Food Security in the United States

Food Security Data Access and Documentation Downloads

This data section provides information about publicly available national surveys that include questions from the U.S. Food Security Survey Module. Information on each survey and directions for accessing data files are available in the Documentation.

Users may also be interested in interactive data visualizations; see Interactive Charts and Highlights.

Data Access to the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (used by USDA to monitor food security)

Public-use household-level Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS-FSS) data files are available for each year since 1995. Some of the data files are provided here on the ERS website; others may be accessed online from other sites or ordered on CD-ROM. Beginning with the 2010 CPS-FSS survey, data and documentation may be downloaded via FTP from the Census Bureau. Replicate weights to support balanced repeated replication variance estimates are available for 2010 and later data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau). Technical information is provided in the listing below to facilitate the appropriate use of the data.


Data Set Last Updated Next Update
Current Population Survey (CPS)
December 2023 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/4/2024
December 2023 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/4/2024
December 2022 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 10/25/2023
December 2022 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 10/25/2023
December 2021 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/7/2022
December 2021 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/7/2022
December 2020 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/8/2021
December 2020 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/8/2021
December 2019 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/9/2020
December 2019 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/9/2020
December 2018 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/4/2019
December 2018 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/4/2019
December 2017 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/5/2018
December 2017 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/5/2018
December 2016 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/6/2017
December 2016 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/6/2017
December 2015 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/7/2016
December 2015 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/7/2016
December 2014 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/9/2015
December 2014 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/9/2015
December 2013 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/3/2014
December 2013 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/3/2014
December 2012 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/4/2013
December 2012 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/4/2013
December 2011 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 9/5/2012
December 2011 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/5/2012
December 2010 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 7/20/2010
December 2010 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 9/1/2011
December 2009 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 6/17/2009
December 2009 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 10/19/2010
December 2008 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 6/4/2008
December 2008 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 10/23/2009
December 2007 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 6/28/2008
December 2007 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 10/21/2008
December 2006 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 6/19/2007
December 2006 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 10/24/2007
December 2005 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 8/7/2006
December 2005 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 1/29/2007
December 2004 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 7/5/2005
December 2004 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
December 2003 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 7/28/2004
December 2003 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
December 2002 Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 6/14/2004
December 2002 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
December 2001 Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 12/10/2002
December 2001 Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
April 2001 Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 12/9/2002
April 2001 Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
September 2000 Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 11/28/2001
September 2000 Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
CPS 2000 30-day Food Security Supplement Data File: Data 3/9/2006
CPS 2000 30-Day Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 12/4/2006
CPS 2000 30-day Food Security Supplement Data File: SAS code for ASCII data file 12/4/2006
April 1999 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 6/29/2001
April 1999 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
CPS 1999 Children's and 30-day Food Security Supplement Data File: Data 3/29/2006
CPS 1999 Children's and 30-Day Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 12/4/2006
CPS 1999 Children's and 30-Day Food Security Supplement Data File: SAS code for ASCII Data File 12/4/2006
August 1998 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 8/12/2002
August 1998 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
CPS 1998 Children's and 30-Day Food Security Supplement Data File: Data 3/29/2006
CPS 1998 Children's and 30-Day Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 12/4/2006
CPS 1998 Children's and 30-Day Food Security Supplement Data File: SAS code for ASCII Data File 12/4/2006
April 1997 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 1/25/2000
April 1997 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
September 1996 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Technical Documentation 1/5/2000
September 1996 CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
April 1995 CPS Food Security Supplement and Revision: Technical Documentation 7/10/2001
April 1995 CPS Food Security Supplement and Revision: Questionnaire 3/29/2006
April 1995 CPS Food Security Supplement and Revision: SAS Code and Data Dictionary 7/21/2001
April 1995 CPS Food Security Supplement and Revision: Data 3/29/2006
Spanish Language CPS Food Security Supplement
December 2022 Spanish Language CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 10/25/2023
December 2013 Spanish Language CPS Food Security Supplement Data File: Questionnaire 1/31/2014
Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K)
ECLS-K 1998-99 Food Security Data File (Round 2): Data 9/4/2001
ECLS-K 1998-99 Food Security Data File: Technical Documentation 9/4/2001
ECLS-K 1998-99 Food Security Data File: SAS code for raw data file 7/1/2010
ECLS-K 1998-99 Food Security Data File: SAS code to create food security composite variables directly from ECLS-K 1998-99 Child Data File 7/1/2001
Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)
SIPP 2001 Wave 8 Food Security Data File: Data 8/10/2006
SIPP 2001 Wave 8 Food Security Data File: Technical Documentation and User Notes 9/12/2006
SIPP 2001 Wave 8 Food Security Data File: SAS code for ASCII data file 8/10/2006
SIPP 1996 Wave 8 Food Security Data File: Data 7/3/2002
SIPP 1996 Wave 8 Food Security Data File: Technical Documentation and User Notes 2/12/2007
SIPP 1996 Wave 8 Food Security Data File: SAS code for raw data 7/1/2010
Survey of Program Dynamics (SPD)
SPD 2002 Food Security Status Data File: Data 4/5/2004
SPD 2002 Food Security Status Data File: Technical Documentation and User Notes 1/19/2006
SPD 2002 Food Security Status Data File: SAS code for ASCII data file 7/1/2010
SPD 2001 Food Security Status Data File: Data 8/7/2003
SPD 2001 Food Security Status Data File: Technical Documentation and User Notes 1/19/2006
SPD 2001 Food Security Status Data File: SAS code for ASCII data file 7/1/2010
SPD 2000 Food Security Status Data File: Data 1/11/2006
SPD 2000 Food Security Status Data File: Technical Documentation and User Notes 1/19/2006
SPD 2000 Food Security Status Data File: SAS code for ASCII data file 7/1/2010
SPD 1999 Food Security Status Data File: Data 11/1/2005
SPD 1999 Food Security Status Data File: Technical Documentation and User Notes 1/19/2006
SPD 1999 Food Security Status Data File: SAS code for ASCII data file 7/1/2010
SPD 1998 Food Security Status Data File: Data 8/1/2003
SPD 1998 Food Security Status Data File: Technical Documentation and User Notes 1/19/2006
SPD 1998 Food Security Status Data File: SAS code for ASCII data file 7/1/2010
Survey Modules
U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module 8/15/2012
U.S. Adult Food Security Survey Module 8/15/2012
Six-item Short Form Food Security Survey Module 6/13/2024
Food Security Survey Module for Youth Ages 12 and Older 9/1/2006
Spanish Translation of the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module 1/31/2014
Chinese Translation of the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module 8/6/2019