Counties with the highest rate of food insecure children in Georgia
Counties with the highest rate of food insecure children in Georgia
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 5.5 million children lived in food-insecure households in 2021. 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 Georgia 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 2020. Georgia has a child food insecurity rate of 14.4%, which ranks #23 highest among all states.
States with the highest rate of food insecure children
#1. Louisiana: 21.5%
#2. New Mexico: 20.5%
#3. Mississippi: 20.4%
#4. Alabama: 19.8%
#5. Arkansas: 19.7%
States with the lowest rate of food insecure children
#1. North Dakota: 8.1%
#2. Massachusetts: 8.8%
#3. New Jersey: 9.0%
#4. Minnesota: 9.3%
#5. New Hampshire: 9.5%
Read on to see where food insecurity is most prevalent in Georgia.
#50. Peach County
--- 4.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 13.7% (3,770 total)
--- 1.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,753,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.54
#49. Spalding County
--- 4.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 13.8% (9,140 total)
--- 2.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,665,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.17
#48. Atkinson County
--- 4.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.9% (1,230 total)
--- 3.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $595,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.00
#47. Butts County
--- 4.8% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.6% (3,560 total)
--- 2.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,934,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.37
#46. Wilkinson County
--- 5.0% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.1% (1,260 total)
--- 2.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $646,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.18
#45. Putnam County
--- 5.1% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 13.9% (3,040 total)
--- 2.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,448,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.96
#44. Ware County
--- 5.1% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.9% (5,330 total)
--- 3.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,577,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.00
#43. Brooks County
--- 5.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.0% (2,170 total)
--- 2.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,177,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.37
#42. Decatur County
--- 5.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.6% (3,880 total)
--- 2.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,969,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.15
#41. Washington County
--- 5.7% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.0% (2,840 total)
--- 2.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,393,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.05
#40. Lincoln County
--- 6.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 13.9% (1,100 total)
--- 2.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $517,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.92
#39. Baldwin County
--- 6.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.4% (6,470 total)
--- 2.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $3,316,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.18
#38. Pulaski County
--- 6.6% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.4% (1,610 total)
--- 2.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $782,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.02
#37. Seminole County
--- 6.7% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.0% (1,400 total)
--- 5.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $711,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.15
#36. Calhoun County
--- 6.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.1% (890 total)
--- 2.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $459,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.21
#35. Laurens County
--- 7.1% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.3% (7,720 total)
--- 4.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,031,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.24
#34. McDuffie County
--- 7.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 13.4% (2,860 total)
--- 1.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,344,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.92
#33. Taliaferro County
--- 7.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.9% (240 total)
--- 3.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $113,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.92
#32. Ben Hill County
--- 7.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.2% (2,900 total)
--- 5.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,540,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.30
#31. Quitman County
--- 7.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 12.1% (280 total)
--- 0.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $142,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.15
#30. Burke County
--- 7.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 12.4% (2,810 total)
--- 0.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,316,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.91
#29. Elbert County
--- 7.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.2% (3,100 total)
--- 4.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,504,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.01
#28. Emanuel County
--- 7.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.9% (3,800 total)
--- 5.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,709,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.79
#27. Meriwether County
--- 7.6% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.4% (3,470 total)
--- 4.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,794,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.21
#26. Muscogee County
--- 7.8% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 15.3% (29,860 total)
--- 3.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $16,364,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.40
#25. Jenkins County
--- 7.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.3% (1,610 total)
--- 6.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $761,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.94
#24. Talbot County
--- 7.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 11.7% (730 total)
--- 0.1% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $421,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.58
#23. Wilkes County
--- 7.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 15.1% (1,480 total)
--- 3.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $695,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.92
#22. Taylor County
--- 8.0% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.1% (1,550 total)
--- 7.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,143,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.58
#21. Screven County
--- 8.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.6% (2,040 total)
--- 2.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,030,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.14
#20. Sumter County
--- 9.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.6% (4,350 total)
--- 2.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,478,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.54
#19. Treutlen County
--- 9.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.7% (1,340 total)
--- 7.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $667,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.09
#18. Turner County
--- 9.6% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.9% (1,420 total)
--- 6.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $674,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.95
#17. Jefferson County
--- 9.8% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 13.6% (2,110 total)
--- 1.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $998,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.94
#16. Clayton County
--- 10.0% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 12.4% (35,650 total)
--- 0.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $17,530,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.05
#15. Mitchell County
--- 10.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.0% (3,520 total)
--- 4.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,715,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.03
#14. Bibb County
--- 10.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.1% (24,670 total)
--- 4.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $12,751,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.21
#13. Telfair County
--- 11.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.3% (2,750 total)
--- 5.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,349,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.05
#12. Dooly County
--- 12.0% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.4% (1,960 total)
--- 2.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $976,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.09
#11. Randolph County
--- 12.6% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.7% (1,150 total)
--- 4.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $583,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.15
#10. Richmond County
--- 12.7% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 15.7% (31,740 total)
--- 3.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $16,191,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.17
#9. Stewart County
--- 13.6% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 15.5% (1,000 total)
--- 3.7% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $548,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.40
#8. Macon County
--- 14.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 15.9% (2,080 total)
--- 4.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,534,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.58
#7. Early County
--- 14.8% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.7% (1,710 total)
--- 4.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $933,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.39
#6. Warren County
--- 14.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.9% (780 total)
--- 3.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $366,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.92
#5. Terrell County
--- 15.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.8% (1,540 total)
--- 6.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $877,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.54
#4. Dougherty County
--- 15.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.1% (15,160 total)
--- 5.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $7,824,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.21
#3. Crisp County
--- 16.0% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.1% (4,310 total)
--- 7.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,146,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.09
#2. Hancock County
--- 17.8% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.6% (1,240 total)
--- 2.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $642,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.21
#1. Clay County
--- 25.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 20.5% (600 total)
--- 8.7% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $304,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.15