Why are SNAP benefits being reduced?

In 2022, the USDA updated how it calculates food costs for Hawaiʻi and Alaska. The new analysis determined that prior estimates for Hawai‘i were too high, and the USDA began incrementally cutting Hawai‘i’s monthly allotments. These cuts started in October 2023 and are ongoing for 5 years.

Was this related to the federal SNAP cuts in HR1?

No, these cuts began in October of 2023. HR1—Congress’ recent budget bill—passed in July of 2025.

HRI does include other harmful restrictions to SNAP which will roll out over the next few years. The bill also ended the proposed rule change which would have included neighbor island data in the calculation of Hawaiʻi’s maximum allotments.

How much are benefits dropping?

• On average, Hawaiʻi families are seeing cuts of about $8 less per person each month.

• For a family of four, that’s about $34 less every month.

• These cuts started in October of 2023 and will increase each year for 5 years.

• By October 2027, it’s estimated that a family of 4 will be receiving $172 less per month than they received in 2022—that’s a cut of $2,060 per year.

Why does this matter?

• Every month, SNAP adds an average of $53 million to the grocery buying power of Hawaiʻi families. These cuts will harm families relying on SNAP to survive, as well as local businesses, farmers, and food producers that depend on local businesses.

• Many families in Hawaiʻi already struggle to make ends meet. SNAP benefits help fill the gap — but with less money coming in, households often have trouble affording enough food.

• Hawai‘i has the highest grocery costs in the nation. Even prior to the change, allotments often fell short of the cost of affordably priced meals.

Why didn’t other states see a reduction?

In 2021, when the USDA calculated maximum SNAP allotments for the mainland, they lacked a detailed study into Hawaiʻi’s food prices. To make up for the cost of living, they added a temporary adjustment which increased Hawaiʻi’s allotments to be ~$1,700 for a family of 4.

After doing further analysis based on Honolulu-only data, they calculated the maximum allotment to be much lower—at $1,432.40. The allotments now decrease in annual 2% increments to eventually reach that number (see chart above).

How were Hawaiʻi’s costs calculated?

The analysis uses the Thrifty Food Plan—an estimated monthly cost based on a standard list of grocery products standardized across the United States. The methodology is further detailed in this report (see page v).

Current calculations of the Thrifty Food Plan for Hawaiʻi are based off of Honolulu food prices only. This unfairly disadvantages neighbor islands, who typically have higher food costs.

Can we change the methodology to include neighbor island food cost data?

In 2024, the USDA proposed a rule change that would have allowed the inclusion of neighbor island food costs in the analysis. This change, if implemented, would result in a slightly higher maximum allotment for the state (see page v).

Many advocates from Hawaiʻi commented to support this rule change, but the process has since been paused and it is unclear if there are any plans to continue.

What can I do if my household has been impacted?

DHS encourages families to take the following steps:

• Update household information: Reporting expenses such as rent, child care and out-of-pocket medical costs may help households receive more benefits.

• Explore additional resources: Programs like DA BUX (discounts on local produce), WIC (healthy food for pregnant people, new moms, and keiki under 5), Free and Reduced-Price School Meals, and SUN Bucks (summer grocery support for keiki) can help stretch food budgets.

• Call for help: Families can contact DHS Processing Centers or dial 2-1-1 (Aloha United Way) to be connected with food resources and SNAP outreach partners in their community.