Counties With the Highest Rate of Food Insecure Children in California

Cbl62 // Wikicommons

Counties with the highest rate of food insecure children in California

Food insecurity is a widespread problem in the United States, with people experiencing food insecurity in every single county in the nation. The nonprofit Feeding America describes food insecurity as “a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life.”

Food insecurity hits children particularly hard. The USDA estimates that more than 5.3 million children lived in food-insecure households in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic put further strain on households already experiencing food hardship, with Feeding America estimating that 13 million children may experience food insecurity in 2021—that’s one in six children. Not having consistent access to enough food can affect cognitive abilities, overall health, moods, and attention spans—not to mention the psychological effects of living with scarcity.

Stacker compiled a list of counties in California with the highest rate of food insecure children using data from Feeding America. Counties are ranked by highest percent of children with food insecurity as of 2019.

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Fred Hsu // Wikicommons

#50. Sonoma County

- Child food insecurity rate: 10.3%
--- Number of food insecure children: 10,230
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 66.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 34.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 8.7%

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#49. Ventura County

- Child food insecurity rate: 10.4%
--- Number of food insecure children: 20,380
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 72.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 28.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 7.8%

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MARELBU // Wikimedia Commons

#48. Contra Costa County

- Child food insecurity rate: 10.4%
--- Number of food insecure children: 27,230
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 56.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 44.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 7.6%

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Michael Patrick // Wikimedia Commons

#47. San Benito County

- Child food insecurity rate: 10.6%
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,660
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 81.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 19.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 7.0%

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Basar // Wikicommons

#46. San Luis Obispo County

- Child food insecurity rate: 10.7%
--- Number of food insecure children: 5,370
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 66.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 34.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 9.1%

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clr_flickr from Rocklin, USA // Wikimedia Commons

#45. Mono County

- Child food insecurity rate: 11.5%
--- Number of food insecure children: 310
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 71.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 29.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 8.7%

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DimiTalen // Wikimedia Commons

#44. El Dorado County

- Child food insecurity rate: 11.5%
--- Number of food insecure children: 4,350
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 51.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 50.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 9.0%

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Pixabay

#43. Santa Barbara County

- Child food insecurity rate: 11.7%
--- Number of food insecure children: 11,640
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 82.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 19.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 9.2%

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SD Dirk // Flickr

#42. San Diego County

- Child food insecurity rate: 11.7%
--- Number of food insecure children: 84,370
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 70.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 30.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 9.2%

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Chuck Abbe // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Inyo County

- Child food insecurity rate: 12.6%
--- Number of food insecure children: 450
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 70.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 30.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 10.0%

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Aaronbrick // Wikicommons

#40. Santa Cruz County

- Child food insecurity rate: 12.6%
--- Number of food insecure children: 6,700
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 73.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 27.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 10.1%

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Epolk // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Yolo County

- Child food insecurity rate: 12.7%
--- Number of food insecure children: 5,830
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 67.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 33.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 10.7%

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#38. Solano County

- Child food insecurity rate: 13.3%
--- Number of food insecure children: 13,100
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 59.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 41.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 8.5%

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Frank Schulenburg // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Nevada County

- Child food insecurity rate: 13.6%
--- Number of food insecure children: 2,330
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 71.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 29.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 10.4%

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Daniel Orth // Flickr

#36. Riverside County

- Child food insecurity rate: 13.6%
--- Number of food insecure children: 83,430
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 71.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 29.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 9.0%

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BDS2006 // Wikimedia

#35. Los Angeles County

- Child food insecurity rate: 14.5%
--- Number of food insecure children: 321,690
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 74.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 26.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 10.7%

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Naotake Murayama // Wikicommons

#34. Monterey County

- Child food insecurity rate: 14.6%
--- Number of food insecure children: 16,650
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 89.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 11.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 10.1%

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#33. San Bernardino County

- Child food insecurity rate: 14.9%
--- Number of food insecure children: 85,080
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 72.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 28.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 9.6%

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#32. Sacramento County

- Child food insecurity rate: 15.7%
--- Number of food insecure children: 57,060
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 66.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 34.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 11.0%

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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Amador County

- Child food insecurity rate: 16.1%
--- Number of food insecure children: 940
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 66.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 35.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 10.7%

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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Tuolumne County

- Child food insecurity rate: 16.8%
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,510
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 52.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 48.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 12.7%

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Public Domain

#29. Stanislaus County

- Child food insecurity rate: 16.9%
--- Number of food insecure children: 24,970
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 79.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 21.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 11.8%

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LPS.1 // Wikicommons

#28. San Joaquin County

- Child food insecurity rate: 16.9%
--- Number of food insecure children: 34,190
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 71.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 29.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 11.5%

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Kenneth Green // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Plumas County

- Child food insecurity rate: 17.2%
--- Number of food insecure children: 540
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 58.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 42.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 13.4%

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#26. Sierra County

- Child food insecurity rate: 17.5%
--- Number of food insecure children: 80
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 59.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 41.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 11.6%

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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Yuba County

- Child food insecurity rate: 18.2%
--- Number of food insecure children: 3,850
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 70.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 30.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 13.2%

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Cory Maylett // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Humboldt County

- Child food insecurity rate: 18.2%
--- Number of food insecure children: 4,760
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 76.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 24.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 14.8%

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Trance addict // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Glenn County

- Child food insecurity rate: 18.3%
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,370
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 77.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 23.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 13.6%

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#22. Calaveras County

- Child food insecurity rate: 18.7%
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,460
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 65.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 35.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 11.8%

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#21. Butte County

- Child food insecurity rate: 18.7%
--- Number of food insecure children: 8,510
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 65.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 35.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 14.4%

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Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Lassen County

- Child food insecurity rate: 18.9%
--- Number of food insecure children: 870
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 63.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 37.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 12.3%

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Binksternet // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Mendocino County

- Child food insecurity rate: 19.1%
--- Number of food insecure children: 3,580
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 82.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 18.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 13.7%

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Susan Popielaski // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Alpine County

- Child food insecurity rate: 19.4%
--- Number of food insecure children: 40
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 87.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 13.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 13.1%

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Ray Bouknight // Wikicommons

#17. Sutter County

- Child food insecurity rate: 19.7%
--- Number of food insecure children: 4,930
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 78.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 22.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 13.7%

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Public Domain

#16. Madera County

- Child food insecurity rate: 19.9%
--- Number of food insecure children: 8,530
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 80.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 20.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 12.6%

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Armona // Wikicommons

#15. Kings County

- Child food insecurity rate: 20.1%
--- Number of food insecure children: 8,230
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 80.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 20.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 13.4%

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Doug Kerr // Wikicommons

#14. Shasta County

- Child food insecurity rate: 20.4%
--- Number of food insecure children: 7,900
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 68.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 32.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 14.5%

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nickchapman // Wikicommons

#13. Kern County

- Child food insecurity rate: 20.7%
--- Number of food insecure children: 53,350
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 81.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 19.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 13.7%

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CFang // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Lake County

- Child food insecurity rate: 20.9%
--- Number of food insecure children: 2,800
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 77.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 23.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 15.0%

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Mark Miller // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Merced County

- Child food insecurity rate: 21.6%
--- Number of food insecure children: 17,350
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 85.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 15.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 14.3%

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CleanWater17 // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Colusa County

- Child food insecurity rate: 21.9%
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,280
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 83.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 17.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 13.4%

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David Jordan // Wikicommons

#9. Fresno County

- Child food insecurity rate: 22.0%
--- Number of food insecure children: 61,680
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 77.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 23.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 14.7%

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EPoelzl // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Mariposa County

- Child food insecurity rate: 22.2%
--- Number of food insecure children: 630
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 68.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 32.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 14.1%

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Scott Burley // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Modoc County

- Child food insecurity rate: 22.4%
--- Number of food insecure children: 390
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 89.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 12.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 15.6%

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Chmee2 // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Siskiyou County

- Child food insecurity rate: 22.5%
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,980
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 77.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 24.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 16.2%

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#5. Del Norte County

- Child food insecurity rate: 22.8%
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,350
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 79.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 22.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 15.8%

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#4. Tulare County

- Child food insecurity rate: 23.0%
--- Number of food insecure children: 32,950
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 86.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 14.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 15.6%

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Frank Schulenburg // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Tehama County

- Child food insecurity rate: 23.6%
--- Number of food insecure children: 3,600
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 78.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 22.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 15.9%

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Almonroth // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Trinity County

- Child food insecurity rate: 24.2%
--- Number of food insecure children: 520
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 69.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 31.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 15.9%

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Cbl62 // Wikicommons

#1. Imperial County

- Child food insecurity rate: 31.0%
--- Number of food insecure children: 16,060
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 80.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 20.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 19.1%

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