Food Insecurity in Massachusetts  

Food insecurity is one of the biggest problems in the U.S. In 2021, over 32.1 percent of households with incomes below the Federal poverty liner were food insecure. 

Food insecurity can be caused by a number of factors income, race/ethnicity, employment and disability. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, 28.6 percent of low-income households were food insecure, compared to the national average of 10.5 percent.  Disabled adults may be at a higher risk of food insecurity due to lack of employment opportunities and high medical expenses that reduce the income to buy food. Racial and ethnic disparities exist related to food insecurity. In 2020, Black non-Hispanic households were over 2 times more likely to be food insecure than the national average (21.7 percent versus 10.5 percent, respectively). Among Hispanic households, the prevalence of food insecurity was 17.2 percent compared to the national average of 10.5 percent. (health.gov)

In Massachusetts, GBFB’s report estimates that 32 percent – or 1.8 million adults in the state experienced food insecurity in 2021. Food insecurity rates were highest among Latinx adults, Black adults, people who identify as LGBTQ+ and adults with children. (gbfb.org)