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Mapped: Where Food Insecurity Is Highest, State by State
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Key Takeaways
- Arkansas (19.4%), Kentucky (18.8%), and Louisiana (17.7%) report the highest shares of food-insecure households.
- Texas (11.5 million households total) combines a high rate (17.6%) with a large population.
- California, while closer to the national average (12.5%), has roughly 14 million food-insecure households.
In parts of the United States, nearly one in five households struggle to afford enough food.
The latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveals stark geographic divides in food insecurity across the country. While the national average sits at 13.3%, several states—concentrated largely in the South—report rates far above that level.
This map breaks down where food insecurity is highest by state, highlighting the regional inequalities shaping access to basic necessities in America today.
Ranked: Food Insecurity Rates by State
For the analysis, the USDA surveyed 32,719 households between 2022 and 2024 on their level of food insecurity.
Food insecurity is considered as the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food, driven by limited financial resources. The table below shows state averages over the period.
| Rank | State | Share of Households | Average Number of Households |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | 19.4% | 1.3M |
| 2 | Kentucky | 18.8% | 1.8M |
| 3 | Louisiana | 17.7% | 1.9M |
| 4 | Texas | 17.6% | 11.5M |
| 5 | Mississippi | 17.3% | 1.2M |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 16.9% | 1.6M |
| 7 | Wyoming | 15.6% | 0.2M |
| 8 | Nevada | 15.0% | 1.3M |
| 9 | Michigan | 14.7% | 4.2M |
| 10 | Georgia | 14.6% | 4.3M |
| 11 | New Mexico | 14.5% | 0.9M |
| 12 | Ohio | 14.2% | 4.9M |
| 13 | West Virginia | 14.1% | 0.7M |
| 14 | New York | 14.0% | 7.9M |
| 15 | Indiana | 13.7% | 2.8M |
| 16 | South Carolina | 13.5% | 2.3M |
| 17 | Florida | 13.3% | 9.3M |
| 18 | Illinois | 13.3% | 5.1M |
| 19 | Missouri | 13.3% | 2.6M |
| 20 | Tennessee | 13.3% | 3.0M |
| 21 | Arizona | 13.1% | 2.9M |
| 22 | Alaska | 13.0% | 0.3M |
| 23 | Maine | 12.9% | 0.6M |
| 24 | Nebraska | 12.7% | 0.8M |
| 25 | Idaho | 12.6% | 0.8M |
| 26 | California | 12.5% | 14.0M |
| 27 | Kansas | 12.5% | 1.2M |
| 28 | Oregon | 12.5% | 1.7M |
| 29 | Virginia | 12.4% | 3.5M |
| 30 | Alabama | 12.1% | 2.1M |
| 31 | Connecticut | 12.1% | 1.4M |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 12.0% | 2.5M |
| 33 | North Carolina | 11.8% | 4.4M |
| 34 | Massachusetts | 11.7% | 2.8M |
| 35 | Montana | 11.7% | 0.5M |
| 36 | Maryland | 11.5% | 2.3M |
| 37 | Utah | 11.5% | 1.2M |
| 38 | Washington | 11.0% | 3.2M |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | 10.9% | 5.3M |
| 40 | Delaware | 10.8% | 0.4M |
| 41 | Hawaii | 10.8% | 0.5M |
| 42 | Iowa | 10.8% | 1.4M |
| 43 | Rhode Island | 10.6% | 0.4M |
| 44 | Colorado | 10.5% | 2.4M |
| 45 | District of Columbia | 10.3% | 0.3M |
| 46 | Minnesota | 9.9% | 2.3M |
| 47 | New Jersey | 9.8% | 3.6M |
| 48 | South Dakota | 9.5% | 0.4M |
| 49 | Vermont | 9.4% | 0.3M |
| 50 | New Hampshire | 9.1% | 0.6M |
| 51 | North Dakota | 9.0% | 0.3M |
Arkansas reports the highest rate at 19.4%, followed by Kentucky (18.8%), Louisiana (17.7%), Texas (17.6%), and Mississippi (17.3%).
Many of these states also have lower median household incomes, higher poverty rates, larger rural populations, and greater reliance on public assistance programs. This overlap suggests food insecurity is closely tied to broader structural economic conditions, rather than short-term fluctuations alone.
By contrast, states like North Dakota (9.0%), New Hampshire (9.1%), and Vermont (9.4%) report rates closer to one in 10 households. The result is a more than 10 percentage-point gap between the highest and lowest states.
Large States Shape the National Picture
While percentages tell one part of the story, population size tells another.
Texas, for example, combines a high food insecurity rate (17.6%) with more than 11 million households, meaning millions of families are affected.
California, with approximately 14 million households, reports a rate of 12.5%, yet still accounts for a substantial share of food-insecure households due to its size.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the number of households living in poverty by state.