Texas Leads the Nation in Hunger; DFW Ranks Third Among U.S. Metro Areas
Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap study shows that over 5 million Texans face hunger, including 1.3 million in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
For the second consecutive year, Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap data shows that Texas leads the nation in hunger, surpassing California, with nearly 5.4 million people who are food insecure—and sadly, one-third of those are children.
What’s more, in the 25 counties served by the North Texas Food Bank and Tarrant Area Food Bank, the data shows that 1.3 million people face hunger, marking a 12% rise from the previous year. That means DFW ranks third in the nation among metro areas for the number of people who are food insecure, behind only L.A. and New York. Over 60% of the 1.3 million people experiencing food insecurity in the DFW area live in Dallas and Tarrant counties.
“It comes as little surprise that we are now serving more individuals than we did during the height of the pandemic,” said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. “With the continued rise in food and housing costs, families across every zip code in North Texas are facing increasingly difficult decisions—whether to put food on the table or cover essential expenses like childcare, gas, medication, rent, or utilities. Unfortunately, household incomes have not kept pace with the region’s escalating cost of living, contributing to a growing need for food assistance.”
“These statistics are a stark reminder of the daily struggles faced by so many in our community,” said Julie Butner, President and CEO of the Tarrant Area Food Bank. “The impact of rising costs is evident in the growing number of families, seniors, and children turning to us for help—many for the first time. As the need increases, so must our collective response. Food insecurity demands coordination across both the public and private sectors to sustain strong nutrition programs and invest in a resilient food system. Meeting this moment also depends on the continued generosity and support of our community. Together, we can help ensure no one has to face hunger alone.”
A recent report from the Congressional Joint Economic Committee reveals that the average Texas household is spending $1,040 more each month in 2024 to maintain the same standard of living they had in January 2021. Food expenses alone have surged, with families now paying an average of $141 more per month than they did just three years ago. For many low-income households in North Texas, housing and transportation costs consume up to 40% of monthly income, while groceries can account for another 30%, leaving little room for other necessities.
Map the Meal Gap—the nation’s only study providing localized data on food insecurity and meal costs—confirms a notable rise in hunger across Texas. The study draws from the USDA’s most recent data, which showed a significant increase in food insecurity in 2023, driven largely by persistently high food prices.
Key findings of the Map the Meal Gap study include:
Texas leads the nation, surpassing California for the second year in the number of people facing food insecurity.
- Texas has a food insecurity rate of 17.6%, with 5.4 million people (1 in 6) facing hunger, up from 16.4% in 2022.
- Texas has a child food insecurity rate of 22.2%, with 1,673,600 children (1 in 5) facing hunger, down from 22.8% in 2022.
- The DFW area continues to have the third-highest number of people facing hunger in the nation, with a food insecurity rate of 15.7%, up from 14.3% in 2022.
- An estimated 1,316,420 (1 in 6.5) people face food insecurity in the 25 counties served by the NTFB and TAFB.
- DFW has a child food insecurity rate of 20.9%, with 441,860 (1 in 5) children facing hunger, up from 20.8% in 2022.
- The DFW metro area has nearly 120,000 Senior Adults who are 60+ facing hunger, up from 97,000 in 2022, and nearly 120,000 Older Adults who are 50 – 59 years old facing hunger, up from 102,000 in 2022.
- There continue to be disparities in who faces hunger. In the DFW area:
- 1 in 3 (~30%) Black persons are food insecure, up from 1 in 5 (23%) in 2022.
- 1 in 5 (~21%) Hispanic persons are food insecure, up from 1 in 6 (16.5%) in 2022.
- 1 in 10 (~10%) White, non-Hispanic persons are food insecure, up from 1 in 16 (6.5%) in 2022.
- The estimated annual meal gap for the DFW area is approximately 250 million, compared with nearly 242 million in 2022.
- Map the Meal Gap data estimates the cost per meal for those living in the DFW area is $3.41, compared to the Texas average of $3.11.
- In the DFW service area, ~52% of those facing hunger have a family income over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) threshold.
- Dallas County has the 5th largest (454,140 people) and Tarrant County has the 12th largest (337,350 people) food insecure populations in the country. 60% of the 1.3 million people facing hunger in DFW live in Dallas and Tarrant counties. (791,490 out of 1,316,420)
In response, the North Texas Food Bank and Tarrant Area Food Bank, through their network of more than 1,000 partner pantries and community organizations, collectively provided access to more than 198 million meals last year. Both organizations are proud members of Feeding America, the country’s largest hunger-relief network, comprised of 200 food banks nationwide.
Food Insecurity by County in North Texas Food Bank’s Service Area
| County | 2022 Food Insecurity Rate | 2023 Food Insecurity Rate | 2022 # of Food Insecure | 2023 # of Food Insecure | 2022 Child Food Insecurity Rate | 2023 Child Food Insecurity Rate | 2022 # of Children Food Insecure | 2023 # of Children Food Insecure |
| Collin | 12.10% | 13.30% | 130,740 | 149,000 | 14.70% | 15.4% | 40,060 | 43,210 |
| Dallas | 15.60% | 17.40% | 406,340 | 454,140 | 25.00% | 24.5% | 166,590 | 162,390 |
| Delta | 16.10% | 17.70% | 850 | 950 | 24.20% | 26.6% | 290 | 340 |
| Ellis | 13.10% | 14.20% | 25,540 | 28,860 | 19.40% | 18.8% | 9,970 | 10,140 |
| Fannin | 16.10% | 17.20% | 5,790 | 6,290 | 21.50% | 22.7% | 1,640 | 1,770 |
| Grayson | 15.70% | 16.80% | 21,570 | 23,560 | 22.70% | 23.3% | 7,390 | 7,870 |
| Hopkins | 16.40% | 17.00% | 6,050 | 6,360 | 22.80% | 23.5% | 2,050 | 2,140 |
| Hunt | 16.20% | 17.10% | 16,470 | 17,980 | 23.10% | 23.4% | 5,580 | 5,980 |
| Kaufman | 13.30% | 14.40% | 19,920 | 23,100 | 19.70% | 19.6% | 8,310 | 9,030 |
| Lamar | 18.10% | 20.10% | 9,070 | 10,130 | 28.40% | 30.4% | 3,400 | 3,710 |
| Navarro | 17.90% | 19.20% | 9,440 | 10,300 | 25.40% | 25.7% | 3,430 | 3,690 |
| Rockwall | 10.60% | 11.70% | 11,730 | 13,700 | 13.00% | 13.3% | 3,830 | 4,150 |
The 12 counties served by the North Texas Food Bank have a food insecurity rate of 16.1%, up from 14.6% from the previous year. Approximately 744,370 (1 in 6) people face hunger, with 34% being children. Approximately 254,420 (1 in 5) children are food insecure in the 12 counties, giving the service area a child food insecurity rate of 21.6%.
Food Insecurity by County in Tarrant Area Food Bank’s Service Area
| County | 2022 Food Insecurity Rate | 2023 Food Insecurity Rate | 2022 # of Food Insecure | 2023 # of Food Insecure | 2022 Child Food Insecurity Rate | 2023 Child Food Insecurity Rate | 2022 # of Children Food Insecure | 2023 # of Children Food Insecure |
| Bosque | 16.8% | 16.5% | 3,090 | 3,060 | 23.5% | 21.1% | 900 | 820 |
| Cooke | 16.4% | 17.6% | 6,880 | 7,490 | 24.0% | 24.6% | 2,320 | 2,450 |
| Denton | 12.5% | 13.6% | 114,180 | 128,740 | 15.7% | 16.0% | 34,320 | 35,980 |
| Erath | 16.7% | 17.5% | 7,140 | 7,580 | 20.6% | 21.1% | 1,820 | 1,900 |
| Hamilton | 18.4% | 20.0% | 1,510 | 1,660 | 21.4% | 25.0% | 370 | 460 |
| Hill | 16.7% | 17.9% | 6,030 | 6,570 | 24.6% | 24.2% | 2,060 | 2,070 |
| Hood | 14.4% | 14.9% | 8,980 | 9,550 | 18.6% | 18.5% | 2,400 | 2,460 |
| Johnson | 14.6% | 15.6% | 26,620 | 29,370 | 19.2% | 19.4% | 9,000 | 9,470 |
| Palo Pinto | 18.0% | 19.5% | 5,160 | 5,640 | 24.2% | 27.0% | 1,610 | 1,810 |
| Parker | 13.6% | 14.3% | 20,500 | 22,620 | 15.8% | 16.2% | 5,890 | 6,350 |
| Somervell | 13.7% | 13.8% | 1,280 | 1,310 | 16.3% | 16.8% | 330 | 350 |
| Tarrant | 14.2% | 15.8% | 300,760 | 337,350 | 21.9% | 21.9% | 119,460 | 120,050 |
| Wise | 14.9% | 15.4% | 10,420 | 11,110 | 18.9% | 18.4% | 3,260 | 3,270 |
The 13 counties served by the Tarrant Area Food Bank have a food insecurity rate of 15.2%, up from 13.9% from the previous year. Approximately 572,050 (1 in 7) people face hunger with 33% being children. Approximately 187,440 (1 in 5) children face hunger in the 13 counties – a child food insecurity rate of 20.1%.
About half of the individuals served by the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) and Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) live on incomes low enough to qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a vital program that not only helps low-income families access nutritious food but also boosts local economies.
Proposed cuts to SNAP would severely undermine its ability to prevent hunger, increase pressure on local food banks, weaken the economy, and jeopardize progress on critical Farm Bill negotiations. Stripping away federal food assistance would unravel a support system that’s already stretched thin, and that’s a risk no community should accept.
NTFB and TAFB urge the community to take action. Contact your members of Congress and tell them to protect SNAP and other essential nutrition programs. Use this simple form to send a letter today https://secure.feedingtexas.org/a/snap-cuts.
Visit FeedingAmerica.org/MaptheMealGap to learn how food insecurity impacts our community.