Annual Probability of Experiencing Food Insecurity

The USDA reported that 12.8% of US households (17 million households, containing about 44 million people) were food insecure at some point during 2022, meaning they lacked consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. About 5.1% of households (6.8 million) experienced very low food security, where eating patterns were disrupted and food intake was reduced.

Food insecurity disproportionately affects certain groups: about 22% of households with children under 6, 22% of Black-headed households, 20% of Hispanic-headed households, and 27% of single-mother households experienced food insecurity. Geographic variation is significant, with southern states generally having higher rates.

Government programs are the primary safety net: SNAP (formerly food stamps) serves about 42 million Americans, the National School Lunch Program serves about 30 million children, and WIC serves about 6.3 million women, infants, and children. Private food banks and pantries distributed about 5.3 billion meals in 2022. Despite these programs, there remains a significant "meal gap" between food available through assistance and actual need. Food insecurity is associated with increased rates of chronic disease, mental health problems, reduced academic achievement in children, and higher healthcare costs.