How Many People Could Have SNAP Or Medicaid Instead of $47 Billion for the Iran War?

Figures for Every State and Congressional District

According to news reports, the Department of Defense’s Central Command reported to Congress that the Iran war has cost Americans $47.1 billion as of October 16, 2026. That estimate doesn’t include the cost of damages to U.S. bases in the region, among other costs.  Independent estimates suggest that the cost of the war could be much higher.

The first months of the war were enabled by a historically high $1 trillion war budget. And yet Congress is now considering increasing the $1 trillion war budget, a move that would only enable the continuation of the war.

Meanwhile, last year’s H.R. 1 cut Medicaid and SNAP benefits even while it boosted spending for war and weapons. Because of H.R. 1 and other policies, more than 14 million people are at risk of losing health insurance. Some 5.5 million people have already lost SNAP food benefits since H.R. 1 was enacted.

Every additional dollar that goes to the Pentagon will enable more bad choices at a time when Americans are struggling to afford basic necessities.

This analysis shows each congressional district’s estimated contribution to the $47.1 billion cost of the Iran war, alongside how many people in that district could receive Medicaid or SNAP for the same amount of money: 

• Nationally, the $47.1 billion expenditure on the Iran war so far could fully cover a year of SNAP benefits for every person who has lost benefits more than three times over.
• If independent estimates are more accurate, the $103.3 billion spent by the end of June 2026 would have been enough to fully cover a year of Medicaid for all 14 million Americans at risk of losing health insurance AND full SNAP benefits for all 5.5 million people who have lost benefits, with billions to spare.

A table for congressional districts can be found here.

Estimated state taxpayer share of the $47.1 billion Iran war cost, compared with the number of people who could receive Medicaid or SNAP Instead

State	Local Taxpayer Share of Iran War Cost ($47.1 Billion)	People Who Could Receive Medicaid	People Who Could Receive SNAP
Alabama	$418,100,000	80,700	178,000
Alaska	$86,000,000	8,600	22,300
Arizona	$842,100,000	97,500	379,500
Arkansas	$250,300,000	38,900	119,300
California	$6,997,600,000	828,900	3,023,900
Colorado	$952,600,000	133,400	400,100
Connecticut	$817,100,000	85,500	345,200
Delaware	$121,000,000	10,200	55,200
District of Columbia	$188,600,000	14,200	89,200
Florida	$3,936,400,000	734,400	1,815,400
Georgia	$1,220,700,000	224,700	566,600
Hawaii	$160,800,000	24,700	41,000
Idaho	$196,300,000	24,800	90,000
Illinois	$1,890,300,000	265,600	810,100
Indiana	$661,600,000	60,300	279,900
Iowa	$323,200,000	39,000	156,500
Kansas	$314,700,000	30,500	144,800
Kentucky	$354,000,000	35,100	171,200
Louisiana	$390,800,000	48,400	172,900
Maine	$144,600,000	14,700	66,800
Maryland	$925,700,000	90,600	414,700
Massachusetts	$1,538,400,000	132,100	642,200
Michigan	$1,059,700,000	165,800	501,500
Minnesota	$786,200,000	60,200	400,100
Mississippi	$192,100,000	19,500	87,500
Missouri	$626,800,000	61,700	262,400
Montana	$136,900,000	19,000	65,300
Nebraska	$223,000,000	21,100	101,300
Nevada	$471,500,000	86,200	262,200
New Hampshire	$246,900,000	27,100	121,000
New Jersey	$1,768,700,000	174,800	736,100
New Mexico	$163,600,000	19,000	76,100
New York	$3,772,100,000	353,800	1,423,800
North Carolina	$1,202,400,000	150,400	549,800
North Dakota	$98,000,000	8,100	46,100
Ohio	$1,212,900,000	141,900	547,300
Oklahoma	$330,300,000	55,700	147,500
Oregon	$495,000,000	60,400	223,000
Pennsylvania	$1,656,000,000	136,300	738,000
Rhode Island	$142,300,000	14,900	59,400
South Carolina	$533,100,000	93,900	237,900
South Dakota	$110,800,000	13,700	45,600
Tennessee	$785,500,000	113,400	305,500
Texas	$4,061,300,000	515,400	1,870,000
Utah	$403,100,000	48,700	172,700
Vermont	$74,800,000	7,900	31,700
Virginia	$1,295,300,000	117,000	600,200
Washington	$1,375,300,000	174,700	609,400
West Virginia	$121,400,000	14,400	58,600
Wisconsin	$692,400,000	87,400	346,300
Wyoming	$97,000,000	12,900	43,900