Food insecurity rates highest for single mother households, lowest for elderly

In 2011, 14.9 percent of all U.S. households were food insecure, meaning that they had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to lack of resources. About 41 percent of households with incomes below the Federal poverty line were food insecure. Rates of food insecurity were substantially higher than the national average for single-parent households, as well as Black and Hispanic households. Food insecurity was more common in large cities and rural areas than in suburban areas and other outlying areas around large cities. Rates of very low food security--a more severe form of food insecurity--were higher for these demographic groups as well. The statistics for this chart are from Household Food Security in the United States in 2011, ERR-141, released on September 5, 2012.

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