,,Welfare Caseload Remains Relatively Flat in Second Quarter of 2003

Welfare Caseload Remains Relatively Flat in Second Quarter of 2003


 

Publication Date: October 2003

Publisher: Center for Law and Social Policy

Author(s): Mark Greenberg; Elise Richer; Hedieh Rahmanou

Research Area: Social conditions

Type: Report

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

CLASP has collected the most recent welfare caseload data available through June 2003 from 49 states and the District of Columbia (data from Maine are unavailable). Welfare caseloads remained essentially flat in the U.S. between March and June 2003; for 40 states, the June 2003 caseload was within 3 percent of the March caseload. The caseload total for the 49 states and the District of Columbia decreased 0.1 percent between March and June. Over the past year (June 2002-June 2003), the overall caseload (excluding Maine) rose by 0.3 percent. The national welfare caseload has declined each year since 1997. However, the rate of decline has steadily slowed, and now the national caseload appears essentially flat. This new analysis also notes the sharp contrast between flattening welfare caseloads and rising food stamp caseloads between 2001 and 2003.

A PDF of the spreadsheet data is included as a supplementary file.