Food insecurity ranged from 7.4 percent in New Hampshire to 18.9 percent in Arkansas in 2021–23

Food-insecure households sometimes have difficulty providing enough food for all their members because of a lack of resources. USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) monitors the extent of food insecurity in U.S. households at the national and State levels through an annual U.S. Census Bureau survey. State-level estimates are obtained by averaging 3 years of data to generate a larger sample size in each State. This provides more precise estimates and an improved ability to detect differences across States. The estimated prevalence rates of food insecurity during 2021–23 ranged from 7.4 percent in New Hampshire to 18.9 percent in Arkansas. The estimated national 3-year average for all States was 12.2 percent. The prevalence of food insecurity was statistically significantly higher than the national average in 7 States (Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas). It was statistically significantly lower than the national average in 17 States (California, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin), as well as Washington, DC. In the remaining 26 States, differences from the national average were not statistically significant. An interactive food insecurity map can be found on the ERS Interactive Charts and Highlights topic page that allows users to view two measures of food insecurity across multiple years for each State. Users of that page can see State trends in food insecurity, how States compare with national food insecurity prevalence rates, and how States compare with one another. This map appears on the ERS Key Statistics & Graphics topic page.

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