USDA data reveals growing food hardship across US households
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Food insecurity in the United States climbed to its highest level in a decade in 2024, according to newly released federal data, even as the vast majority of households remained food secure. The increase comes as the US Department of Agriculture prepares to end a long-running annual report that has served as the government’s primary measure of hunger and food access for more than 25 years.
The final Household Food Security in the United States Report, released by the USDA Economic Research Service, found that 13.7 percent of US households experienced some level of food insecurity in 2024. That marks the highest rate recorded since 2014 and a notable increase from recent years, reversing earlier progress made during the economic recovery that followed the pandemic.
By contrast, 86.3 percent of households were classified as food secure throughout the year, meaning they had consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. The headline figure masks widening disparities, however, particularly among households facing economic strain from inflation, housing costs and the expiration of pandemic era nutrition support programs.
Food insecurity, as defined by the USDA, reflects limited or uncertain access to adequate food due to financial or resource constraints. It does not always equate to hunger, but it often signals difficult tradeoffs between food and other essentials such as rent, utilities and health care.
A rise in severe food hardship
Within the broader food insecure population, the report highlights a rise in more severe conditions. About 5.4 percent of US households experienced very low food security in 2024. This category represents the most serious form of food insecurity, in which one or more household members reduce food intake or disrupt normal eating patterns at times during the year because of limited resources.
Households facing very low food security are more likely to skip meals, eat less than needed or rely on emergency food assistance. Research has consistently linked these conditions to poorer health outcomes, higher stress levels and long-term impacts on child development and educational achievement.
The increase suggests that while many households continue to manage rising costs, a growing segment is falling further behind. Economists and anti-hunger advocates have pointed to stubbornly high grocery prices, elevated housing expenses and uneven wage growth as contributing factors, particularly for lower income families.
The rollback of expanded federal nutrition programs has also drawn scrutiny. Pandemic era increases to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits expired in 2023, reducing monthly food assistance for millions of households. While employment levels have remained relatively strong, the loss of supplemental aid has left some families with less flexibility to absorb higher living costs.
The end of a key federal report
The release carries added significance because it marks the final edition of the USDA’s flagship food security report. Last year, the department announced it would end the study, citing concerns about politicization of the findings. The decision drew criticism from researchers and advocacy groups who view the report as an essential tool for tracking hunger trends and evaluating policy effectiveness.
USDA officials have said the agency will continue to monitor food security using data from other government agencies and private sources. Critics argue that no single alternative provides the same consistency or historical continuity as the annual report, which has been published since the mid-1990s using a standardized survey methodology.
The report has long informed congressional debates over nutrition assistance, school meal programs and agricultural policy. It has also been widely used by state governments, nonprofits and researchers to identify at-risk populations and allocate resources.
Ending the report at a time when food insecurity is rising has amplified concerns about transparency and accountability. Without a clear, centralized benchmark, experts warn it may become harder to assess whether policy changes are improving or worsening access to food.
Regional and household pressures
While the report does not break down data by state in detail, previous USDA analyses have shown that food insecurity tends to be higher in the South and in rural areas, where access to grocery stores, transportation and employment opportunities can be more limited. Households with children, single parent families and Black and Hispanic households have also historically faced higher rates of food insecurity.
The persistence of food insecurity alongside broader economic growth underscores the uneven nature of the recovery. For many households, wage gains have not kept pace with rising expenses. Food prices remain well above pre-pandemic levels, even as inflation has moderated in other parts of the economy.
Charitable food providers have reported sustained demand at food banks and pantries across the country. Many organizations say they are serving first-time clients alongside families who relied on emergency food assistance during the pandemic and have not been able to transition away.
Implications for policy
The latest data arrive as lawmakers debate the future of federal nutrition programs amid broader budget pressures. SNAP remains the nation’s largest anti-hunger program, serving more than 40 million Americans in an average month. Supporters argue that the program responds quickly to economic downturns and reduces food insecurity, while critics often focus on costs and eligibility rules.
The rise in food insecurity may add urgency to calls for policy adjustments, particularly for households experiencing very low food security. Advocates have urged lawmakers to consider benefit adequacy, access barriers and the role of nutrition assistance in stabilizing household finances during periods of economic stress.
Even as most U.S. households remain food secure, the increase in hardship highlighted in the final USDA report points to a growing divide. With the end of the government’s most comprehensive hunger survey, tracking that divide may soon become more difficult, even as the need for clear data becomes more pressing.
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