If things get worse and unemployment starts to tick up, then more Americans might be forced to rely on state support to make ends meet.

But what's the current picture? How many families in the country are already in need of benefits?

This map, via Visual Capitalist's Pallavi Rao, shows the share of households in each state that reported receiving cash public assistance (also known as TANF, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) or food assistance (also known as SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in 2023.

Ranked: U.S. Households on Welfare by State

Puerto Rico stands out with 47% of households receiving assistance.

This reflects sustained economic challenges and unique territorial program structures.