Counties with the highest rate of food insecure children in Idaho
Counties with the highest rate of food insecure children in Idaho
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 Idaho 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. Idaho has a child food insecurity rate of 10.5%, which ranks #7 lowest 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 Idaho.
#44. Teton County
--- 9.9% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 6.2% (730 total)
--- 5.6% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $580,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.94
#43. Jefferson County
--- 9.0% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 6.0% (1,760 total)
--- 5.8% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $978,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.45
#42. Caribou County
--- 8.2% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 7.0% (490 total)
--- 4.8% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $268,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.40
#41. Franklin County
--- 7.9% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 7.2% (990 total)
--- 4.6% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $490,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.08
#40. Ada County
--- 7.7% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 7.8% (36,850 total)
--- 4.0% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $22,912,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.86
#39. Bonneville County
--- 6.7% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 8.1% (9,450 total)
--- 3.7% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,900,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.22
#38. Madison County
--- 5.8% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 10.8% (4,280 total)
--- 1.0% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,194,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.18
#37. Latah County
--- 5.5% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 10.5% (4,200 total)
--- 1.3% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,438,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.61
#36. Oneida County
--- 5.5% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.6% (420 total)
--- 2.2% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $208,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.08
#35. Bingham County
--- 5.4% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 8.4% (3,900 total)
--- 3.4% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,901,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.03
#34. Cassia County
--- 5.4% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 8.1% (1,940 total)
--- 3.7% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,037,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.32
#33. Clark County
--- 5.0% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 6.8% (60 total)
--- 5.0% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $31,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.18
#32. Valley County
--- 5.0% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.3% (1,030 total)
--- 2.5% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $657,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.96
#31. Fremont County
--- 4.4% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.0% (1,180 total)
--- 2.8% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $605,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.18
#30. Power County
--- 4.1% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 8.6% (650 total)
--- 3.2% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $356,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.40
#29. Bannock County
--- 3.7% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 10.6% (9,170 total)
--- 1.2% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $5,024,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.40
#28. Nez Perce County
--- 3.7% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 10.5% (4,240 total)
--- 1.3% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $3,085,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.52
#27. Bear Lake County
--- 3.6% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.7% (590 total)
--- 2.1% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $292,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.08
#26. Payette County
--- 3.5% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 10.0% (2,370 total)
--- 1.8% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,512,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.96
#25. Canyon County
--- 3.3% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.3% (20,840 total)
--- 2.5% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $10,943,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.26
#24. Twin Falls County
--- 3.1% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.9% (8,510 total)
--- 1.9% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,619,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.37
#23. Gooding County
--- 2.9% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.8% (1,500 total)
--- 2.0% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $712,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.95
#22. Washington County
--- 2.6% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 10.5% (1,070 total)
--- 1.3% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $683,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.96
#21. Kootenai County
--- 2.5% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 10.2% (16,420 total)
--- 1.6% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $9,409,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.56
#20. Elmore County
--- 2.3% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 11.4% (3,080 total)
--- 0.4% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,647,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.32
#19. Minidoka County
--- 2.2% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.5% (1,970 total)
--- 2.3% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $920,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.90
#18. Lincoln County
--- 1.6% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.2% (490 total)
--- 2.6% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $232,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.95
#17. Jerome County
--- 1.5% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.4% (2,260 total)
--- 2.4% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,072,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.95
#16. Idaho County
--- 1.4% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 12.0% (1,970 total)
--- 0.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,433,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.52
#15. Lemhi County
--- 1.4% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 11.8% (940 total)
--- 0.0% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $673,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.45
#14. Bonner County
--- 1.3% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 11.5% (5,160 total)
--- 0.3% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,842,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.42
#13. Butte County
--- 1.2% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 12.4% (320 total)
--- 0.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $251,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.86
#12. Owyhee County
--- 0.8% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 10.7% (1,260 total)
--- 1.1% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $662,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.26
#11. Camas County
--- 0.7% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 10.9% (120 total)
--- 0.9% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $94,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.86
#10. Blaine County
--- 0.0% lower than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 9.6% (2,180 total)
--- 2.2% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,707,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.86
#9. Gem County
--- 0.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 12.1% (2,160 total)
--- 0.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,134,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.26
#8. Boise County
--- 0.6% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 11.2% (860 total)
--- 0.6% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $535,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.86
#7. Benewah County
--- 0.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 12.6% (1,160 total)
--- 0.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $665,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.56
#6. Clearwater County
--- 0.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 12.8% (1,120 total)
--- 1.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $815,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.52
#5. Custer County
--- 2.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 13.6% (570 total)
--- 1.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $446,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.86
#4. Boundary County
--- 2.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 13.4% (1,630 total)
--- 1.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $898,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.42
#3. Adams County
--- 2.8% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 13.7% (580 total)
--- 1.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $370,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.96
#2. Lewis County
--- 4.1% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 14.7% (570 total)
--- 2.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $415,000
--- Cost per meal: $4.52
#1. Shoshone County
--- 4.6% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 15.7% (1,990 total)
--- 3.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,140,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.56