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 5.3 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 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 2019.
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#50. Henderson County
--- Number of food insecure children: 4,390
- 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: 17.0%
#49. Camp County
--- Number of food insecure children: 850
- 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: 16.2%
#48. Bandera County
--- Number of food insecure children: 960
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 64.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 36.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 16.0%
#47. Matagorda County
--- Number of food insecure children: 2,400
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 75.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 25.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 16.7%
#46. Wood County
--- Number of food insecure children: 2,180
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 75.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 26.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 16.9%
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#45. Throckmorton County
--- Number of food insecure children: 60
- 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: 18.7%
#44. Hamilton County
--- Number of food insecure children: 440
- 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: 17.1%
#43. Red River County
--- Number of food insecure children: 630
- 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: 18.3%
#42. Cameron County
--- Number of food insecure children: 33,380
- 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: 17.5%
#41. Duval County
--- Number of food insecure children: 760
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 94.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 6.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 17.2%
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#40. Dawson County
--- Number of food insecure children: 860
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 78.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 23.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 18.5%
#39. Lamar County
--- Number of food insecure children: 3,080
- 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: 18.1%
#38. Nacogdoches County
--- Number of food insecure children: 3,950
- 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: 18.8%
#37. Maverick County
--- Number of food insecure children: 4,830
- 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: 18.0%

#36. Hidalgo County
--- Number of food insecure children: 74,290
- 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: 18.0%
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#35. Wilbarger County
--- Number of food insecure children: 760
- 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: 19.0%
#34. Leon County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,030
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 84.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 16.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 17.8%
#33. Aransas County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,220
- 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: 18.2%
#32. Tyler County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,110
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 57.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 43.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 18.4%
#31. Hall County
--- Number of food insecure children: 180
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 100.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 0.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 19.2%
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#30. Limestone County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,410
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 75.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 25.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 16.6%
#29. Jefferson County
--- Number of food insecure children: 16,350
- 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: 16.6%
#28. Kimble County
--- Number of food insecure children: 250
- 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: 18.7%
#27. Delta County
--- Number of food insecure children: 340
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 61.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 39.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 18.1%
#26. Cass County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,860
- 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: 17.5%
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#25. Jasper County
--- Number of food insecure children: 2,370
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 64.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 36.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 17.9%
#24. Zapata County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,340
- 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: 19.4%
#23. Swisher County
--- Number of food insecure children: 530
- 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: 17.8%
#22. Morris County
--- Number of food insecure children: 810
- 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: 18.0%
#21. Polk County
--- Number of food insecure children: 2,840
- 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: 18.4%
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#20. Houston County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,290
- 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: 17.9%
#19. Shelby County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,910
- 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: 17.9%
#18. Hudspeth County
--- Number of food insecure children: 310
- 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: 17.3%
#17. Trinity County
--- Number of food insecure children: 870
- 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: 18.8%
#16. Willacy County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,520
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 99.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 1.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 18.8%
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#15. Marion County
--- Number of food insecure children: 540
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 68.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 33.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 18.2%
#14. Kinney County
--- Number of food insecure children: 140
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 96.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 4.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 17.9%
#13. Dimmit County
--- Number of food insecure children: 920
- 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: 20.1%
#12. Falls County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,120
- 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: 19.1%
#11. San Augustine County
--- Number of food insecure children: 500
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 60.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 40.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 21.0%
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#10. Newton County
--- Number of food insecure children: 870
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 62.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 38.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 19.9%
#9. Real County
--- Number of food insecure children: 280
- 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: 20.7%
#8. Starr County
--- Number of food insecure children: 6,680
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 91.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 9.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 21.1%
#7. Jim Hogg County
--- Number of food insecure children: 530
- 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: 18.5%
#6. Sabine County
--- Number of food insecure children: 650
- 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: 20.6%
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#5. Brooks County
--- Number of food insecure children: 630
- 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: 22.0%
#4. Cottle County
--- Number of food insecure children: 180
- 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: 23.1%
#3. Culberson County
--- Number of food insecure children: 220
- 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: 19.0%
#2. Presidio County
--- Number of food insecure children: 630
- 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: 24.2%
#1. Zavala County
--- Number of food insecure children: 1,330
- Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 97.0%
- Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 4.0%
- Overall food insecurity rate: 21.5%
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