Counties With the Highest Rate of Food Insecurity in South Carolina

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Counties with the highest rate of food insecurity in South Carolina

Every county in the United States is home to people experiencing food insecurity, defined by the nonprofit Feeding America as "a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life."

The USDA estimates that 89.5% of U.S. households were food secure throughout 2019—that's 116.0 million people. The COVID-19 pandemic put further strain on households already experiencing food hardship, with Feeding America estimating that 42 million people, or 1 in 8 Americans, may experience food insecurity in 2021. This is a slight improvement from 2020 numbers but still represents an enormous burden for millions of children and adults.

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

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#46. York County

- Food insecurity rate: 7.9% (21,120 total)
--- 27.5% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 8.7% (5,660 total)
--- 40.4% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $11,519,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.19

#45. Beaufort County

- Food insecurity rate: 8.1% (15,060 total)
--- 25.7% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 11.2% (3,960 total)
--- 23.3% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $9,540,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.71

#44. Dorchester County

- Food insecurity rate: 8.7% (13,820 total)
--- 20.2% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 11.0% (4,330 total)
--- 24.7% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $7,818,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.31

#43. Berkeley County

- Food insecurity rate: 8.7% (18,790 total)
--- 20.2% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 11.3% (5,810 total)
--- 22.6% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $10,543,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.28

#42. Greenville County

- Food insecurity rate: 9.0% (45,610 total)
--- 17.4% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 9.4% (11,030 total)
--- 35.6% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $24,727,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.17

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#41. Lancaster County

- Food insecurity rate: 9.1% (8,440 total)
--- 16.5% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 11.9% (2,390 total)
--- 18.5% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,285,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.97

#40. Lexington County

- Food insecurity rate: 9.1% (26,520 total)
--- 16.5% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 10.8% (7,310 total)
--- 26.0% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $13,682,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.02

#39. Saluda County

- Food insecurity rate: 9.2% (1,860 total)
--- 15.6% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 13.1% (580 total)
--- 10.3% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $994,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.12

#38. Charleston County

- Food insecurity rate: 9.2% (36,890 total)
--- 15.6% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 11.1% (8,800 total)
--- 24.0% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $22,834,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.62

#37. Richland County

- Food insecurity rate: 9.4% (38,620 total)
--- 13.8% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 14.0% (12,440 total)
--- 4.1% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $21,343,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.23

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#36. Jasper County

- Food insecurity rate: 9.6% (2,760 total)
--- 11.9% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 16.9% (1,010 total)
--- 15.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,626,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.45

#35. Kershaw County

- Food insecurity rate: 9.9% (6,470 total)
--- 9.2% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 13.2% (2,020 total)
--- 9.6% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $3,375,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.05

#34. Hampton County

- Food insecurity rate: 10.0% (1,970 total)
--- 8.3% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 18.8% (800 total)
--- 28.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,174,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.49

#33. Aiken County

- Food insecurity rate: 10.0% (16,810 total)
--- 8.3% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 13.9% (5,100 total)
--- 4.8% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $8,418,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.93

#32. Spartanburg County

- Food insecurity rate: 10.1% (31,090 total)
--- 7.3% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 12.8% (9,200 total)
--- 12.3% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $15,232,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.87

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#31. Edgefield County

- Food insecurity rate: 10.2% (2,740 total)
--- 6.4% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 15.3% (750 total)
--- 4.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,423,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.04

#30. Newberry County

- Food insecurity rate: 10.4% (3,990 total)
--- 4.6% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 15.4% (1,280 total)
--- 5.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,891,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.77

#29. McCormick County

- Food insecurity rate: 10.5% (1,000 total)
--- 3.7% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 22.9% (270 total)
--- 56.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $508,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.97

#28. Florence County

- Food insecurity rate: 10.8% (15,000 total)
--- 0.9% lower than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 16.2% (5,350 total)
--- 11.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $7,106,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.77

#27. Anderson County

- Food insecurity rate: 11.0% (21,850 total)
--- 0.9% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 13.5% (6,130 total)
--- 7.5% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $10,815,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.90

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#26. Georgetown County

- Food insecurity rate: 11.1% (6,900 total)
--- 1.8% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 19.1% (2,220 total)
--- 30.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,066,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.45

#25. Pickens County

- Food insecurity rate: 11.2% (13,840 total)
--- 2.8% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 10.1% (2,400 total)
--- 30.8% lower than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $7,169,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.03

#24. Fairfield County

- Food insecurity rate: 11.3% (2,550 total)
--- 3.7% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 21.0% (920 total)
--- 43.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,387,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.18

#23. Colleton County

- Food insecurity rate: 11.5% (4,310 total)
--- 5.5% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 20.0% (1,690 total)
--- 37.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,217,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.01

#22. Sumter County

- Food insecurity rate: 11.6% (12,380 total)
--- 6.4% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 18.5% (4,790 total)
--- 26.7% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $6,057,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.86

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#21. Horry County

- Food insecurity rate: 11.7% (38,990 total)
--- 7.3% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 16.3% (9,940 total)
--- 11.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $20,466,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.07

#20. Calhoun County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.0% (1,760 total)
--- 10.1% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 18.7% (530 total)
--- 28.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $923,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.07

#19. Chester County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.2% (3,940 total)
--- 11.9% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 18.5% (1,340 total)
--- 26.7% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,932,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.87

#18. Chesterfield County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.3% (5,650 total)
--- 12.8% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 19.1% (1,950 total)
--- 30.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,707,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.80

#17. Greenwood County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.3% (8,630 total)
--- 12.8% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 19.3% (3,120 total)
--- 32.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,203,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.85

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#16. Darlington County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.4% (8,310 total)
--- 13.8% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 18.8% (2,830 total)
--- 28.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,166,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.93

#15. Orangeburg County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.4% (10,880 total)
--- 13.8% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 23.1% (4,480 total)
--- 58.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,893,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.63

#14. Lee County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.5% (2,180 total)
--- 14.7% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 25.0% (850 total)
--- 71.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,060,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.85

#13. Abbeville County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.5% (3,080 total)
--- 14.7% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 17.7% (900 total)
--- 21.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,739,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.30

#12. Marion County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.7% (3,960 total)
--- 16.5% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 20.9% (1,510 total)
--- 43.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,877,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.77

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#11. Cherokee County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.7% (7,250 total)
--- 16.5% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 16.1% (2,140 total)
--- 10.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $3,304,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.67

#10. Oconee County

- Food insecurity rate: 12.9% (9,990 total)
--- 18.3% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 15.9% (2,480 total)
--- 8.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,565,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.67

#9. Bamberg County

- Food insecurity rate: 13.3% (1,910 total)
--- 22.0% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 26.0% (750 total)
--- 78.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $989,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.03

#8. Allendale County

- Food insecurity rate: 13.4% (1,210 total)
--- 22.9% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 29.4% (500 total)
--- 101.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $613,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.96

#7. Laurens County

- Food insecurity rate: 13.4% (8,950 total)
--- 22.9% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 18.3% (2,700 total)
--- 25.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $3,929,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.57

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#6. Williamsburg County

- Food insecurity rate: 13.5% (4,240 total)
--- 23.9% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 23.0% (1,530 total)
--- 57.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,210,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.05

#5. Clarendon County

- Food insecurity rate: 13.7% (4,660 total)
--- 25.7% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 23.4% (1,550 total)
--- 60.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,253,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.83

#4. Union County

- Food insecurity rate: 13.8% (3,790 total)
--- 26.6% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 21.6% (1,270 total)
--- 47.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,873,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.89

#3. Marlboro County

- Food insecurity rate: 15.5% (4,140 total)
--- 42.2% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 24.7% (1,360 total)
--- 69.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,912,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.70

#2. Barnwell County

- Food insecurity rate: 16.5% (3,520 total)
--- 51.4% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 27.3% (1,410 total)
--- 87.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,683,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.80

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#1. Dillon County

- Food insecurity rate: 17.0% (5,220 total)
--- 56.0% higher than national average
- Child food insecurity rate: 25.3% (1,980 total)
--- 73.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,520,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.82