In New York, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant provides funds to assist low-income families and individuals through child care, tax credits and other services, but the largest portion is spent on Temporary Assistance, which is overseen by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). Benefit amounts vary based on county of residence, household size and other factors, and include cash and a small amount of non-cash assistance. Cash Temporary Assistance is limited to 60 months for any adult.
In January 2025, 204,974 people received federally funded Temporary Assistance benefits totaling $56.4 million for the month. Seventy-four percent of recipients (151,971) were in New York City, receiving $34.3 million in benefits. Outside of New York City, Erie County had the largest number of recipients (7,836), receiving $1.8 million in benefits.
New York State Federally Participating Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Recipients,
January 2015 – January 2025
Note: Temporary Assistance includes Family Assistance and Safety Net Assistance recipients. The count reflected in the chart includes Family Assistance recipients that are federally funded, and a small number of Safety Net Recipients that are TANF cases in the non-cash portion of the Safety Net program, as reported by OTDA. It does not include Safety Net Assistance cases that are State funded.
New York Federally Participating Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Expenditures, January 2015 – January 2025
Note: Temporary Assistance includes Family Assistance and Safety Net Assistance recipients. The count reflected in the chart includes Family Assistance recipients that are federally funded, and a small number of Safety Net Recipients that are TANF cases in the non-cash portion of the Safety Net program, as reported by OTDA. It does not include Safety Net Assistance cases that are State funded.
Source: OTDA
New York Federally Participating Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Expenditures, by County, January 2025
Note: Includes 1,268 Safety Net Assistance federally participating recipients receiving $518,415 in benefits. These are TANF recipients in the non-cash portion of the Safety Net Program due to substance abuse on the part of the case member.
Source: OTDA
- Data Table
District
Recipients
Expenditures
Albany 1,550
$482,020
Allegany 221
$66,491
Broome 1,842
$879,401
Cattaraugus 671
$182,606
Cayuga 617
$160,498
Chautauqua 1,904
$519,783
Chemung 789
$211,714
Chenango 307
$92,265
Clinton 665
$250,188
Columbia 227
$83,526
Cortland 325
$137,233
Delaware 100
$26,024
Dutchess 591
$321,171
Erie 7,836
$1,837,734
Essex 71
$21,482
Franklin 255
$65,102
Fulton 364
$104,074
Genesee 148
$34,303
Greene 159
$89,359
Hamilton 14
$2,925
Herkimer 280
$73,877
Jefferson 511
$138,673
Lewis 75
$20,518
Livingston 300
$93,227
Madison 173
$43,746
Monroe 5,870
$1,583,903
Montgomery 312
$78,592
Nassau 1,798
$2,017,381
Niagara 1,236
$340,550
Oneida 2,036
$616,294
Onondaga 4,915
$1,403,652
Ontario 546
$204,792
Orange 1,339
$890,272
Orleans 388
$130,852
Oswego 1,021
$316,852
Otsego 123
$33,996
Putnam 56
$28,045
Rensselaer 812
$196,072
Rockland 458
$239,332
St. Lawrence 486
$123,282
Saratoga 213
$60,253
Schenectady 1,291
$493,810
Schoharie 89
$25,193
Schuyler 55
$16,557
Seneca 174
$55,590
Steuben 597
$226,897
Suffolk 3,286
$4,235,106
Sullivan 398
$145,385
Tioga 187
$56,776
Tompkins 436
$105,816
Ulster 619
$325,377
Warren 234
$144,986
Washington 308
$180,187
Wayne 338
$109,146
Westchester 3,193
$1,664,842
Wyoming 98
$32,700
Yates 96
$28,399
New York City 151,971
$34,330,857