Feeding America study shows that child food insecurity affects every county in the United States, with rates as high as 50%
May 14, 2025 [Bridgeton, MO] – Child food insecurity affects every county in the United States, with rates reaching almost 50% in some areas, according to Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap study. At the local level, Map the Meal Gap finds that 1 in 7 people, including 1 in 6 children in the bi-state region are food insecure. St. Louis Area Foodbank is part of the Feeding America nationwide network of more than 200 food banks, 22 statewide food bank associations and 60,000 agency partners, food pantries and meal programs.
Map the Meal Gap, now in its 15th year, is the only study that provides local-level estimates of food insecurity and food costs for every county and congressional district. The study builds upon USDA’s most recent report of national and state data, which showed 47 million people, including 14 million children, experienced food insecurity in 2023, the highest rate in more than a decade. Map the Meal Gap emphasizes the need for the public to join the movement to end hunger.
“This year’s data confirms that hunger remains a critical issue in our bi-state region, with 1 in 7 adults and 1 in 6 children lacking consistent access to nutritious food” said Meredith Knopp, President and CEO of the St. Louis Area Foodbank. “We continue to see a growing need for food assistance in the counties we serve across Illinois and Missouri. By listening to the experiences of our neighbors facing hunger and leveraging the insights from this study, we can identify new and innovative local solutions and collaborate as a community to ensure everyone, including our children, can thrive. You can make a direct impact on food insecurity in the region by donating funds or time to the St. Louis Area Foodbank.”
Other key findings of Map the Meal Gap include:
Food Insecurity by Geography and Demographics:
- Food insecurity impacts communities in every county, parish and congressional district in the U.S. Food insecurity is experienced by people from all backgrounds and demographics, but disparities exist.
- Estimated food insecurity levels vary across the country, influenced by income-related factors, like unemployment, poverty, high cost of living; community- and health-related factors; and systemic barriers to opportunity that have created disparities in food insecurity.
- Nationwide, nearly 9 out of 10 high food insecurity counties are rural, indicating regional disparities. This is true in Missouri and Illinois, which see high levels of food insecurity across our rural counties, such as Iron County, MO.
- Of the communities St. Louis Area Foodbank serves, we see food insecurity range from a low of 9% in Monroe County, IL to a high of 20.3% in Iron County, MO.
- Food insecurity also varies for different age groups. Among children, food insecurity in the bi-state region ranges from a low of 8% in Monroe County, IL to a high of 30.6% in St. Louis City, MO. Meanwhile, the food insecurity rate among seniors age 60+ in the St. Louis metro area is 5.6% and the food insecurity rate among older adults age 50-59 in the St. Louis metro area is 10.4%.
Income and Program Eligibility:
- Nationally, more than 2 out of 5 people facing hunger may not qualify for SNAP benefits due to income limits.In Missouri, 58.8% of people facing hunger may not qualify for SNAP, and in Illinois 49.3% of people facing hunger may not qualify for SNAP. Across the bi-state region, 37% of children facing hunger may not qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
Food Spending and Prices:
- The national food budget shortfall, which reflects the extra money that people who are food insecure report needing to cover their food needs, is $32 billion. This translates to $22.37 a week per person, on average.Residents of the bi-state region feel this firsthand, with an estimated food budget shortfall of $294,651,000. This translates to an average shortfall of $22.69 per week per person for the bi-state region.
- Individuals who were food secure in 2023 reported spending an average of $3.58 per meal. Meal costs vary significantly by county throughout the nation, ranging from $2.60 to $6.09, showcasing the diverse economic challenges faced by communities.In the bi-state region, the average cost per meal is $3.63, which reflects the growing need we see at St. Louis Area Foodbank.
The Map the Meal Gap study is supported by Conagra Brands Foundation, Enterprise Mobility Foundation, and NielsenIQ/NIQ. Additional key takeaways from the report can be found on the Map the Meal Gap website along with an interactive map that details food insecurity by geography, income, race and ethnicity.
Methodology:
Map the Meal Gap uses publicly available data from USDA Economic Research Service, U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics to estimate local food insecurity at the county, congressional district and state levels. The study also estimates local meal costs and food budget shortfalls using food price data from NIQ, based on USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan, and grocery sales tax data for every county and state in the country.
To learn how food insecurity impacts your community, visit FeedingAmerica.org/MaptheMealGap. For more information about the St. Louis Area Foodbank and how to help end hunger in the bi-state region, visit stlfoodbank.org.
About St. Louis Area Foodbank
St. Louis Area Foodbank began its service to the community in 1975. Through a robust network of community partners and programs throughout 26 counties in Missouri and Illinois, the Foodbank helps provide access to food and resources to individuals facing food insecurity. Through St. Louis Area Foodbank programs and partner pantries, more than 1.2 million individuals in the bi-state region were served in FY24. For 50 years, the St. Louis Area Foodbank has been there for people dealing with crises, be it a natural disaster, a global pandemic, or the everyday crisis of food or nutritional insecurity. To learn more about the work of the St. Louis Area Foodbank or for resources for those in need, call (314) 292-6262 or visit stlfoodbank.org or follow us at @STLFoodbank, https://www.facebook.com/stlfoodbank or
https://www.linkedin.com/company/st-louis-area-foodbank/.
About Feeding America
Feeding America is committed to an America where no one is hungry. We support tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food security and work to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment. We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations, and supporters, united with them in a movement to end hunger. Visit FeedingAmerica.org to learn more.
