Imagine a nation where 44.2 million people—including 9 million children—are uncertain of where their next meal will come from, a stark reality where food insecurity has surged back to troubling pre-pandemic levels across the United States.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, 12.8% of U.S. households, or 17.0 million households, experienced food insecurity at some point during the year
- Food insecurity affected 44.2 million people in the United States in 2022, representing about 13.2% of the population
- From 2021 to 2022, the national food insecurity rate increased from 10.2% to 12.8%
- In 2022, 18.0% of households with children experienced low or very low food security
- 8.8 million children under 18 faced food insecurity in 2021, per Feeding America estimates
- Child food insecurity rate was 17.3% in 2020, affecting nearly 1 in 6 children
- In 2022, 5.1% of all U.S. households had very low food security, affecting 6.7 million households where food intake was reduced and disrupted
- Very low food security rose from 4.1% in 2021 to 5.1% in 2022 nationally
- 2.3% of households with children experienced very low food security in 2022
- Mississippi had the highest food insecurity rate at 18.2% in 2021, affecting 529,000 people
- Arkansas food insecurity rate was 17.8% in 2021, impacting 510,000 residents
- Louisiana at 16.5% food insecurity in 2021, with 745,000 people affected
- Food insecurity was 25.1% among Black households nationally in 2022
- Hispanic households had 20.8% food insecurity rate in 2022
- White non-Hispanic households 9.2% food insecure in 2022
Food insecurity affects millions of Americans, hitting families with children and single-parent households hardest.
Child Food Insecurity
- In 2022, 18.0% of households with children experienced low or very low food security
- 8.8 million children under 18 faced food insecurity in 2021, per Feeding America estimates
- Child food insecurity rate was 17.3% in 2020, affecting nearly 1 in 6 children
- In 2022, food insecurity among children reached 13.4%, or 9 million kids
- Very low food security affected 2.7% of children (1.8 million) in 2022
- Child food insecurity was highest in households earning under $25,000 at 37.2% in 2022
- In 2022, 26.2% of Black children lived in food-insecure households
- Hispanic children had a 21.8% food insecurity rate in 2022
- White non-Hispanic children faced 9.1% food insecurity in 2022
- Food insecurity among children in single-mother households was 30.4% in 2022
- 2022 data shows 1 in 7 U.S. children (13.4%) experienced food insecurity
- During 2020-2021, child food insecurity peaked at 20.6% due to pandemic effects
- In Southern states, child food insecurity averaged 18.5% in 2021
- 3.3 million children lived in households with very low food security in 2021
- Food insecurity rates for children dropped to 10.5% in 2021 from pandemic highs
- Black children experienced food insecurity at 27.4% in 2019 pre-pandemic
- 2022 child food insecurity cost the U.S. $23.2 billion in health-related expenses
- In 2022, 14.8% of children in poverty faced food insecurity
- Food-insecure children are 1.4 times more likely to have fair/poor health
- 2021 saw 5.2 million households with children food insecure
- Child food insecurity in rural areas was 16.2% in 2021
- Urban child food insecurity stood at 17.8% in 2021
- In 2022, 2.1% of children (1.4 million) experienced very low food security
- Food insecurity affected 22% of Native American children in 2021
- Asian children had the lowest child food insecurity at 8.5% in 2022
- 31.2% of children in households headed by single mothers were food insecure in 2021
- Child food insecurity correlates with 29% higher odds of anxiety/depression
- In 2020, 1 in 5 children (20%) were food insecure nationally
- 2022 estimates show 9.1 million children food insecure, up from 2021
Child Food Insecurity Interpretation
Behind the veneer of national prosperity, a shamefully large and inequitable slice of our future—millions of children across every county—is being starved of both nutrition and opportunity, a failure that is as economically foolish as it is morally bankrupt.
Demographic Breakdowns
- Food insecurity was 25.1% among Black households nationally in 2022
- Hispanic households had 20.8% food insecurity rate in 2022
- White non-Hispanic households 9.2% food insecure in 2022
- Households below poverty line had 28.5% food insecurity in 2022
- Income 100-130% poverty: 16.7% food insecurity in 2022
- Single women with children headed 32.8% food insecure households in 2022
- Single men with children: 21.7% food insecurity 2022
- Married couples with children: 8.1% in 2022
- Female-headed households without children: 21.4% food insecure 2022
- Households with seniors 60+: 7.5% food insecurity in 2022
- Native American households 23.1% food insecure in 2022
- Asian households 9.8% food insecurity rate 2022
- 66.7% of food-insecure households had full-time workers in 2022
- Households with disabled members: 22.3% food insecure 2022
- Urban households 13.5% food insecure vs rural 12.9% in 2022
- 29.1% of single-mother households food insecure pre-pandemic average
- Black children 26.2%, Hispanic 21.8% food insecure 2022
- Low-income working families 16.2% food insecure 2022
- Seniors in poverty: 16.5% food insecure 2022
- 18.4% of households with children headed by single fathers food insecure
- Multiracial households 18.7% food insecurity 2022
- Households with 5+ members: 19.2% food insecure 2022
- College-only educated householders: 5.4% food insecure 2022
- Less than high school education: 33.1% food insecure 2022
- Unemployed householders: 38.4% food insecure 2022
- Part-time workers households: 20.5% food insecure 2022
- 14.4% of households with young children (<6) food insecure 2022
Demographic Breakdowns Interpretation
The data paints a stark, infuriating portrait: while having a job or even two should be the ticket to food security, for millions in America—particularly in Black, Hispanic, and single-parent households—it’s merely a down payment on persistent hunger.
Geographic Variations
- Mississippi had the highest food insecurity rate at 18.2% in 2021, affecting 529,000 people
- Arkansas food insecurity rate was 17.8% in 2021, impacting 510,000 residents
- Louisiana at 16.5% food insecurity in 2021, with 745,000 people affected
- West Virginia had 16.0% food insecurity rate in 2021, 282,000 people
- Texas food insecurity affected 15.4% or 4.5 million people in 2021
- New Mexico's rate was 15.2% in 2021, 320,000 affected
- Oklahoma at 14.9% food insecurity, 570,000 people in 2021
- Alabama 14.8%, 710,000 people food insecure in 2021
- Kentucky 14.6%, 640,000 affected in 2021
- South Carolina 14.3%, 680,000 people in 2021
- California had the lowest rate among high-pop states at 10.4% but 4.0 million affected in 2021
- New Hampshire lowest at 5.4% food insecurity, 72,000 people in 2021
- Utah 6.9%, 220,000 affected in 2021
- Minnesota 7.8%, 430,000 people in 2021
- North Dakota 8.1%, 62,000 affected in 2021
- Rural counties had 15.3% average food insecurity vs 12.8% urban in 2021
- In 2021, the South region averaged 14.7% food insecurity rate
- Midwest averaged 10.2%, Northeast 9.5% in 2021
- West region 11.8% food insecurity average in 2021
- Bronx County, NY had 22.1% food insecurity in 2021, highest metro
- Holmes County, MS at 32.5% food insecurity, highest county 2021
- Washington DC food insecurity at 12.1% in 2021
- Florida's rate 12.5%, 2.7 million affected in 2021
- Georgia 14.2%, 1.5 million people in 2021
- Tennessee 13.9%, 910,000 affected in 2021
- Nevada 12.7%, 390,000 people food insecure 2021
- Arizona 13.6%, 970,000 affected in 2021
- Michigan 11.4%, 1.1 million in 2021
- Ohio 12.9%, 1.5 million affected 2021
- Pennsylvania 9.7%, 1.2 million people in 2021
Geographic Variations Interpretation
The grim tableau of American plenty is patched with startling regional hunger, where the South's persistent struggle sees Mississippi leading a heartbreaking parade of states, while even in the statistically best-fed corners like New Hampshire, tens of thousands still face an empty plate.
Health and Economic Impacts
- Food insecurity linked to 1.5x higher obesity rates in adults
- Food-insecure children 1.9x more likely to be hospitalized, costing $2,300 extra per child annually
- Annual health care costs from child food insecurity: $23.2 billion in 2022
- Food insecurity associated with 25% higher depression rates among adults
- 32% of food-insecure adults report poor health vs 18% secure
- Economic cost of food insecurity to U.S. GDP: $133 billion annually in lost productivity
- Food-insecure households spend 30% more on medical bills
- Children in food-insecure homes 1.4x more likely developmental delays
- Food insecurity raises diabetes risk by 65% in adults
- 2022 food insecurity led to 2.1 million missed school days for children
- SNAP participation reduces health costs by $1,400 per person annually
- Food insecurity correlates with 47% higher hypertension prevalence
- Lifetime economic cost per food-insecure child: $17,220 in lost earnings
- 41 million Americans in poverty risk food insecurity, costing $78 billion in health
- Food-insecure seniors 2x more likely frail, increasing nursing costs
- Household food insecurity linked to 20% higher child asthma rates
- Economic multiplier effect: $1 SNAP generates $1.50-$1.80 GDP, reducing insecurity
- Food insecurity causes 15% lower academic performance in math/reading
- Adults with very low food security 3x more likely suicidal ideation
- National cost of diet-related diseases tied to insecurity: $1.1 trillion yearly
- Food-insecure workers 20% less productive, $25 billion lost wages
- 24% increase in heart disease risk from food insecurity
- Child food insecurity linked to 1.6x behavioral problems
- SNAP reduces food insecurity by 30%, saving $14 billion healthcare yearly
- Food insecurity raises obesity odds 49% in women
Health and Economic Impacts Interpretation
In the stark arithmetic of American life, hunger isn't just an empty stomach; it's a multiplier of disease, debt, and despair, while feeding people proves to be one of our soundest economic and moral investments.
Prevalence Rates
- In 2022, 12.8% of U.S. households, or 17.0 million households, experienced food insecurity at some point during the year
- Food insecurity affected 44.2 million people in the United States in 2022, representing about 13.2% of the population
- From 2021 to 2022, the national food insecurity rate increased from 10.2% to 12.8%
- In 2022, 5.1% of U.S. households, or 6.7 million households, had very low food security
- The prevalence of food insecurity in 2022 was higher than the national average in urban areas at 13.5%
- Rural households experienced food insecurity at 12.9% in 2022, slightly above the national average
- Food insecurity rates returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2022 after declining in 2021 due to federal aid
- Between 2019 and 2022, food insecurity rose from 10.5% to 12.8% nationally
- In 2022, 86% of food-insecure households had at least one working adult
- Food insecurity prevalence was 13.5% in principal cities of metropolitan areas in 2022
- The 2022 food insecurity rate for households with children was 14.4%
- Among households without children, food insecurity affected 12.4% in 2022
- Food insecurity in 2022 was reported at 7.5% for households with older adults (age 60+)
- In 2022, 18.4 million people lived in food-insecure households with children under 18
- Very low food security among households with children reached 1.8% or 627,000 households in 2022
- The national food insecurity rate for all households from 2018-2022 averaged 11.8%
- In 2021, food insecurity dropped to 10.2% due to expanded benefits like P-EBT and stimulus payments
- Food insecurity affected 13.8% of households in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic
- Historical low of 11.1% food insecurity occurred in 2016-2019 pre-pandemic years
- In 2022, 5.9 million children lived in households with very low food security
- Food insecurity rates were 12.8% nationally, matching 2019 levels but higher than 2021
- Among food-insecure households in 2022, 66.7% participated in SNAP at some point
- 30.1% of food-insecure households used food pantries or soup kitchens in 2022
- Food insecurity prevalence in 2022 was 14.4% for households with children under 6
- 10.3% of households with seniors (60+) had very low food security in 2022
- In 2022, food insecurity impacted 6.9% of married-couple households with children
- Single-female-headed households with children had 29.1% food insecurity in 2022
- Food insecurity for single-male-headed households with children was 18.4% in 2022
- 2022 saw 13.2% of the U.S. population (44.2 million) affected by food insecurity
- The share of households using non-emergency food assistance rose to 7.3% in 2022
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
It’s a damning national irony that as our economy supposedly rebounds, the number of Americans unsure of their next meal not only returned to pre-pandemic levels but left 44 million people—including nearly 6 million children in deep distress—proving that for a shocking number of working households, the safety net has become a daily dinner plate.
Very Low Food Security
- In 2022, 5.1% of all U.S. households had very low food security, affecting 6.7 million households where food intake was reduced and disrupted
- Very low food security rose from 4.1% in 2021 to 5.1% in 2022 nationally
- 2.3% of households with children experienced very low food security in 2022
- Among households without children, 6.3% had very low food security in 2022
- Very low food security affected 7.7% of households headed by single women with children in 2022
- In 2022, 10.3% of low-income senior households (under 130% poverty) had very low food security
- Black non-Hispanic households had 11.2% very low food security rate in 2022
- Hispanic households experienced 6.4% very low food security in 2022
- 3.7% of White non-Hispanic households had very low food security in 2022
- Very low food security in 2022 was 9.1% for households with incomes below poverty line
- From 2020 to 2022, very low food security increased from 5.6% to 5.1%
- In 2021, very low food security was lowest at 4.1% due to aid programs
- Rural areas had 6.1% very low food security in 2022, higher than urban 4.9%
- 7.3% of households used emergency food assistance amid very low security in 2022
- Very low food security among single-mother households was 12.8% in 2022
- In 2022, 1.1 million households with seniors had very low food security
- Very low food security rates for households with children under 6 were 2.5% in 2022
- 2022 saw 18.4 million adults in food-insecure households with very low access indicators
- Among working-poor households, very low food security was 13.2% in 2022
- Very low food security in principal metro cities was 5.4% in 2022
- 4.8% of suburban households had very low food security in 2022
- Historical peak of very low food security was 5.7% in 2011 post-recession
- In 2022, 44% of very low food security households reported multiple coping strategies like skipping meals
- Very low food security affected 2.9% of children in 2022
- 6.7 million households disrupted normal eating patterns due to very low security in 2022
- Very low food security in Native American households was 14.5% in recent data
- In 2022, 5.9 million children lived with very low food security experiences
Very Low Food Security Interpretation
The statistics paint a picture where the American dream of abundance is, for millions, a recurring nightmare of empty cupboards, with children, seniors, single mothers, and people of color disproportionately bearing the hunger of systemic neglect.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ERSers.usda.govVisit source
- Reference 2MAPmap.feedingamerica.orgVisit source
- Reference 3FRACfrac.orgVisit source
- Reference 4HUNGERFREEAMERICAhungerfreeamerica.orgVisit source
- Reference 5AMERICANPROGRESSamericanprogress.orgVisit source
- Reference 6NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 7FEEDINGAMERICAfeedingamerica.orgVisit source