Grocery prices nationwide rose 1.8 percent between September 2025 and September 2026, while overall consumer prices rose 3.7 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission show that the number of people receiving benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, in Maverick County fell from 16,274 in September 2025 to 14,001 in September 2026. That is a drop of 2,273 recipients, or about 13.97 percent. The number of children under 18 receiving benefits fell by 1,159, the number of households fell by 728, and monthly benefits paid locally fell by more than $354,000.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 21.8 percent of Maverick County residents live below the poverty level, and the median household income was about $49,568 for 2020 through 2024. The county's unemployment rate was about 6.2 percent in September 2026, or an estimated 1,538 residents. The report cites changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law July 4, 2025, including expanded work requirements for certain SNAP recipients, as one possible factor in the decline.