USDA has confirmed that SNAP benefits have increased after the 2025 COLA in the 48 contiguous States, the District of Columbia, Alaska, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
However, SNAP benefits have decreased in Hawaii. So, it can make Food Stamp recipients feel a small COLA boost is not that bad after all. For example, a family of 4 can now receive $975, up from $973.
Upcoming SNAP payment dates with the 2025 COLA increase
While some States have sent all the monthly payments to all the eligible recipients, others will continue sending Food Stamps for over 3 weeks. Take for example Texas and Florida. They will issue SNAP payments through October 28. See the full list below in alphabetical order.
Alabama: October 4 to 23
Arizona: October 1 to 13
Arkansas: October 4 to 13
California: October 1 to 10
Colorado: October 1 to 10
Delaware: October 2 to 23
Florida: October 1 to 28
Georgia: October 5 to 23
Idaho: October 1 to 10
Illinois: October 1 to 10
Indiana: October 5 to 23
Iowa: October 1 to 10
Kansas: October 1 to 10
Kentucky: October 1 to 19
Louisiana: October 1 to 23
Maine: October 10 to 14
Maryland: October 4 to 23
Massachusetts: October 1 to 14
Michigan: October 3 to 21
Minnesota: October 4 to 13
Mississippi: October 4 to 21
Missouri: October 1 to 22
Montana: October 2 to 6
Nevada: October 1 to 10
New Mexico: October 1 to 20
New York: October 1 to 9
North Carolina: October 3 to 21
Ohio: October 2 to 20
Oklahoma: October 1 to 10
Oregon: October 1 to 9
Pennsylvania: Over the first ten business days
South Carolina: October 1 to 10
South Dakota: October 10
Tennessee: October 1 to 20
Texas: October 1 to 28
Utah: October 5, 11 and 15
Virginia: October 1 to 7
Washington: October 1 to 20
West Virginia: October 1 to 9
Wisconsin: October 1 to 15
Guam: October 1 to 10
Puerto Rico: October 4 to 22
The District of Columbia: October 1 to 10
Highest SNAP payments in the United States after COLA
The States and U.S. territories with the highest SNAP payments after COLA are Alaska, Hawaii (even if they got a reduction), Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. But from all these places, Alaska will send the highest Food Stamp payments in 2024 and 2025.
This is because they have higher inflation due to the special conditions they have there. For instance, the transportation costs to bring goods from other parts from the USA make goods and service prices go up. Somehow it is a remote location. Extreme weather conditions may also result in higher energy costs.
As a result, they have three different maximum payment amounts after COLA depending on the area where you live. They are known as Urban, Rural 1, or Rural 2. A family of 4 could get up to $1,953 if living in Rural 2 and up to $1,258 in an urban area of Alaska.