Local food prices and the purchasing power of SNAP benefits

•We provide new evidence on geographic variation in SNAP purchasing power.•We compare SNAP benefits to the local cost of the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan (TFP).•One quarter of SNAP recipients are unable to afford the local cost of the TFP.•Current SNAP payouts could be redistributed to make TFP affordable for all recipients.•We simulate a policy that adjusts benefits according to county-level food prices.