The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are about to begin rolling out in dozens of states, and Texas has one of the largest programs in the country, with nearly 3.4 million working-class households needing this important help to make ends meet.
SNAP benefits (or food stamps), while administered locally by state agencies and organizations, are federally funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), so the guidelines, from the maximum allocable amounts to eligibility requirements, are outlined by the USDA in Washington.
SNAP benefits in Texas: July calendar begins
What states have the power to decide is the payment schedule: Texas is one of the states with the largest populations, and its schedule runs from the 1st to the 28th of each month.
There are two groups of beneficiaries: those certified before June 1, 2020 (between the 15th and 28th of each month), and those certified after that date (between the 1st and 15th of each month). Payments are based on the last digit of the Eligibility Determination Group (EDG) number:
For the first 15 days of July, these are the dates:
- EDGE ending in 0: July 1
- EDGE ending in 1: July 3
- EDGE ending in 2: July 5
- EDGE ending in 3: July 6
- EDGE ending in 4: July 7
- EDGE ending in 5: July 9
- EDGE ending in 6: July 11
- EDGE ending in 7: July 12
- EDGE ending in 8: July 13
- EDGE ending in 9: 15 July
Maximum SNAP payments in Texas
The maximum SNAP payments for 2025, for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia, including Texas, are as follows:
- 1 person: $292
- 2 people: $536
- 3 people: $768
- 4 people: $975
- 5 people: $1,158
- 6 people: $1,390
- 7 people: $1,536
- 8 people: $1,756
- Each additional member beyond the 8 members adds $220 to the maximum allocable amount.
The estimated average household payment in 2025 is approximately $355, based on an average benefit of $187 per person and an average household size of 1.9 people.
Requirements you must comply with to be eligible for food stamps
To be eligible, households must meet income limits: monthly gross income up to 130% of the federal poverty level and net income up to 100%. For example, a one-person household can have gross income up to $1,632 and net income up to $1,255.
Countable resources must not exceed $3,000, or $4,500 if there is a member over 60 or with a disability. You must also be a U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen, and in some cases, meet work requirements.
In fact, in Texas, SNAP recipients in the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) category must meet certain requirements, such as seeking work, working in a Texas-approved program, or being enrolled in an accredited job training or study program.
We always recommend contacting your local Texas Health and Human Services office for guidance on the application requirements and processes, as well as the recertification frequency (verification that you remain eligible over time) you must meet.