Counties with the highest rate of food insecure children in Texas
Counties with the highest rate of food insecure children in Texas
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 Texas 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. Texas has a child food insecurity rate of 18.9%, which ranks #7 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 Texas.
#50. San Patricio County
--- 9.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.2% (10,840 total)
--- 4.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $5,021,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.88
#49. Swisher County
--- 9.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.6% (1,300 total)
--- 5.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $614,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.94
#48. Throckmorton County
--- 9.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.4% (280 total)
--- 6.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $134,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.97
#47. Limestone County
--- 9.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.5% (3,860 total)
--- 4.7% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,798,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.89
#46. Refugio County
--- 9.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 15.8% (1,110 total)
--- 4.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $553,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.10
#45. Angelina County
--- 9.6% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.4% (15,170 total)
--- 5.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $7,065,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.89
#44. Camp County
--- 9.7% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.7% (2,160 total)
--- 4.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $948,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.73
#43. Cochran County
--- 9.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.0% (540 total)
--- 7.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $261,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.01
#42. Terry County
--- 10.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.2% (2,140 total)
--- 5.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,036,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.01
#41. Cass County
--- 10.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.4% (5,230 total)
--- 5.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,508,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.98
#40. Dawson County
--- 10.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.1% (2,330 total)
--- 6.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,215,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.24
#39. Wilbarger County
--- 10.4% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.4% (2,340 total)
--- 6.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,135,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.01
#38. Cottle County
--- 10.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.5% (320 total)
--- 7.7% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $155,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.01
#37. Houston County
--- 10.7% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.9% (3,880 total)
--- 5.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,707,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.73
#36. Nacogdoches County
--- 10.7% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.6% (12,130 total)
--- 6.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $5,931,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.04
#35. Bee County
--- 10.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.9% (5,500 total)
--- 5.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,498,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.82
#34. Falls County
--- 11.1% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.3% (3,160 total)
--- 6.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,373,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.70
#33. Matagorda County
--- 11.1% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.4% (6,400 total)
--- 5.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,968,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.88
#32. Kleberg County
--- 11.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.9% (5,490 total)
--- 6.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,578,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.92
#31. Polk County
--- 11.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.2% (9,150 total)
--- 6.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,233,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.87
#30. Hudspeth County
--- 11.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.1% (850 total)
--- 6.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $406,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.96
#29. Aransas County
--- 11.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.6% (4,500 total)
--- 6.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,244,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.10
#28. Garza County
--- 11.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.9% (1,020 total)
--- 5.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $532,000
--- Cost per meal: $3.24
#27. Shelby County
--- 12.0% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.8% (4,500 total)
--- 6.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $2,148,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.96
#26. Cameron County
--- 12.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.9% (75,390 total)
--- 6.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $29,708,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.45
#25. Trinity County
--- 12.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.2% (2,830 total)
--- 7.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,245,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.73
#24. Tyler County
--- 12.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.7% (4,240 total)
--- 7.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,976,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.89
#23. Kinney County
--- 12.8% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 16.2% (600 total)
--- 4.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $230,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.39
#22. Sabine County
--- 13.1% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 20.8% (2,180 total)
--- 9.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,036,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.95
#21. Jasper County
--- 13.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.6% (6,970 total)
--- 7.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $3,249,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.90
#20. Hidalgo County
--- 13.6% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.1% (164,720 total)
--- 7.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $65,298,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.46
#19. Morris County
--- 13.6% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.9% (2,340 total)
--- 7.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,027,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.73
#18. Duval County
--- 13.7% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 17.9% (2,000 total)
--- 6.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $918,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.85
#17. Marion County
--- 13.8% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.1% (1,800 total)
--- 6.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $861,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.97
#16. Willacy County
--- 14.8% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.0% (4,080 total)
--- 7.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,499,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.28
#15. Jim Wells County
--- 15.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.2% (7,420 total)
--- 6.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $3,408,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.85
#14. Jeff Davis County
--- 15.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 15.7% (350 total)
--- 3.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $159,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.82
#13. Newton County
--- 15.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 20.8% (2,860 total)
--- 9.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,333,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.90
#12. Maverick County
--- 15.5% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 20.1% (11,660 total)
--- 8.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $4,211,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.24
#11. Jefferson County
--- 15.7% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 18.2% (46,070 total)
--- 6.4% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $20,866,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.81
#10. Real County
--- 16.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 21.3% (730 total)
--- 9.5% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $282,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.40
#9. Dimmit County
--- 16.9% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 23.1% (2,370 total)
--- 11.3% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $856,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.24
#8. Zapata County
--- 17.0% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 21.4% (3,040 total)
--- 9.6% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,331,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.72
#7. San Augustine County
--- 18.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 23.0% (1,900 total)
--- 11.2% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $907,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.96
#6. Jim Hogg County
--- 18.8% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.7% (1,020 total)
--- 7.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $468,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.85
#5. Culberson County
--- 20.3% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 19.8% (430 total)
--- 8.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $205,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.96
#4. Starr County
--- 21.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 23.6% (15,100 total)
--- 11.8% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $6,613,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.72
#3. Brooks County
--- 23.7% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 23.9% (1,700 total)
--- 12.1% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $798,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.92
#2. Zavala County
--- 25.2% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 22.8% (2,720 total)
--- 11.0% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $1,049,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.40
#1. Presidio County
--- 28.0% higher than national average
- Food insecurity rate: 28.7% (1,950 total)
--- 16.9% higher than national average
- Annual food budget shortfall: $887,000
--- Cost per meal: $2.82