Food assistance funds in the United States have generally gone to areas most in need. Assistance in the most needy U.S. counties averaged $21.98 per person in 1967. By 1976, it had increased to $153.91. Corresponding figures for the least needy counties were $2.04 in 1967 and $26.35 in 1976. Food assistance payments accounted for almost 18 percent of each real dollar increase in per capita retail food sales in the neediest counties. Additional food spending was influenced more by increases in food assistance payments than by increases in earned income.