Dallas/ Fort Worth, TX, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) and Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) have shared new findings from Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap study, highlighting that Texas remains the most food-insecure state in the nation. The Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area ranks third in the U.S. for the highest number of people experiencing hunger.

Currently, Texas faces a food insecurity rate of 17.6%, representing 5.4 million people—an increase of 9% since 2022. Alarmingly, children make up 31% of those affected. In the 25 counties served by NTFB and TAFB, more than 1.3 million individuals struggle with hunger, marking a 12% rise from the previous year. Among them, 33.6%—or approximately 441,860—are children, and another 18% or 239,300 are seniors and older adults. 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 12^th 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%.

Every day, more than 1.3 million people in the DFW area struggle with hunger, and heartbreakingly, nearly one-third are children. 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.

 

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About the North Texas Food Bank:

The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a leading nonprofit organization that fights hunger and provides children, seniors and families in North Texas access to nutritious food. For over 40 years, we have been at the forefront of hunger relief, committed to ensuring that no one in our community lacks access to healthy food. Our extensive network of 500 food pantries and organizations, volunteers, and donors enables us to deliver more than 100 million nutritious meals annually to those in need. Beyond just addressing hunger, we focus on nourishing lives by offering nutrition education, investing in our network partners, innovating solutions to eliminate hunger and advocating for policies that tackle the root causes of food insecurity.

Our dedication to excellence is reflected in our 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, highlighting our strong governance, integrity, and financial stability. As a proud member of Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger relief network, we are committed to ensuring everyone in North Texas has the nourishment needed to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. For more information, visit http://www.ntfb.org/ or connect with us on social media @NorthTexasFoodBank.

About Tarrant Area Food Bank

Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB): One of the largest charitable organizations in its 13-county service area, TAFB provides over 1 million nutritious meals weekly and food & nutrition education programs to those facing hunger through its network of 400+ partner agencies, volunteers, and donors. As a member of Feeding America, TAFB empowers communities to alleviate hunger and improve health. For more information, visit www.tafb.org. 

About Feeding America

Feeding America® is the largest hunger relief organization in the United States. As a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 agency partners, including food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.2 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.  Visit www.FeedingAmerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Jeff Smith
North Texas Food Bank 
469-891-7022
jeff.smith@ntfb.org

Martha Sotelo
Tarrant Area Food Bank
817-857-7162
martha.sotelo@tafb.org