Feeding America: Map the Meal Gap

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Details Overall food insecurity rates, child food insecurity, older adult/senior food insecurity, and food-budget shortfall
Topics Food insecurity
Source Feeding America
Years Available 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Geographies state, county, congressional district
Public Edition or Subscriber-only Public Edition
Download Available yes
For more information http://map.feedingamerica.org/
Last updated on PolicyMap July 2025

Description:

Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap analysis is published annually to assess food insecurity and food costs across the United States, with estimates modeled at national, state, county, and congressional district levels. The data can help illustrate how food insecurity varies across different communities and population groups.

Dataset includes:

  • Food insecurity rates and estimated counts (overall and for children)
  • Breakdowns by race/ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, White non-Hispanic)
  • Breakdowns by age (older adults and seniors, state-level only)
  • Localized meal costs and food budget shortfall estimates
  • State-level SNAP income thresholds and access gaps

Feeding America uses data from the Current Population Survey (CPS), American Community Survey (ACS), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and NielsenIQ. The relationship between food insecurity and factors such as poverty, unemployment, homeownership, and disability is modeled at the state level, then applied to local demographic and economic conditions.

Notes:

  • SNAP income eligibility thresholds vary by state and affect access to nutrition programs.
  • Methodology changes in 2023 limit comparability of food budget shortfall, local meal cost, and meal gap estimates across years.
  • Modeled estimates represent approximations and are not direct counts.

More detail on Feeding America’s methodology can be found in the technical brief:

https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/map-the-meal-gap/how-we-got-the-map-data

Source: Ribar, D.C., Harris, V., Dewey, A., Dawes, S., and Engelhard, E. (2025). Map the Meal Gap: An Analysis of Local Food Insecurity and Food Costs in the United States in 2023. Feeding America National Organization.

Available Data Layers & Indicators (89)
Average dollar amount spent on food per meal by food-secure individuals in 2015.
Average dollar amount spent on food per meal by food-secure individuals in 2016.
Average dollar amount spent on food per meal by food-secure individuals in 2017.
Average dollar amount spent on food per meal by food-secure individuals in 2018.
Average dollar amount spent on food per meal by food-secure individuals in 2019.
Average dollar amount spent on food per meal by food-secure individuals in 2020.
Average dollar amount spent on food per meal by food-secure individuals in 2021.
Average dollar amount spent on food per meal by food-secure individuals in 2022.
Average dollar amount spent on food per meal by food-secure individuals in 2023.
Percent of Black inhabitants (all ethnicities) who are food insecure in 2019.
Percent of Black inhabitants (all ethnicities) who are food insecure in 2020.
Percent of Black inhabitants (all ethnicities) who are food insecure in 2021.
Percent of Black inhabitants (all ethnicities) who are food insecure in 2022.
Percent of Black inhabitants (all ethnicities) who are food insecure in 2023.
Percent of Hispanic inhabitants (all races) who are food insecure in 2019.
Percent of Hispanic inhabitants (all races) who are food insecure in 2020.
Percent of Hispanic inhabitants (all races) who are food insecure in 2021.
Percent of Hispanic inhabitants (all races) who are food insecure in 2022.
Percent of Hispanic inhabitants (all races) who are food insecure in 2023.
Percent of White, non-Hispanic inhabitants who are food insecure in 2019.
Percent of White, non-Hispanic inhabitants who are food insecure in 2020.
Percent of White, non-Hispanic inhabitants who are food insecure in 2021.
Percent of White, non-Hispanic inhabitants who are food insecure in 2022.
Percent of White, non-Hispanic inhabitants who are food insecure in 2023.
Percent of children (under 18) who are food insecure in 2015.
Percent of children (under 18) who are food insecure in 2016.
Percent of children (under 18) who are food insecure in 2017.
Percent of children (under 18) who are food insecure in 2018.
Percent of children (under 18) who are food insecure in 2019.
Percent of children (under 18) who are food insecure in 2020.
Percent of children (under 18) who are food insecure in 2021.
Percent of children (under 18) who are food insecure in 2022.
Percent of children (under 18) who are food insecure in 2023.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income above 185% of the federal poverty line in 2015.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income above 185% of the federal poverty line in 2016.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income above 185% of the federal poverty line in 2017.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income above 185% of the federal poverty line in 2018.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income above 185% of the federal poverty line in 2019.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income above 185% of the federal poverty line in 2020.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income above 185% of the federal poverty line in 2021.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income above 185% of the federal poverty line in 2022.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income above 185% of the federal poverty line in 2023.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line in 2015.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line in 2016.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line in 2017.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line in 2018.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line in 2019.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line in 2020.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line in 2021.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line in 2022.
Percent of food insecure children who live in households with income at or below 185% of the federal poverty line in 2023.
Percent of food insecure individuals who live in households with income above SNAP threshold in state in 2019.
Percent of food insecure individuals who live in households with income above SNAP threshold in state in 2020.
Percent of food insecure individuals who live in households with income above SNAP threshold in state in 2021.
Percent of food insecure individuals who live in households with income above SNAP threshold in state in 2022.
Percent of food insecure individuals who live in households with income above SNAP threshold in state in 2023.
Percent of food insecure individuals who live in households with income at or below SNAP threshold in state in 2019.
Percent of food insecure individuals who live in households with income at or below SNAP threshold in state in 2020.
Percent of food insecure individuals who live in households with income at or below SNAP threshold in state in 2021.
Percent of food insecure individuals who live in households with income at or below SNAP threshold in state in 2022.
Percent of food insecure individuals who live in households with income at or below SNAP threshold in state in 2023.
Percent of inhabitants who are food insecure in 2015.
Percent of inhabitants who are food insecure in 2016.
Percent of inhabitants who are food insecure in 2017.
Percent of inhabitants who are food insecure in 2018.
Percent of inhabitants who are food insecure in 2019.
Percent of inhabitants who are food insecure in 2020.
Percent of inhabitants who are food insecure in 2021.
Percent of inhabitants who are food insecure in 2022.
Percent of inhabitants who are food insecure in 2023.
Percent of older adults (50-59) who are food insecure in 2019.
Percent of older adults (50-59) who are food insecure in 2020.
Percent of older adults (50-59) who are food insecure in 2021.
Percent of older adults (50-59) who are food insecure in 2022.
Percent of older adults (50-59) who are food insecure in 2023.
Percent of seniors (60+) who are food insecure in 2019.
Percent of seniors (60+) who are food insecure in 2020.
Percent of seniors (60+) who are food insecure in 2021.
Percent of seniors (60+) who are food insecure in 2022.
Percent of seniors (60+) who are food insecure in 2023.
Weighted Annual Food Budget Shortfall in 2015.
Weighted Annual Food Budget Shortfall in 2016.
Weighted Annual Food Budget Shortfall in 2017.
Weighted Annual Food Budget Shortfall in 2018.
Weighted Annual Food Budget Shortfall in 2019.
Weighted Annual Food Budget Shortfall in 2020.
Weighted Annual Food Budget Shortfall in 2021.
Weighted Annual Food Budget Shortfall in 2022.
Weighted Annual Food Budget Shortfall in 2023.