SNAP Time Limits Demand People Find Stable Work in Half the Time of the Average Unemployment Spell

Number of Weeks People Were Unemployed on Average in January 2026

Bar chart comparing average duration of unemployment to the three month SNAP time limit. SNAP time limits restrict benefits to three months out of every three years, but unemployment spells last six months on average.

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Note: Data represents duration of unemployment on average across the U.S..

Source: US Bureau of Labor StatisticsDownload image