Budget & Tax, Law & Principles

Oklahoma’s food-stamp numbers spark questions about fraud

November 17, 2025

Jonathan Small

Is the food-stamp program in Oklahoma plagued by a significant level of fraud? There’s reason to believe that may be the case.

Public data show that 11.6 percent of Oklahomans live in poverty, but the share on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or “food stamps”) is around 17 percent. 

That means the share of Oklahomans on food stamps is nearly 50 percent higher than the poverty rate.

The 5.4 percentage-point gap between Oklahoma’s poverty rate and SNAP-participation rate is larger than the gap in all but two other states. In most states, the share of those receiving SNAP benefits is comparable to that of those living in poverty, and in many cases, the SNAP rate is actually lower. 

That makes sense, since SNAP benefits are supposed to help pay for food for the poor, and that’s the pattern for most states in our immediate region as well as nationwide. 

In Texas, 14.3 percent of people live in poverty, but just 10 percent receive SNAP subsidies. 

In Arkansas, 13.6 percent live in poverty, but only 8 percent are on SNAP. 

In Louisiana, the poverty rate is 17.7 percent, and 18 percent receive food stamps. 

In Missouri, 10 percent of people live in poverty, and 11 percent are on SNAP. 

In Kansas, 9.1 percent live in poverty, but just 6 percent are in SNAP. 

Those figures prompt a reasonable question: Why does Oklahoma’s rate for SNAP participation far outpace our poverty rate? It’s reasonable to wonder if fraud or sloppy income-validation issues are to blame.

Potential fraud could take several forms. The most obvious would involve people being allowed into the food-stamp program without verifying that they qualify. But it can also occur when people initially qualify but remain on the rolls after their income increases. 

There are monetary reasons some individuals may seek food-stamp benefits, other than a desire for free food. Nationally, individuals have been caught selling their benefit cards to others, receiving perhaps $1 to $2 in cash for every $4 in benefits sold, for example.

Nationally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that 11.7 percent of SNAP benefits, amounting to approximately $10.5 billion, were paid out improperly in fiscal year 2023.

Under a new federal law, states with significant improper food-stamp payments are financially penalized. Oklahoma’s current error rate could translate into an increased state cost of nearly $226 million annually.

That’s why Oklahoma policymakers should initiate a thorough investigation into our state’s SNAP program to ensure the program is benefiting the truly needy. Any dollar that goes to someone who does not qualify makes it harder to serve those who honestly need the program. 

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