Skip to main content

PantryPath Research · Summer EBT Atlas

SUN Bucks in Massachusetts

Automatic enrollment

Massachusetts is issuing Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) for the 2025 plan year. We estimate 266,075 children qualify, unlocking roughly $31.9M in federal grocery dollars for families this summer.

Auto-enrollment via SNAP/TAFDC.

266K

Eligible children (≤185% FPL)

27.1%

Eligibility share (5–17)

$31.9M

Dollars flowing in

14

Counties

Massachusetts by county

← Back to national atlas

Toggle between eligible-child counts, eligibility share, and benefit dollars flowing into each county. Hover a county for its exact value.

Loading county map…

Fewer
More

Massachusetts at a glance

Participation

Yes

Automatic enrollment

Eligible children

266K

Est. ≤185% FPL

Eligibility share

27.1%

Eligible / 5–17

Dollars flowing

$31.9M

$120 × eligible

Dollars forfeited

—

$120 × eligible

5–17 in poverty

121K

SAIPE ≤100% FPL

County-level hotspots

Top five counties across 14 counties in Massachusetts.

Most eligible children

Est. ≤185% FPL

  1. 1 Suffolk County 40K
  2. 2 Hampden County 39K
  3. 3 Middlesex County 37K
  4. 4 Essex County 35K
  5. 5 Bristol County 35K

Highest eligibility share

Eligible / 5–17 universe

  1. 1 Hampden County 56.4%
  2. 2 Suffolk County 47.6%
  3. 3 Bristol County 39.4%
  4. 4 Berkshire County 33.2%
  5. 5 Franklin County 28.7%

Largest dollars flowing in

$120 × eligible

  1. 1 Suffolk County $4.8M
  2. 2 Hampden County $4.7M
  3. 3 Middlesex County $4.5M
  4. 4 Essex County $4.2M
  5. 5 Bristol County $4.1M

Every county in Massachusetts

All 14 counties with Summer EBT eligibility estimates and dollars at stake.

County 5–17 in poverty Eligible (≤185% FPL) Eligibility share Dollars flowing
Barnstable County 2,680 5,896 24.9% $708K
Berkshire County 2,216 4,875 33.2% $585K
Bristol County 15,683 34,503 39.4% $4.1M
Dukes County 289 636 23.7% $76K
Essex County 15,807 34,775 28.5% $4.2M
Franklin County 1,121 2,466 28.7% $296K
Hampden County 17,777 39,109 56.4% $4.7M
Hampshire County 1,759 3,870 22.5% $464K
Middlesex County 16,984 37,365 16.2% $4.5M
Nantucket County 125 275 13.2% $33K
Norfolk County 6,972 15,338 14.0% $1.8M
Plymouth County 6,430 14,146 17.6% $1.7M
Suffolk County 18,055 39,721 47.6% $4.8M
Worcester County 15,045 33,099 25.6% $4.0M

Free summer meals in Massachusetts

USDA's Summer Food Service Program runs free meal sites at schools, libraries, and parks. Open to any child 18 and under, no ID or income verification required.

Find summer meal sites

School-year free meals

Free and reduced-price National School Lunch and Breakfast programs — eligibility automatically qualifies kids for Summer EBT in participating states.

School meals guide

Massachusetts SNAP

SNAP enrollment often triggers automatic Summer EBT eligibility. State-specific application guide and benefit amounts.

Massachusetts SNAP guide

Families with children

Our population-specific guide: SNAP, WIC, Summer EBT, school meals, and pantry programs for families with kids in Massachusetts.

Full families guide

Find a food pantry

Search Massachusetts's verified pantries — many offer backpack programs, summer box distributions, and family-sized groceries during the summer months.

Massachusetts food pantries