New data from Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study reveals that food insecurity affected every county in Georgia in 2024, with rural communities bearing the brunt. The study estimates that 1 in 6 people, including 1 in 5 children, experienced food insecurity statewide. In the 29-county service area of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, nearly 14% of residents—over 900,000 people—were food insecure, including more than 293,000 children.
The findings highlight a troubling trend: more than 8 out of 10 counties with the highest estimated food insecurity rates nationally are rural, and in Georgia, Heard, Floyd, and Polk counties reported some of the highest levels. Heard County had a food insecurity rate of 20.9%, the highest in the Food Bank’s service area, while Henry County had the lowest at 10.2%.
Kyle Waide, President and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, emphasized the scale of the crisis. ‘More of our neighbors are having to make difficult choices to make ends meet and are struggling to put food on their tables,’ Waide said. The data underscores that food insecurity is not just an urban issue but a pervasive challenge across all communities.
A critical finding is that approximately 64% of food-insecure Georgians had incomes too high to qualify for federal nutrition assistance like SNAP, leaving them without a vital safety net. In the Food Bank’s service area, more than 68% of those facing hunger may not qualify for SNAP, up from 61% in 2023. Among children, 40% may not qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a significant increase from 32% the previous year.
The study also reveals stark disparities by race and ethnicity. While most people experiencing food insecurity nationally are white non-Hispanic, Black individuals in Georgia faced a rate of 27%, compared to 19% for Latino individuals and 11% for white individuals. These disparities highlight systemic inequities in access to food and economic stability.
Meal costs vary widely across Georgia, reflecting diverse economic challenges. In Fulton County, the average cost per meal is $4.68, while statewide, food-secure individuals reported spending an average of $3.70 per meal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has stopped collecting food security data, but Feeding America is exploring alternative data sources to continue estimating local food insecurity beyond 2027.
The Map the Meal Gap study is supported by the Conagra Brands Foundation, Enterprise Mobility Foundation, and NielsenIQ/NIQ. Detailed findings and an interactive map are available at FeedingAmerica.org/MaptheMealGap. For more information on how to help, visit the Atlanta Community Food Bank at acfb.org.
