compared with 18 percent) and more likely to be U.S. citizens (92 percent

compared with 87 percent) (Table II.2).

The education level of able-bodied adults is nearly identical to that of other FSP adults: 30

percent of both groups have at least a high school degree (Table II.2). Note, however, that half of the

adults on the QC database have unknown education status. A more meaningful measure of

educational attainment may be derived by computing percentages based on the population of adults

with non-missing data.9 As shown in Table II.4, when persons with missing data are removed from

the denominator, 57 percent of FSP adults and 59 percent of able-bodied adults have at least a high

school degree. Just over 40 percent of both groups lack a high school diploma.
11

TABLE II.3

DISTRIBUTION OF FSP ADULTS AND ABLE-BODIED ADULTS BY UNIT SIZE AND GENDER

FSP Adults Able-Bodied Adults

(000s) Percent (000s) Percent

FSP Participants in One-Person Units 3,747 100.0 972 100.0

Female 2,229 59.5 382 39.3

Male 1,518 40.5 590 60.7

FSP Participants in Two-Person Units 2,918 100.0 268 100.0

Male/Female 1,830 62.7 219 81.9

Female/Female 1,000 34.3 39 14.6

Male/Male 87 3.0 9 3.5

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 Quality Control Database

TABLE II.4

DISTRIBUTION OF FSP ADULTS AND ABLE-BODIED ADULTS 

BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

FSP Adults Able-Bodied Adults

(000s) (000s)

Total 13,041 1,315

With non-missing education data 6,854 680

As a Percentage of Total

Less than high school degree 22.6% 21.3%

High school degree or GED 22.8% 22.9%

Some college or college graduate 7.2% 7.5%

Missing data 47.4% 48.3%

As a Percentage of Non-Missing

Less than high school degree 43.0% 41.2%

High school degree or GED 43.4% 44.3%

Some college or college graduate 13.7% 14.5%

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 Quality Control Database
12

2. Income Sources and Amounts

Compared to FSP adults, able-bodied adults are much less likely to have income, and if they do

have income, it is likely to be of a smaller amount (Table II.5). Only 41 percent of able-bodied adults

have any income at all, and those that do have an average monthly income of $225. The average FSP

adult is twice as likely to have income (80 percent have non-zero income) and those that do have an

average monthly income of $504.

This income disparity between able-bodied adults and FSP adults is observed in comparisons of

both earned and unearned income. Some 18 percent of FSP adults have earned income ($660 per

month on average), compared with only 6 percent of able-bodied adults ($150 per month). Similarly,

73 percent of FSP adults have unearned income ($388 per month), compared with 38 percent of ablebodied adults ($220 per month).

The bulk of FSP adults’ unearned income comes through AFDC, SSI, and Social Security. Most

able-bodied adults do not qualify for these programs, as they have no children and are neither elderly

nor disabled. Not surprisingly, the most common source of unearned income for able-bodied adults

is General Assistance, which typically provides aid to needy persons who are ineligible for federally

subsidized programs.

3. Economic and Employment Characteristics 

Over three-quarters of able-bodied adults (79 percent) are in a food stamp unit whose gross

income is below half the poverty level, and almost half (45 percent) live in a unit with no income at

all (Table II.6). By comparison, 40 percent of FSP adults live in a unit whose income is below half

the poverty level, and only 9 percent have zero gross income. The average able-bodied adult’s unitlevel gross income is 24 percent of the poverty level, while the average FSP adult’s is 58 percent of

the poverty level.


Asset information on the QC database pertains to the food stamp unit. To construct a person- 10

level measure of assets, each person was assigned the asset amount of his or her food stamp unit.

15

Because of their low income, the average able-bodied adult receives more in food stamp benefits

($104) than does the average FSP adult ($70). Most able-bodied adults (79 percent) receive over $100

in per capita FSP benefits and very few (5 percent) receive less than $50 (Table II.6). By comparison,

only 23 percent of FSP adults receive as much as $100 and 30 percent receive less than $50. In fiscal

year 1995, the maximum food stamp benefit for a one-person unit in the contiguous United States was

$115.

Only 13 percent of able-bodied adults have any financial assets and, of those that do, only about

one-third (37 percent) have assets in excess of $100 (Table II.6). The average FSP adult is twice as 10

likely to have financial assets (26 percent have non-zero assets), and more than half (54 percent) have

assets in excess of $100.

By definition, very few able-bodied adults (4 percent) are employed. The few that do have jobs

work fewer than 20 hours per week or, if they do not report hours worked, have an income below 20

times the minimum wage. By comparison, 16 percent of all FSP adults are employed and 10 percent

are working at least 30 hours per week.

The majority of both groups (76 percent of able-bodied adults and 71 percent of FSP adults) are

not in the labor force. A person is “not in the labor force” if he or she is neither working nor actively

looking for work. Compared to FSP adults, however, able-bodied adults are much more likely to be

unemployed (i.e., not working but looking for work)--20 percent of able-bodied adults fall into this

category, compared with only 9 percent of FSP adults. Just under half of the unemployed adults in

both groups have been unemployed for less than one year.
Persons over age 60 and most persons under age 18 over are not required to register for work. 11

According to Table II.8, a small number of able-bodied persons are exempt because they are

12

under or over the required age or because they are employed full time. These anomalies represent

coding errors on the QC database. For example, the QC database indicates that 0.3 percent of ablebodied adults are exempt because they are under or over the required age. The same data, however,

indicate that these individuals are between the ages of 18 and 50.

16

4. Work Registration Status/Participation in Employment and Training Programs

Of the 13.0 million FSP adults, 9.3 million (71 percent) are exempt from the FSP’s work

registration requirement (Table II.7). Most are exempt because they are physically or mentally unfit

(20 percent), a relative or caretaker of a dependent child (18 percent), over the required age (12

percent), or employed full time (11 percent). By definition, able-bodied persons are not eligible for 11

most work registration exemptions.12 But nearly 22 percent of able-bodied adults are exempt from

work registration because they are physically or mentally unfit. This seemingly anomalous finding

occurs because this analysis considers a person to be physically fit unless he or she receives disability

income. Exemptions from work registration are granted based on a less stringent test: a person may

be exempt if he or she has a statement from a physician or from a licensed or certified psychologist.

Able-bodied adults are nearly twice as likely as FSP adults to participate in an employment and

training (E&T) program--11 percent compared with 6 percent (Table II.8). Of the able-bodied adults

who participate in an E&T program, 46 percent are in job search or job search training (activities that

do not count towards PRWORA’s work requirement), 16 percent are in job search combined with

work experience, and about 12 percent are in an education related activity.

5. Distribution by State

Not surprisingly, the states that contain the most FSP participants also contain the most ablebodied adults. More than half of all food stamp participants (52 percent) reside in eight states: 


19

California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas (Table II.8). Those

same states contain 56 percent of all able-bodied adults. Able-bodied adults represent a

disproportionately large share of the food stamp population (6.5 percent or more) in the District of

Columbia, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia; they represent a disproportionately

small share (3.0 percent or less) in Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin,

Wyoming, and Guam. Looking at the regional distribution, able-bodied adults comprise more than

5.5 percent of the food stamp population in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions, but less

than 4.5 percent in the West, Southwest, Southeast, and Mountain Plains regions (Table II.9).

6. Number of Consecutive Months Receiving FSP Benefits

Although the QC database does not indicate how many months an individual has received food

stamps in the preceding 36 months, it does indicate how long an individual has participated in the FSP

during the current uninterrupted period of participation. Table II.10 shows the distribution of FSP

adults and able-bodied adults by the number of consecutive months they have participated.

On average, able-bodied adults participate in the FSP for fewer consecutive months than other

FSP adults. About a third of able-bodied adults (32 percent) have participated for three months or

fewer, compared with only 17 percent of FSP adults. And only 30 percent of able-bodied adults are

in the midst of a participation spell of longer than a year, compared with 49 percent of FSP adults.

As shown in Table II.10, 23 percent of able-bodied adults have participated for less than 3

consecutive months, and thus may not have used up their three months of FSP eligibility. However,

some of these short-term recipients may have received food stamp benefits prior to the current

participation spell but within the 36 month window imposed by PRWORA. Thus, the 23 percent

figure is an upper bound estimate of the proportion of able-bodied adults that have not yet hit

PRWORA’s time limit. 

21

TABLE II.10

DISTRIBUTION OF FSP ADULTS AND ABLE-BODIED ADULTS

BY NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE MONTHS PARTICIPATING 

IN THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM

FSP Adults Able-Bodied Adults

(000s) Percent (000s) Percent

Total 13,041 100.0 1,315 100.0

Consecutive Months of Participation

1 575 4.4 143 10.9

2 800 6.1 155 11.8

3 804 6.2 118 9.0

4-6 1,949 14.9 256 19.5

7-9 1,285 9.9 136 10.3

10-12 1,057 8.1 97 7.4

13 or more 6,446 49.4 400 30.4

Missing Data 126 1.0 10 0.8

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 Quality Control Database
In fiscal year 1995, the FSP paid out $22.8 billion in food stamps. 1

23

III. PROFILE OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS

PRWORA redirected the course of federally funded public assistance programs in the United

States. The changes created by PRWORA are intended, in part, to encourage successful transition

from public assistance to self sufficiency and to reduce the overall caseloads of public assistance

programs. PRWORA has numerous implications for the FSP, the biggest of which is the

reclassification from eligible to ineligible of most legal aliens currently participating in the FSP. The

Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the elimination of these aliens from the FSP

caseload will translate to about $600 million to $700 million a year in savings to the FSP.1

This chapter examines the demographic and economic characteristics of aliens currently

participating in the FSP who may lose eligibility under PRWORA. We examine the characteristics

of both the aliens and the FSP units in which they participate. This information can be used to

describe how many aliens will potentially become ineligible, how much these aliens currently receive

from the FSP, and what these aliens look like in terms of their economic, demographic and household

characteristics. This study first explains the alien provisions in PRWORA and discusses the source

of the data for the study. Next, the study examines the number of people and units affected by the new

restrictions across different classes of citizenship and across different states. We then discuss the

characteristics of the people and units affected by the new restrictions. The study examines

demographic characteristics, household composition, and income characteristics. Tables III.1 and III.2

examine the distributions of all FSP participants and units, including all aliens and permanent resident

aliens only. Tables III.3 and III.4 examine all aliens, including but not limited to permanent resident

aliens. Tables III.5 through III.15 only examine the characteristics of permanent resident aliens.
24

A. ALIEN PROVISIONS

Prior to PRWORA, most legal aliens were eligible to participate in the FSP. Illegal aliens and

non-immigrants (students, tourists, visitors and people with work visas) have never been eligible for

benefits. The classes of legal aliens that were eligible for food stamps included the following:

immigrants accorded permanent resident status; aliens accorded refugee status; aliens granted political

asylum; and aliens granted a stay of deportation. Title IV of the PRWORA makes most of the first

class, aliens accorded permanent resident status, ineligible for the FSP. Exceptions are made for the

following: 1) permanent resident aliens that have a solid work history in the United States (as

evidenced by 40 or more quarters of employment), as well as their spouses and unmarried dependent

children; and 2) permanent resident aliens that are veterans or active duty members of the U.S.

military, as well as their spouses and unmarried dependent children. All other FSP permanent resident

aliens are classified as ineligible for food stamps as a result of PRWORA. 

The remaining three classes of aliens--refugees, asylees and deportees--are exempt from the alien

provision of PRWORA for a period of five years after they enter the country. At that point, if these

aliens have not become naturalized, they will be subject to the restrictions facing permanent resident

aliens.

Beginning in September 1996, new applicants to the FSP were subject to the new restrictions.

Permanent resident aliens already receiving food stamps are not subject to the restrictions until their

first recertification after March 31, 1997, or one year after the date of enactment of PRWORA (the law

was enacted on August 22, 1996), whichever is first. 

If an alien becomes a naturalized citizen, he or she becomes eligible for benefits on the same basis

as other citizens. To be eligible for naturalization, an alien must meet the following criteria:
Most children can not apply for naturalization on their own. To become naturalized, a child

2

under 18 must have an application filed on their behalf by a parent that is a United States citizen.

Children applying for naturalization are not required to meet the residency requirements that adults

face.

The green card replacement program required long-term permanent resident aliens with old green 3

cards to apply for new, more secured green cards. Many aliens chose to apply for citizenship rather

than to replace their green cards.

25

C Must be at least 18 years old2

C Must be lawfully admitted as a permanent resident of the United States

C Must continuously reside in the United States for at least five years after being accorded

permanent resident status (spouses of United States citizens must continuously reside

in the United States for at least three years)

C Must have been physically present in the United States for at least 30 months of the five

years preceding the date of application

C Must live in the state or service district in which the alien seeks to apply for at least

three months immediately preceding application

C Must reside continuously within the United States from the date of application for

naturalization up to the time of admission to citizenship 

C Must be a person of good character

The number of people applying for naturalization has increased significantly in recent years.

Applications increased from 206,000 in 1991 to 543,000 in 1994. Applications then jumped to

960,000 in 1995 and 1.3 million in 1996. Naturalization rates (the number of naturalizations per

eligible aliens) have increased among all aliens in recent years. The U.S. Immigration and

Naturalization Service’s (INS) green card replacement program and recent legislation passed in

3

several states are credited with encouraging permanent resident aliens to apply for and subsequently

be granted naturalization. However, INS is unable to determine exactly how much of the growth in

both applications and naturalizations is attributable to any of these laws.
26

The total number of people naturalized increased from 240,000 in 1992 to 407,000 in 1994. In

1995, the number increased to 460,000, and in 1996 the number of naturalizations increased to 1.1

million. While some of the increase may be due to the effects of legislation, it should be noted that

some of the increase is the result of increases in INS’ ability to process the backlog in applications.

PRWORA is expected to cause additional increases in naturalization applications and in naturalization

rates. While anecdotal evidence is already revealing a substantial increase in naturalization

applications as a result of PRWORA, the exact size of the increases that will be caused by PRWORA

is not known.

B. DATA SOURCE

The estimates in this study are derived from a sample of households selected for review as part

of the 1995 IQCS. This system is an ongoing review of food stamp household circumstances designed

to determine if households are eligible to participate or are receiving the correct benefit amount and

if household participation is correctly denied or terminated. The IQCS is based on a national

probability sample of approximately 60,000 participating food stamp households, and on a somewhat

smaller number of denials and terminations. These samples are weighted to reflect the total number

of households actually participating in the FSP.

Throughout this study, we refer to the legal aliens that may lose eligibility as permanent resident

aliens. Permanent resident aliens are defined as either immigrants accorded permanent resident status

or temporary and permanent resident aliens residing legally under the Immigration Reform and

Control Act (IRCA). We include temporary residents under IRCA in our definition because it is likely

that they became permanent residents before PRWORA was enacted. 

We make two important assumptions in the calculation of the estimates in this report. The first

is that we assume no additional alien FSP participants will become naturalized so as not to lose their
There is some concern that aliens who were refugees, asylees, or deportees at the time of their 4

initial certification for food stamps but who subsequently became permanent residents may still be

coded as refugees, asylees, or deportees in the IQCS data. Reviewers and caseworkers may have

overlooked such changes in citizenship status because, prior to PRWORA, such changes would not

have affected FSP eligibility. The existence of such errors would understate the true number of

(continued...)

27

FSP benefits under PRWORA when, in fact, it is likely that naturalization rates will increase.

Therefore, the estimates in this report are an upper-bound estimate of the number of alien FSP

participants that will lose eligibility due to PRWORA. To obtain a lower-bound estimate of the

number of aliens that will lose eligibility under PRWORA, we would need to assume that all

permanent resident alien FSP participants eligible for naturalization actually apply for and are granted

naturalization before losing their FSP benefits. How many permanent resident alien FSP participants,

then, are eligible for naturalization? According to the INS, 55 percent of all permanent resident aliens

were eligible for naturalization in April 1996. We could, therefore, obtain a lower-bound estimate of

the number of aliens participating in the FSP that will lose eligibility under PRWORA by reducing

our upper-bound estimates by 55 percent. Note, though, that this lower-bound estimate assumes that

the percentage of permanent resident alien FSP participants eligible for naturalization is the same as

that for all permanent resident aliens.

The second assumption we make in the calculation of the estimates in this report is that no

refugees, asylees or deportees will lose eligibility under PRWORA. Recall that refugees, asylees and

deportees are exempt from the alien provisions of PRWORA for five years after they enter the country.

After five years, though, they become ineligible for the FSP. Unfortunately, the IQCS data on which

we based our estimates for this report do not include information on how long an alien has been in the

country. Regardless, we do not believe that assuming no refugees, asylees or deportees will lose

eligibility affects our estimates substantially because, according to INS, most of these aliens become

permanent resident aliens within five years after entering the country.4
(...continued) 4

permanent resident aliens subject to the restrictions.

28

C. THE NUMBER OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS AND THEIR UNITS

The aliens made ineligible through PRWORA--permanent resident aliens--are currently the

largest class of alien FSP participants (Table III.1). The 1.4 million permanent resident aliens make

up 77 percent of current alien FSP participants and 5 percent of total FSP participants. The 958,000

units with at least one permanent resident alien make up 83 percent of current FSP units with any

aliens and 9 percent of total FSP units. The non-permanent resident aliens--those that will not be

affected by PRWORA--represent 1.6 percent of total participants and 1.9 percent of total units.

Units with permanent resident aliens receive an average of $188 million per month in FSP

benefits, accounting for 83 percent of all benefits to units with any aliens, and 10 percent of total FSP

benefits (Table III.2). Units with at least one non-permanent resident alien receive an average of $39

million per month, or 2 percent of all FSP benefits. 

Some units contain a mix of permanent resident aliens and other participants. As a result, some

of the $188 million in benefits going to units with at least one permanent resident alien are intended

for non-permanent resident aliens or U.S. citizens. To estimate how much in benefits goes to just

permanent resident aliens, we pro-rated benefits by household composition. Pro-rated benefits are

determined by multiplying each unit’s benefit level by the ratio of the number of unit members with

a specific citizenship status to the total unit size. For example, the pro-rated benefits estimate for

permanent resident aliens is derived by multiplying the benefits received in a given unit by the ratio

of the number of permanent resident alien unit members to the total number of unit members.

Although 10 percent of all benefits go to units with permanent resident aliens, only 5.2 percent of all
TABLE III.1

DISTRIBUTION OF FSP PARTICIPANTS AND UNITS BY CITIZENSHIP STATUS

Units Persons

Number Percent of Percent of Number Percent of Percent of

Citizenship Status* (000s) Subtotal Total (000s) Subtotal Total

Aliens

Permanent Residents 958 82.5 8.8 1,414 76.7 5.2

Alien Accorded Refugee Status 163 14.1 1.5 376 20.4 1.4

Alien Granted Political Asylum 4 0.4 0.0 5 0.3 0.0

Alien Granted Stay of Deportation 3 0.3 0.0 3 0.2 0.0

Other Aliens 41 3.6 0.4 46 2.5 0.2

Subtotal 1,161 100.0 10.7 1,844 100.0 6.8

US Citizens

Born in US 10,107 98.9 92.9 24,508 99.0 90.9

Naturalized 217 2.1 2.0 243 1.0 0.9

Subtotal 10,216 100.0 93.9 24,752 100.0 91.8

Unknown 233 100.0 2.1 359 100.0 1.3

Total 10,883 100.0 100.0 26,955 100.0 100.0

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

Average FSP Unit Size = 2.5

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.

* For units, citizenship status categories are not mutually exclusive; thus the sum of the subtotals will exceed 100 percent.

n.a. = not applicable
TABLE III.2

DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS TO FSP UNITS BY CITIZENSHIP STATUS

Benefits to Units Pro-Rated** Benefits

Dollars Percent of Percent of Dollars Percent of Percent of 

Citizenship Status* (000s) Subtotal Total (000s) Subtotal Total

Aliens

Permanent Residents 187,626 83.3 10.0 96,600 76.4 5.2

Alien Accorded Refugee Status 32,389 14.4 1.7 25,998 20.6 1.4

Alien Granted Political Asylum 699 0.3 0.0 356 0.3 0.0

Alien Granted Stay of Deportation 696 0.3 0.0 279 0.2 0.0

Other Aliens 5,635 2.5 0.3 3,241 2.6 0.2

Subtotal 225,257 100.0 12.0 126,473 100.0 6.8

US Citizens

Born in US 1,777,235 99.5 95.0 1,701,620 99.0 91.0

Naturalized 37,175 2.1 2.0 16,845 1.0 0.9

Subtotal 1,786,875 100.0 95.6 1,718,465 100.0 91.9

Unknown 34,434 100.0 25,101 100.0 1.3

Total 1,870,039 100.0 100.0 1,870,039 100.0 100.0

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

Average FSP Unit Size = 2.5

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.

* For units, citizenship status categories are not mutually exclusive; thus the sum of the subtotals will exceed 100 percent.

** Pro-rated benefits paid to persons in a given FSP unit equals the unit's total FSP benefits multiplied by the ratio

 of the number of persons in the unit who meet row description to total unit size.

n.a. = not applicable
31

pro-rated benefits go to permanent resident aliens. This is because many units have both permanent

resident aliens and members with other citizenship statuses. 

Alien FSP participants are concentrated in a small number of states. Approximately 70 percent

of the aliens can be found in four states: California, Florida, New York, and Texas (Table III.3).

Within each of these states, aliens make up a relatively high proportion of total FSP participants. The

distribution of FSP benefits to aliens reflects the distribution of alien participants, with the bulk of

benefits to units with aliens going to the same four states (Table III.4). California, Florida, New York,

and Texas account for 72 percent of all benefits to aliens.

The distribution of permanent resident aliens by state (Table III.5) follows a similar pattern to the

distribution of total aliens. The four states of California, Florida, New York, and Texas account for

74 percent of all permanent resident aliens in the program (these states account for 75 percent of all

units with permanent resident aliens). 

Benefits to permanent resident aliens in the four states of California, Florida, New York and

Texas account for 76 percent of all benefits to permanent resident aliens (Table III.6). Within each

of these states, permanent resident aliens account for relatively high proportions of all food stamp

benefits (more than 20 percent in New York and California). Benefits to permanent resident aliens

account for more than 10 percent of the state’s food stamp benefits in 12 states: Arizona, California,

Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Texas, Guam

and the Virgin Islands.

The average benefit to a food stamp unit with a permanent resident alien is $196 per month (Table

III.7). In California, the state with the most permanent resident aliens, the average benefit to

permanent resident alien units is $200 per month. Texas, with the second-largest number of

permanent resident aliens, has an average food stamp benefit to permanent resident alien units of $228

per month. New York and Florida have average benefits of $179 and $166 respectively. 
TABLE III.3

DISTRIBUTION OF ALL ALIEN FSP PARTICIPANTS, UNITS BY STATE

Units with Aliens Alien Participants

Percent of Percent of Percent of Percent of 

All Units All Participants Number All National Number All State National Alien

(000s) (000s) (000s) State Units Alien Units (000s) Participants Participants

Alabama 209 542 0.6 0.3 0.1 1.9 0.3 0.1

Alaska 15 45 0.5 3.2 0.0 0.7 1.6 0.0

Arizona 178 508 24.5 13.7 2.1 36.3 7.1 2.0

Arkansas 107 271 0.8 0.7 0.1 1.4 0.5 0.1

California 1,176 3,266 331.2 28.2 28.5 554.3 17.0 30.1

Colorado 103 248 8.0 7.8 0.7 13.4 5.4 0.7

Connecticut 100 238 7.2 7.2 0.6 11.7 4.9 0.6

Delaware 21 52 0.5 2.4 0.0 1.0 1.9 0.1

Dist. of Col. 43 98 1.8 4.1 0.2 2.2 2.2 0.1

Florida 588 1,425 107.9 18.3 9.3 147.5 10.3 8.0

Georgia 329 809 6.1 1.9 0.5 8.8 1.1 0.5

Hawaii 55 130 8.3 15.1 0.7 12.9 9.9 0.7

Idaho 30 79 1.9 6.2 0.2 3.2 4.1 0.2

Illinois 488 1,130 32.9 6.8 2.8 49.6 4.4 2.7

Indiana 183 464 3.6 2.0 0.3 4.2 0.9 0.2

Iowa 75 187 1.2 1.6 0.1 3.1 1.7 0.2

Kansas 75 192 3.3 4.5 0.3 6.7 3.5 0.4

Kentucky 187 488 0.9 0.5 0.1 1.2 0.2 0.1

Louisiana 267 724 4.4 1.7 0.4 6.4 0.9 0.3

Maine 60 129 0.8 1.3 0.1 0.9 0.7 0.0

Maryland 169 410 9.9 5.8 0.9 16.8 4.1 0.9

Massachusetts 178 429 23.8 13.4 2.1 38.7 9.0 2.1

Michigan 418 985 12.6 3.0 1.1 22.6 2.3 1.2

Minnesota 131 316 12.2 9.3 1.0 30.1 9.5 1.6

Mississippi 185 489 0.6 0.3 0.1 0.9 0.2 0.1

Missouri 237 592 2.8 1.2 0.2 5.4 0.9 0.3

Montana 28 71 0.3 1.1 0.0 0.6 0.9 0.0

Nebraska 43 106 1.5 3.4 0.1 3.1 2.9 0.2

Nevada 46 109 3.3 7.2 0.3 4.7 4.3 0.3

New Hampshire 25 58 0.7 2.6 0.1 0.8 1.3 0.0

New Jersey 234 557 30.3 12.9 2.6 48.4 8.7 2.6

New Mexico 87 241 11.0 12.7 0.9 17.4 7.2 0.9

New York 1,027 2,137 243.7 23.7 21.0 336.9 15.8 18.3

North Carolina 258 614 3.5 1.4 0.3 4.8 0.8 0.3

North Dakota 17 41 0.4 2.1 0.0 0.6 1.4 0.0

Ohio 506 1,170 8.7 1.7 0.7 15.4 1.3 0.8

Oklahoma 153 384 3.0 2.0 0.3 4.5 1.2 0.2

Oregon 132 298 10.4 7.9 0.9 19.3 6.5 1.0

Pennsylvania 516 1,172 18.6 3.6 1.6 37.1 3.2 2.0

Rhode Island 40 94 5.3 13.1 0.5 8.1 8.6 0.4

South Carolina 140 376 0.5 0.4 0.0 1.1 0.3 0.1

South Dakota 19 52 0.2 0.8 0.0 0.3 0.6 0.0

Tennessee 281 669 1.8 0.6 0.2 3.6 0.5 0.2

Texas 948 2,610 162.6 17.2 14.0 256.6 9.8 13.9

Utah 44 122 2.4 5.4 0.2 3.3 2.7 0.2

Vermont 27 63 0.3 1.2 0.0 0.3 0.5 0.0

Virginia 235 562 8.1 3.4 0.7 13.9 2.5 0.8

Washington 204 497 27.3 13.4 2.4 58.2 11.7 3.2

West Virginia 123 302 0.6 0.5 0.1 0.7 0.2 0.0

Wisconsin 119 329 5.5 4.7 0.5 18.1 5.5 1.0

Wyoming 13 35 0.3 2.5 0.0 0.4 1.2 0.0

Guam 5 16 0.7 13.7 0.1 0.8 5.2 0.0

Virgin Islands 7 24 2.2 30.1 0.2 3.5 14.5 0.2

Total 10,883 26,955 1,161 - 100.0 1,844 - 100.0

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

Average FSP Unit Size = 2.5

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.
TABLE III.4

DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS TO ALL ALIEN FSP UNITS BY STATE

Benefits to Alien Units Pro-Rated* Benefits

Percent of Percent of Percent of Percent of

Total Benefits Dollars State National Alien Dollars State National Alien

($000s) (000s) Benefits Benefits (000s) Benefits Benefits

Alabama 38,480 222 0.6 0.1 102 0.3 0.1

Alaska 3,997 100 2.5 0.0 39 1.0 0.0

Arizona 35,932 5,198 14.5 2.3 2,385 6.6 1.9

Arkansas 17,338 166 1.0 0.1 106 0.6 0.1

California 206,736 66,917 32.4 29.7 34,920 16.9 27.6

Colorado 17,652 1,577 8.9 0.7 835 4.7 0.7

Connecticut 14,033 1,070 7.6 0.5 667 4.8 0.5

Delaware 3,947 85 2.2 0.0 70 1.8 0.1

Dist. of Col. 7,348 278 3.8 0.1 180 2.5 0.1

Florida 104,830 18,148 17.3 8.1 10,794 10.3 8.5

Georgia 57,299 1,145 2.0 0.5 618 1.1 0.5

Hawaii 15,540 2,477 15.9 1.1 1,540 9.9 1.2

Idaho 5,068 386 7.6 0.2 192 3.8 0.2

Illinois 83,980 5,938 7.1 2.6 3,809 4.5 3.0

Indiana 31,310 630 2.0 0.3 298 1.0 0.2

Iowa 11,627 215 1.8 0.1 187 1.6 0.1

Kansas 12,526 724 5.8 0.3 463 3.7 0.4

Kentucky 31,222 138 0.4 0.1 77 0.2 0.1

Louisiana 50,854 798 1.6 0.4 474 0.9 0.4

Maine 9,144 119 1.3 0.1 50 0.5 0.0

Maryland 31,776 1,578 5.0 0.7 1,185 3.7 0.9

Massachusetts 27,171 4,066 15.0 1.8 2,329 8.6 1.8

Michigan 68,868 2,896 4.2 1.3 1,590 2.3 1.3

Minnesota 19,557 2,570 13.1 1.1 1,854 9.5 1.5

Mississippi 32,204 110 0.3 0.0 52 0.2 0.0

Missouri 40,836 575 1.4 0.3 375 0.9 0.3

Montana 4,553 79 1.7 0.0 43 0.9 0.0

Nebraska 6,499 321 4.9 0.1 209 3.2 0.2

Nevada 8,191 644 7.9 0.3 331 4.0 0.3

New Hampshire 3,191 53 1.7 0.0 24 0.8 0.0

New Jersey 42,054 5,812 13.8 2.6 3,776 9.0 3.0

New Mexico 15,712 2,458 15.6 1.1 1,099 7.0 0.9

New York 159,169 40,526 25.5 18.0 25,974 16.3 20.5

North Carolina 41,011 716 1.7 0.3 329 0.8 0.3

North Dakota 2,525 76 3.0 0.0 39 1.6 0.0

Ohio 78,172 1,124 1.4 0.5 867 1.1 0.7

Oklahoma 26,001 592 2.3 0.3 292 1.1 0.2

Oregon 20,384 2,162 10.6 1.0 1,213 5.9 1.0

Pennsylvania 81,916 3,541 4.3 1.6 2,656 3.2 2.1

Rhode Island 6,385 1,055 16.5 0.5 552 8.7 0.4

South Carolina 25,277 230 0.9 0.1 93 0.4 0.1

South Dakota 3,387 48 1.4 0.0 26 0.8 0.0

Tennessee 45,105 299 0.7 0.1 226 0.5 0.2

Texas 190,602 37,054 19.4 16.4 16,952 8.9 13.4

Utah 7,646 407 5.3 0.2 223 2.9 0.2

Vermont 3,891 57 1.5 0.0 21 0.5 0.0

Virginia 38,193 1,487 3.9 0.7 1,120 2.9 0.9

Washington 35,232 5,650 16.0 2.5 3,668 10.4 2.9

West Virginia 19,958 140 0.7 0.1 57 0.3 0.0

Wisconsin 19,065 1,648 8.6 0.7 1,011 5.3 0.8

Wyoming 2,313 50 2.1 0.0 22 0.9 0.0

Guam 1,930 214 11.1 0.1 119 6.2 0.1

Virgin Islands 2,402 687 28.6 0.3 340 14.2 0.3

Total 1,870,039 225,257 - 100.0 126,473 - 100.0

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

Average FSP Unit Size = 2.5

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.

* Pro-rated benefits paid to persons in a given FSP unit equals the unit's total FSP benefits multiplied by

 the ratio of the number of aliens to total unit size.
TABLE III.5

DISTRIBUTION OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN FSP PARTICIPANTS , UNITS BY STATE

Units with Aliens Alien Participants

Percent of Percent of Percent of Percent of 

All Units All Participants Number All National Number All State National Alien

(000s) (000s) (000s) State Units Alien Units (000s) Participants Participants

Alabama 209 542 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.8 0.1 0.1

Alaska 15 45 0.4 2.6 0.0 0.5 1.1 0.0

Arizona 178 508 23.7 13.3 2.5 34.7 6.8 2.5

Arkansas 107 271 0.5 0.5 0.1 0.7 0.3 0.1

California 1,176 3,266 284.0 24.2 29.6 426.9 13.1 30.2

Colorado 103 248 6.6 6.4 0.7 10.5 4.3 0.7

Connecticut 100 238 5.8 5.8 0.6 8.7 3.7 0.6

Delaware 21 52 0.3 1.6 0.0 0.5 1.0 0.0

Dist. of Col. 43 98 1.5 3.5 0.2 1.9 2.0 0.1

Florida 588 1,425 94.0 16.0 9.8 125.6 8.8 8.9

Georgia 329 809 4.3 1.3 0.4 5.6 0.7 0.4

Hawaii 55 130 7.1 12.9 0.7 10.6 8.1 0.7

Idaho 30 79 1.6 5.2 0.2 2.3 2.9 0.2

Illinois 488 1,130 26.2 5.4 2.7 38.0 3.4 2.7

Indiana 183 464 2.0 1.1 0.2 2.2 0.5 0.2

Iowa 75 187 0.7 1.0 0.1 1.5 0.8 0.1

Kansas 75 192 2.2 3.0 0.2 3.9 2.0 0.3

Kentucky 187 488 0.6 0.3 0.1 0.8 0.2 0.1

Louisiana 267 724 3.3 1.3 0.3 5.4 0.7 0.4

Maine 60 129 0.5 0.9 0.1 0.6 0.4 0.0

Maryland 169 410 8.0 4.7 0.8 12.8 3.1 0.9

Massachusetts 178 429 19.5 10.9 2.0 29.9 7.0 2.1

Michigan 418 985 8.6 2.1 0.9 13.4 1.4 1.0

Minnesota 131 316 3.5 2.7 0.4 5.3 1.7 0.4

Mississippi 185 489 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.3 0.1 0.0

Missouri 237 592 2.6 1.1 0.3 4.6 0.8 0.3

Montana 28 71 0.3 0.9 0.0 0.4 0.5 0.0

Nebraska 43 106 0.6 1.4 0.1 0.9 0.8 0.1

Nevada 46 109 3.0 6.4 0.3 3.9 3.5 0.3

New Hampshire 25 58 0.5 1.8 0.0 0.6 1.0 0.0

New Jersey 234 557 26.5 11.3 2.8 41.4 7.4 2.9

New Mexico 87 241 9.8 11.3 1.0 15.2 6.3 1.1

New York 1,027 2,137 188.1 18.3 19.6 251.0 11.7 17.8

North Carolina 258 614 2.5 1.0 0.3 3.8 0.6 0.3

North Dakota 17 41 0.1 0.9 0.0 0.2 0.5 0.0

Ohio 506 1,170 6.7 1.3 0.7 11.9 1.0 0.8

Oklahoma 153 384 2.4 1.6 0.2 3.6 0.9 0.3

Oregon 132 298 7.1 5.4 0.7 11.7 3.9 0.8

Pennsylvania 516 1,172 10.4 2.0 1.1 22.9 2.0 1.6

Rhode Island 40 94 4.6 11.4 0.5 6.9 7.3 0.5

South Carolina 140 376 0.4 0.3 0.0 0.6 0.2 0.0

South Dakota 19 52 0.1 0.5 0.0 0.3 0.5 0.0

Tennessee 281 669 0.9 0.3 0.1 1.5 0.2 0.1

Texas 948 2,610 156.9 16.6 16.4 245.2 9.4 17.3

Utah 44 122 1.9 4.2 0.2 2.4 2.0 0.2

Vermont 27 63 0.2 0.8 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.0

Virginia 235 562 6.4 2.7 0.7 9.2 1.6 0.7

Washington 204 497 13.5 6.6 1.4 19.0 3.8 1.3

West Virginia 123 302 0.5 0.4 0.0 0.6 0.2 0.0

Wisconsin 119 329 2.9 2.4 0.3 7.4 2.3 0.5

Wyoming 13 35 0.3 2.3 0.0 0.4 1.1 0.0

Guam 5 16 0.7 13.7 0.1 0.8 5.2 0.1

Virgin Islands 7 24 2.2 30.1 0.2 3.5 14.6 0.2

Total 10,883 26,955 958 - 100.0 1,414 - 100.0

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

Average FSP Unit Size = 2.5

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.
TABLE III.6

DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS TO PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN UNITS BY STATE

Benefits to Alien Units Pro-Rated* Benefits

Percent of Percent of Percent of Percent of

Total Benefits Dollars State National Alien Dollars State National Alien

($000s) (000s) Benefits Benefits (000s) Benefits Benefits

Alabama 38,480 159 0.4 0.1 49 0.1 0.1

Alaska 3,997 84 2.1 0.0 29 0.7 0.0

Arizona 35,932 5,081 14.1 2.7 2,303 6.4 2.4

Arkansas 17,338 100 0.6 0.1 57 0.3 0.1

California 206,736 56,685 27.4 30.2 26,718 12.9 27.7

Colorado 17,652 1,320 7.5 0.7 665 3.8 0.7

Connecticut 14,033 910 6.5 0.5 519 3.7 0.5

Delaware 3,947 52 1.3 0.0 37 0.9 0.0

Dist. of Col. 7,348 237 3.2 0.1 153 2.1 0.2

Florida 104,830 15,605 14.9 8.3 8,983 8.6 9.3

Georgia 57,299 813 1.4 0.4 424 0.7 0.4

Hawaii 15,540 1,922 12.4 1.0 1,260 8.1 1.3

Idaho 5,068 308 6.1 0.2 116 2.3 0.1

Illinois 83,980 4,695 5.6 2.5 2,822 3.4 2.9

Indiana 31,310 479 1.5 0.3 188 0.6 0.2

Iowa 11,627 93 0.8 0.0 75 0.6 0.1

Kansas 12,526 503 4.0 0.3 245 2.0 0.3

Kentucky 31,222 85 0.3 0.0 37 0.1 0.0

Louisiana 50,854 646 1.3 0.3 377 0.7 0.4

Maine 9,144 66 0.7 0.0 28 0.3 0.0

Maryland 31,776 1,207 3.8 0.6 895 2.8 0.9

Massachusetts 27,171 3,327 12.2 1.8 1,800 6.6 1.9

Michigan 68,868 2,097 3.0 1.1 905 1.3 0.9

Minnesota 19,557 551 2.8 0.3 332 1.7 0.3

Mississippi 32,204 60 0.2 0.0 29 0.1 0.0

Missouri 40,836 531 1.3 0.3 331 0.8 0.3

Montana 4,553 44 1.0 0.0 21 0.5 0.0

Nebraska 6,499 140 2.2 0.1 64 1.0 0.1

Nevada 8,191 576 7.0 0.3 264 3.2 0.3

New Hampshire 3,191 30 1.0 0.0 17 0.5 0.0

New Jersey 42,054 5,048 12.0 2.7 3,208 7.6 3.3

New Mexico 15,712 2,218 14.1 1.2 923 5.9 1.0

New York 159,169 33,662 21.1 17.9 19,590 12.3 20.3

North Carolina 41,011 504 1.2 0.3 246 0.6 0.3

North Dakota 2,525 39 1.6 0.0 16 0.6 0.0

Ohio 78,172 916 1.2 0.5 659 0.8 0.7

Oklahoma 26,001 436 1.7 0.2 225 0.9 0.2

Oregon 20,384 1,414 6.9 0.8 683 3.3 0.7

Pennsylvania 81,916 2,214 2.7 1.2 1,654 2.0 1.7

Rhode Island 6,385 942 14.8 0.5 467 7.3 0.5

South Carolina 25,277 191 0.8 0.1 55 0.2 0.1

South Dakota 3,387 30 0.9 0.0 21 0.6 0.0

Tennessee 45,105 111 0.2 0.1 104 0.2 0.1

Texas 190,602 35,840 18.8 19.1 15,983 8.4 16.5

Utah 7,646 335 4.4 0.2 160 2.1 0.2

Vermont 3,891 39 1.0 0.0 11 0.3 0.0

Virginia 38,193 993 2.6 0.5 734 1.9 0.8

Washington 35,232 2,534 7.2 1.4 1,208 3.4 1.3

West Virginia 19,958 92 0.5 0.0 45 0.2 0.0

Wisconsin 19,065 714 3.7 0.4 385 2.0 0.4

Wyoming 2,313 46 2.0 0.0 20 0.9 0.0

Guam 1,930 214 11.1 0.1 119 6.2 0.1

Virgin Islands 2,402 687 28.6 0.4 340 14.2 0.4

Total 1,870,039 187,626 - 100.0 96,600 - 100.0

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

Average FSP Unit Size = 2.5

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.

* Pro-rated benefits paid to persons in a given FSP unit equals the unit's total FSP benefits multiplied by

 the ratio of the number of permanent resident aliens to total unit size.
TABLE III.7

AVERAGE BENEFITS AND CERTIFICATION PERIOD FOR UNITS WITH

PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS FOR SELECTED STATES

Average

Average Benefit Certification

State Per Unit ($) Period (Months)

California 200 12

Florida 166 8

New York 179 10

Texas 228 7

All Other States 195 10

Total, All States 196 10

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.
37

Under PRWORA, permanent resident aliens become ineligible either at their recertification or

one year after the date of enactment of PRWORA, whichever is first. On average, units with

permanent resident aliens have 10 month certification periods (Table III.8). Fifty-five percent of units

with permanent resident aliens have certification periods that are between 10 and 12 months long; 22

percent have certification periods that are between four and six months long. Also, units with

permanent resident aliens have, on average, about five months left in their certification period. About

3.5 percent (33 million) of all units with aliens are new applicants to the FSP.

D. CHARACTERISTICS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS AND THEIR UNITS

This section describes the characteristics of the aliens made ineligible for the FSP by PRWORA.

It examines demographic, unit composition and income characteristics.

1. Demographic Characteristics

The majority (64 percent) of permanent resident aliens receiving food stamps are female. The

average age of permanent resident alien FSP participants is 36. Seventeen percent of all permanent

resident aliens are children (younger than 18), one percent are younger than five, and another 17

percent are elderly (60 or older). The majority (54 percent) of permanent resident aliens are Hispanic,

and another 20 percent are Asian (Table III.9). Fourteen percent of permanent resident aliens are

white and eight percent are African-American.

2. Unit Composition

The majority (64 percent) of units with permanent resident aliens contain a mix of both

permanent resident aliens and U.S. citizens (Table III.10). Of these “mixed” units, 58 percent contain

a single adult with children. Multiple adults with children account for another 36 percent of mixed
TABLE III.8

DISTRIBUTION OF FSP PARTICIPANTS AND UNITS WITH PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS BY

WHETHER THEY ARE NEW APPLICANTS, LENGTH OF CERTIFICATION PERIOD,

AND MONTHS LEFT IN CERTIFICATION PERIOD

Units With Aliens Aliens

Number Number

(000s) Percent (000s) Percent

New Applicants 33 3.5 51 3.6

Months in Certification Period

1-3 66 6.9 102 7.2

4-6 214 22.4 319 22.6

7-9 63 6.6 95 6.7

10-12 529 55.3 763 53.9

13+ 82 8.6 130 9.2

Unknown 3 0.3 5 0.4

Total 958 100.0 1,414 100.0

Mean 10 - 10 -

Median 12 - 9 -

Months Left in Certification Period

0 93 9.7 141 10.0

1-3 299 31.2 447 31.6

4-6 249 26.0 369 26.1

7-9 173 18.1 244 17.3

10-12 132 13.8 196 13.8

13+ 11 1.1 16 1.1

Unknown 1 0.1 1 0.1

Total 958 100.0 1,414 100.0

Mean 5 - 5 -

Median 4 - 4 -

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.
TABLE III.9

AGE, GENDER AND RACE OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN

 FSP PARTICIPANTS

Demographic Characteristic

Number

(000s) Percent

Age

0 - 4 15 1.1

5 - 17 230 16.3

18 - 59 934 66.0

60+ 235 16.6

Total 1,414 100.0

Average Age 36 -

Gender

Male 515 36.4

Female 899 63.6

Total 1,414 100.0

Race/Ethnicity

White 196 13.8

African-American 117 8.3

Hispanic 767 54.3

Asian 280 19.8

Unknown Ethnicity 54 3.8

Total 1,414 100.0

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.
TABLE III.10

DISTRIBUTION OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN FSP UNITS BY WHETHER THE UNIT IS COMPOSED 

ENTIRELY OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS ("PURE") OR A MIX OF PERMANENT RESIDENT

ALIENS AND OTHERS ("MIXED")

All FSP Units Permanent Resident Alien Units

Number Number Percent of Percent of

Unit Composition (000s) Percent (000s) Subtotal Total

All Units

Single Adult, No Children 3,748 34.4 227 - 23.7

Multiple Adults, No Children 643 5.9 94 - 9.9

Single Adult, with Children 4,532 41.6 372 - 38.8

Multiple Adults, with Children 1,629 15.0 257 - 26.8

Children Only 331 3.0 7 - 0.8

Total 10,883 100.0 958 - 100.0

Pure PR Units 346 - 36.1

Mixed PR Units 612 - 63.9

Total 958 - 100.0

Pure Permanent Resident Alien Units

Single Adult, No Children 227 - 65.8

Multiple Adults, No Children 62 - 18.1

Single Adult, with Children 18 - 5.1

Multiple Adults, with Children 34 - 9.8

Children Only 4 - 1.2

Total 346 - 100.0

Mixed Permanent Resident Alien Units

Single Adult, No Children 0 0.0 0.0

Multiple Adults, No Children

Married couple 20 62.6 3.3

PR head with citizen adult child 5 15.5 0.8

Citizen head with PR adult child 1 4.6 0.2

Other 6 17.3 0.9

Subtotal 32 100.0 5.2

Single Adult, with Children

PR head with citizen child 308 86.9 50.3

PR head with citizen child and PR child 34 9.6 5.6

Other 12 3.4 2.0

Subtotal 354 100.0 57.9

Multiple Adults, with Children, No Other Relatives

Married couple (citizen and PR) with citizen child 85 39.2 13.8

Married couple (both PRs) with citizen child 64 29.8 10.5

Married couple (both PRs) with citizen child and PR child 31 14.4 5.1

Other 36 16.5 5.8

Subtotal 216 100.0 35.2

Multiple Adults, with Children, Other Relatives Present

Married couple (both PRs) with citizen child, other relative 2 29.0 0.3

Citizen head, citizen child, PR other relative 2 27.0 0.3

PR head, citizen child, PR other relative 1 15.9 0.2

Other 2 28.0 0.3

Subtotal 7 100.0 1.1

Children Only 3 - 0.6

Total 612 - 100.0

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: PR = permanent resident alien

 All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.
41

units. Half of all mixed units are a single permanent resident alien parent living with a citizen child.

Only 1 percent of permanent resident alien units with children contain other relatives. Fifty-five

percent of all units with permanent resident aliens contain children that are U.S. citizens. Thirty-six

percent of all units with permanent resident aliens contain only permanent resident aliens (Table

III.10). Of these “pure” units, 66 percent contain a single adult with no children. Approximately 84

percent of pure units have no children in the unit.

The average size of units with permanent resident aliens is 3.0. Twenty-six percent of all units

with permanent resident aliens contain a married couple with children, while 41 percent contain a

single parent with children. Sixty-six percent of all units with permanent resident aliens have children

in the unit and 38 percent have pre-school age children (Table III.11).

Twenty-two percent of units with permanent resident aliens have an elderly member, nine percent

have a disabled member, and 24 percent have either an elderly or a disabled member (Table III.11).

Most (71 percent) adult permanent resident aliens are not employed; six percent are classified as

unemployed; and 19 percent are employed. 

3. Income Characteristics

Almost one-third (30 percent) of all permanent resident alien units have earned income (Table

III.12). The average monthly value of the earned income is $747. Eighty-eight percent of all

permanent resident alien units have unearned income. The average monthly value of the unearned

income to these units is $457. Forty percent of permanent resident alien units receive AFDC income,

and 49 percent receive either AFDC or General Assistance (GA) income. The average monthly AFDC

benefit received is $513. SSI income is received in 21 percent of the units with permanent resident

aliens. The average monthly SSI benefit is $432.
TABLE III.11

SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF FSP UNITS WITH PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS AND DISTRIBUTION OF PERMANENT

RESIDENT ALIEN FSP PARTICIPANTS BY EDUCATION LEVEL AND EMPLOYMENT STATUS

Average

Gross Income 

Number Gross Monthly as a Percent Net Monthly Monthly FSP

Demographic Characteristic (000s) Percent Income ($) of Poverty Income ($) Benefit

Unit Size

1 230 24.0 406 66.0 179 87

2 209 21.9 551 67.1 308 139

3 184 19.2 632 61.4 353 215

4 167 17.4 811 65.7 482 255

5 83 8.7 929 64.5 576 297

6+ 85 8.9 1,086 61.6 792 374

Total 958 100.0 662 61.9 353 172

Unit Composition

Units with Preschool-Aged Children (Age 0-4) 362 37.8 617 53.9 385 243

Units with Children Age 5 to 17 485 50.6 679 57.6 435 247

Total Units with Children 636 66.4 628 56.2 394 233

Units with Elderly 212 22.1 558 81.5 327 68

Units with Disabled 87 9.1 655 78.3 421 105

Units with Elderly or Disabled 226 23.6 585 78.7 350 87

Education Level of All Adult (Age>=18) Permanent Resident Aliens

None 36 3.1 727 59.1 444 229

Grades 1-8 112 9.5 751 64.5 463 202

Grades 9-11 65 5.5 679 57.3 376 244

HS Graduate or GED 79 6.7 659 58.5 368 222

Some College, Incl. Graduate of 2 Year College 29 2.5 500 47.2 246 198

College Graduate 9 0.8 820 75.4 400 197

Unknown 839 71.8 645 62.6 340 200

Total 1,169 100.0 689 61.4 384 222

Employment Status of All Adult (Age>=18) Permanent Resident Aliens

Employed, Full Time 83 7.1 1,142 86.1 702 217

Employed, Part Time 104 8.9 785 70.1 431 201

Employed, Hours Unspecified 22 1.9 678 62.8 313 233

Primarily Self Employed, Non Farming 12 1.0 705 61.2 339 260

Employed, Other 1 0.1 1,050 74.9 706 258

Unemployed 73 6.2 553 49.5 319 227

Not Employed 824 70.5 608 59.2 326 203

Unknown 3 0.3 415 45.1 117 195

Missing 45 3.9 538 65.3 217 156

Total 1,169 100.0 689 61.4 384 222

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.
TABLE III.12

AVERAGE* MONTHLY INCOME CHARACTERISTICS OF FSP UNITS WITH 

PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS

Income Source

Units with

Income Source

(000s)

Percent of

Units

Average Monthly

Value ($)

Earned Income 285 29.7 747

Wage Income 256 26.8 781

Self Employment Income 18 1.9 352

Other Earned Income 13 1.4 446

Unearned Income 840 87.7 457

AFDC Income 383 40.0 513

GA Income 88 9.2 320

AFDC or GA 468 48.9 480

SSI Income 199 20.7 432

Social Security Income 79 8.2 433

Unemployment Compensation 38 4.0 520

Child Support 18 1.9 139

Income Deemed from Sponsor 0.2 0.0 120

Other 191 19.9 90

No Income 59 6.2 -

Total Units with Permanent Resident Aliens = 958

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.

* Averages are for those units with reported income in each category.
44

In California, a state with 30 percent of the permanent resident alien FSP units, 65 percent of

permanent resident alien units have AFDC income (Table III.13). This compares with 42 percent in

New York, 23 percent in Florida and 12 percent in Texas. In Texas, 57 percent of the permanent

resident aliens have some earned income, compared with 30 percent for the nation as a whole.

The majority (71 percent) of units with permanent resident aliens have gross income under 75

percent of the poverty level (Table III.14). Ninety-two percent of permanent resident alien units have

gross income under 100 percent of the poverty level. A substantial number of permanent resident

alien units (78 percent) have no reported assets (Table III.15). This is consistent with all food stamp

units; 76 percent of all units have no reported assets. Of the permanent resident alien units with

reported assets, 72 percent have assets of $500 or less. 
TABLE III.13

DISTRIBUTION OF PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIEN UNITS WITH INCOME FROM AFDC,

INCOME FROM SSI, AND EARNED INCOME BY SELECTED STATES

AFDC Income SSI Income Earned Income

Percent of Percent of State Percent of Percent of State Percent of Percent of State

Number Units with Perm. Res. Number Units with Perm. Res. Number Units with Perm. Res.

State (000s) AFDC Income Alien Units (000s) SSI Income Alien Units (000s) Earned Income Alien Units

California 186 48.4 65.4 0 0.0 0.0 92 32.4 32.4

Florida 22 5.7 23.2 46 23.3 49.3 19 6.8 20.7

New York 79 20.5 41.8 53 26.4 27.9 27 9.5 14.3

Texas 19 5.0 12.2 26 12.9 16.3 89 31.4 57.0

All Other States 78 20.4 15.1 74 37.4 14.3 57 19.9 10.9

Total 383 100.0 40.0 199 100.0 20.7 285 100.0 29.7

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.
TABLE III.14

DISTRIBUTION OF UNITS BY GROSS INCOME AS A PERCENT OF POVERTY FOR 

ALL UNITS AND UNITS WITH PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS

All FSP Units Units with Aliens

Gross Income as a Cumulative Cumulative

Percent of Poverty Number Percent Percent Number Percent Percent

0-10 1,176 10.8 10.8 63 6.6 6.6

11-25 789 7.3 18.1 37 3.9 10.5

26-50 2,613 24.0 42.1 181 18.9 29.4

51-75 2,952 27.1 69.2 395 41.2 70.6

76-100 2,426 22.3 91.5 202 21.1 91.8

101-115 587 5.4 96.9 45 4.7 96.4

116-130 286 2.6 99.5 29 3.0 99.5

>130 54 0.5 100.0 5 0.5 100.0

Total 10,883 100.0 - 958 100.0 -

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.

* Poverty equals FSP net income screen.
TABLE III.15

DISTRIBUTION OF UNITS BY VALUE OF UNIT ASSETS FOR ALL UNITS

AND UNITS WITH PERMANENT RESIDENT ALIENS

All FSP Units Units with Aliens

Cumulative Cumulative

Unit Assets Number Percent Percent Number Percent Percent

0 8,295 76.2 76.2 745 77.8 77.8

1-100 1,173 10.8 87.0 79 8.2 86.0

101-200 294 2.7 89.7 25 2.6 88.6

201-300 200 1.8 91.5 21 2.2 90.7

301-400 152 1.4 92.9 18 1.8 92.6

401-500 144 1.3 94.3 10 1.1 93.6

501-1,000 340 3.1 97.4 36 3.7 97.4

1,001-1,500 137 1.3 98.6 10 1.1 98.4

1,501-2,000 86 0.8 99.4 11 1.1 99.6

2,001-3,000 29 0.3 99.7 1 0.1 99.7

3,001+ 4 0.0 99.7 0 0.0 99.7

Missing 28 0.3 100.0 3 0.3 100.0

Total 10,883 100.0 - 958 100.0 -

Average Permanent Resident Unit Size = 3.0

SOURCE: Fiscal Year 1995 QC Database

NOTE: All estimates reflect an average month in 1995.