Recent WIC Participation
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) regularly publishes data on WIC eligibility, participation, and coverage. Because of data sources used to estimate coverage rates, the most recent data available is from 2020, whereas the most recent participation data are available from 2022.
In 2022, an average of 6.3 million participants were served by WIC every month. WIC is a critical community support; redemption of WIC foods infused $3.8 billion into local economies in 2022. Despite an overall modest increase in participation since the beginning of the pandemic, WIC is still reaching too few eligible people. The WIC CIAO Project aims to ensure that WIC reaches all eligible families.
Trends in Rate of Participation Among
Eligible Individuals (Coverage Rate)
The below trend data are found in the National and State Level Estimates of WIC Eligibility and Program Reach in 2020.
Trends in Participation and Coverage
Rate by Race and Ethnicity
The below trend data are found in the National and State Level Estimates of WIC Eligibility and Program Reach in 2020.
Trends in Participation,
January 2020 – December 2022
The below trend data are found in the FNS WIC Data Tables.
See FRAC’s WIC During COVID-19 webpage for more information on how WIC participation in your area compares to others.
What WIC Means to Me
“I’ve been on the WIC program for a little over two months now…Everything was on the phone, and it was super easy and everyone that I talked to was super nice, the lactation consultant, the nutritionist. It’s been really helpful.”
- WIC participant
Increasing WIC Participation
The WIC Community Innovation and Outreach Project (WIC CIAO) was created to support WIC State agencies, which include 50 geographic State agencies, the District of Columbia, 33 Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs), and five U.S. Territories that administer the Program; local WIC agencies; and nonprofit entities and organizations as they work to increase WIC awareness and participation.