PantryPath Research · Summer EBT Atlas
Tennessee Opted Out of Summer EBT
Opted out of 2025 plan yearTennessee is not participating in the 2025 Summer EBT plan year. We estimate 459,807 children in Tennessee would have qualified — about $55.2M in federal grocery dollars the state is leaving on the table this summer.
Opted out for 2025 plan year.
460K
Eligible children (≤185% FPL)
40.5%
Eligibility share (5–17)
$55.2M
Dollars forfeited
95
Counties
Tennessee by county
← Back to national atlasToggle between eligible-child counts, eligibility share, and benefit dollars each county is forfeiting. Hover a county for its exact value.
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Tennessee at a glance
Participation
No
Opted out of 2025 plan year
Eligible children
460K
Est. ≤185% FPL
Eligibility share
40.5%
Eligible / 5–17
Dollars flowing
—
$120 × eligible
Dollars forfeited
$55.2M
$120 × eligible
5–17 in poverty
209K
SAIPE ≤100% FPL
County-level hotspots
Top five counties across 95 counties in Tennessee.
Most eligible children
Est. ≤185% FPL
- 1 Shelby County 101K
- 2 Davidson County 39K
- 3 Knox County 25K
- 4 Hamilton County 23K
- 5 Rutherford County 17K
Highest eligibility share
Eligible / 5–17 universe
- 1 Lake County 97.9%
- 2 Hancock County 77.0%
- 3 Hardeman County 65.0%
- 4 Clay County 64.8%
- 5 Lauderdale County 64.4%
Largest dollars forfeited
$120 × eligible
- 1 Shelby County $12.2M
- 2 Davidson County $4.7M
- 3 Knox County $3.0M
- 4 Hamilton County $2.8M
- 5 Rutherford County $2.0M
Every county in Tennessee
All 95 counties with Summer EBT eligibility estimates and dollars at stake.
| County | 5–17 in poverty | Eligible (≤185% FPL) | Eligibility share | Dollars forfeited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson County | 2,011 | 4,424 | 35.9% | $531K |
| Bedford County | 1,728 | 3,802 | 40.2% | $456K |
| Benton County | 634 | 1,395 | 59.1% | $167K |
| Bledsoe County | 450 | 990 | 59.9% | $119K |
| Blount County | 2,527 | 5,559 | 27.0% | $667K |
| Bradley County | 3,117 | 6,857 | 38.7% | $823K |
| Campbell County | 1,547 | 3,403 | 57.7% | $408K |
| Cannon County | 487 | 1,071 | 46.2% | $129K |
| Carroll County | 971 | 2,136 | 45.8% | $256K |
| Carter County | 1,692 | 3,722 | 51.0% | $447K |
| Cheatham County | 767 | 1,687 | 25.9% | $202K |
| Chester County | 548 | 1,206 | 42.9% | $145K |
| Claiborne County | 1,160 | 2,552 | 57.0% | $306K |
| Clay County | 335 | 737 | 64.8% | $88K |
| Cocke County | 1,516 | 3,335 | 59.8% | $400K |
| Coffee County | 2,047 | 4,503 | 42.8% | $540K |
| Crockett County | 473 | 1,041 | 44.0% | $125K |
| Cumberland County | 1,816 | 3,995 | 49.9% | $479K |
| Davidson County | 17,748 | 39,046 | 40.0% | $4.7M |
| Decatur County | 392 | 862 | 48.9% | $103K |
| DeKalb County | 643 | 1,415 | 44.2% | $170K |
| Dickson County | 1,241 | 2,730 | 29.8% | $328K |
| Dyer County | 1,536 | 3,379 | 53.8% | $405K |
| Fayette County | 1,117 | 2,457 | 45.0% | $295K |
| Fentress County | 754 | 1,659 | 55.8% | $199K |
| Franklin County | 1,123 | 2,471 | 39.8% | $297K |
| Gibson County | 1,707 | 3,755 | 40.6% | $451K |
| Giles County | 973 | 2,141 | 46.5% | $257K |
| Grainger County | 732 | 1,610 | 47.5% | $193K |
| Greene County | 1,866 | 4,105 | 40.9% | $493K |
| Grundy County | 571 | 1,256 | 59.0% | $151K |
| Hamblen County | 2,313 | 5,089 | 44.4% | $611K |
| Hamilton County | 10,622 | 23,368 | 41.3% | $2.8M |
| Hancock County | 388 | 854 | 77.0% | $102K |
| Hardeman County | 1,075 | 2,365 | 65.0% | $284K |
| Hardin County | 982 | 2,160 | 53.7% | $259K |
| Hawkins County | 1,726 | 3,797 | 46.3% | $456K |
| Haywood County | 799 | 1,758 | 62.5% | $211K |
| Henderson County | 841 | 1,850 | 39.6% | $222K |
| Henry County | 1,174 | 2,583 | 53.7% | $310K |
| Hickman County | 794 | 1,747 | 45.4% | $210K |
| Houston County | 289 | 636 | 48.8% | $76K |
| Humphreys County | 509 | 1,120 | 42.0% | $134K |
| Jackson County | 435 | 957 | 57.7% | $115K |
| Jefferson County | 1,427 | 3,139 | 38.5% | $377K |
| Johnson County | 587 | 1,291 | 59.7% | $155K |
| Knox County | 11,241 | 24,730 | 32.7% | $3.0M |
| Lake County | 297 | 653 | 97.9% | $78K |
| Lauderdale County | 1,144 | 2,517 | 64.4% | $302K |
| Lawrence County | 1,644 | 3,617 | 42.9% | $434K |
| Lewis County | 448 | 986 | 46.2% | $118K |
| Lincoln County | 1,142 | 2,512 | 42.0% | $301K |
| Loudon County | 1,291 | 2,840 | 34.4% | $341K |
| Macon County | 1,013 | 2,229 | 46.2% | $267K |
| Madison County | 4,292 | 9,442 | 59.2% | $1.1M |
| Marion County | 871 | 1,916 | 44.0% | $230K |
| Marshall County | 924 | 2,033 | 32.5% | $244K |
| Maury County | 2,349 | 5,168 | 29.0% | $620K |
| McMinn County | 1,632 | 3,590 | 41.9% | $431K |
| McNairy County | 836 | 1,839 | 45.2% | $221K |
| Meigs County | 455 | 1,001 | 49.4% | $120K |
| Monroe County | 1,477 | 3,249 | 45.1% | $390K |
| Montgomery County | 7,100 | 15,620 | 35.0% | $1.9M |
| Moore County | 125 | 275 | 28.2% | $33K |
| Morgan County | 569 | 1,252 | 39.8% | $150K |
| Obion County | 1,272 | 2,798 | 58.2% | $336K |
| Overton County | 658 | 1,448 | 41.1% | $174K |
| Perry County | 368 | 810 | 57.0% | $97K |
| Pickett County | 155 | 341 | 54.6% | $41K |
| Polk County | 474 | 1,043 | 42.7% | $125K |
| Putnam County | 2,436 | 5,359 | 42.7% | $643K |
| Rhea County | 1,092 | 2,402 | 45.3% | $288K |
| Roane County | 1,281 | 2,818 | 36.0% | $338K |
| Robertson County | 1,761 | 3,874 | 29.2% | $465K |
| Rutherford County | 7,588 | 16,694 | 25.2% | $2.0M |
| Scott County | 959 | 2,110 | 56.9% | $253K |
| Sequatchie County | 550 | 1,210 | 49.9% | $145K |
| Sevier County | 2,620 | 5,764 | 39.2% | $692K |
| Shelby County | 46,068 | 101,350 | 60.9% | $12.2M |
| Smith County | 537 | 1,181 | 35.1% | $142K |
| Stewart County | 360 | 792 | 36.3% | $95K |
| Sullivan County | 3,930 | 8,646 | 38.2% | $1.0M |
| Sumner County | 4,080 | 8,976 | 25.7% | $1.1M |
| Tipton County | 2,340 | 5,148 | 47.6% | $618K |
| Trousdale County | 260 | 572 | 34.8% | $69K |
| Unicoi County | 487 | 1,071 | 45.7% | $129K |
| Union County | 730 | 1,606 | 51.5% | $193K |
| Van Buren County | 232 | 510 | 52.0% | $61K |
| Warren County | 1,576 | 3,467 | 49.5% | $416K |
| Washington County | 3,297 | 7,253 | 38.6% | $870K |
| Wayne County | 452 | 994 | 53.0% | $119K |
| Weakley County | 938 | 2,064 | 46.2% | $248K |
| White County | 820 | 1,804 | 40.3% | $216K |
| Williamson County | 2,319 | 5,102 | 9.5% | $612K |
| Wilson County | 2,323 | 5,111 | 18.3% | $613K |
Free summer meals in Tennessee
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 sitesSchool-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 guideTennessee SNAP
SNAP enrollment often triggers automatic Summer EBT eligibility. State-specific application guide and benefit amounts.
Tennessee SNAP guideFamilies with children
Our population-specific guide: SNAP, WIC, Summer EBT, school meals, and pantry programs for families with kids in Tennessee.
Full families guideFind a food pantry
Search Tennessee's verified pantries — many offer backpack programs, summer box distributions, and family-sized groceries during the summer months.
Tennessee food pantries