A third of all Mass. households faced food insecurity last year, study finds

Local News

Grocery prices have risen more in Massachusetts than many places around the country, forcing some residents to choose between buying food and paying their bills.

About 34% of all households in Massachusetts experienced food insecurity in 2023, according to the latest statewide study from The Greater Boston Food Bank. That translates to about 1.9 million adults reporting household food insecurity, a slight uptick from 2022 and the continuation of a steady rise in food insecurity over the past four years.

“The fact that 1 in 3 people remain food insecure is an unacceptable day to day reality for far too many in our state, one of the wealthiest in the nation,” GBFB President and CEO Catherine D’Amato said in a statement.

The study, conducted from November to March, measures food insecurity across a number of locations and demographics. Food insecurity is a condition that means a household has limited or uncertain access to adequate food.

Just 19% of Massachusetts households dealt with food insecurity in 2019, a figure that jumped to 30% in 2020, 32% in 2021, and 33% in 2022.

Every county in the state experienced “significant” food insecurity in 2023, according to the study. Norfolk County had the lowest percentage of households facing a lack of food at 18%. Bristol and Hampden counties had the most with 48% each. Berkshire and Suffolk counties were not far behind at 45%.

Racial disparities were clear. American Indian/Alaska Native households experienced the highest levels of food insecurity with 62%. The study found that 56% of Hispanic households and 51% of Black households struggled to find enough adequate food. Compared to 30% of white households and 26% of Asian ones.

Massachusetts is one of the most expensive places to live in the country, and residents are being forced to make tough decisions just to eat. Of the households that reported food insecurity, almost 70% said that they had to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities or transportation.

Inflation is the leading cause of food insecurity, according to those who participated in the study, as 73% of food-insecure individuals said that high inflation and increasing food costs were obstacles towards eating better. Over the past year, Massachusetts experienced the sixth-highest grocery price increase in the country, according to data from Consumer Affairs cited in the report.

“Lived expertise is the foundation of this report,” said Lauren Fiechtner, the senior health and research advisor for GBFB and director of pediatric nutrition at Mass General for Children. “When we asked folks facing hunger what needs to change, the responses overwhelmingly attributed food insecurity to high inflation and cost of living, low-paying jobs, and limited public transportation options.”

Community food assistance programs like food pantries and regular meal programs are being relied upon more and more. The overall number of households using these programs did not significantly change, but these households did report going to the programs more often and receiving more groceries through them.

Food pantries, along with initiatives like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are essential, but not enough, according to the study. It found that 75% of those participating in two or more food assistance programs continued to experience food insecurity.

A child was hungry, skipped a meal, or did not eat for a full day because there was not enough money for food in 35% of all households with children in 2023, a 1% decrease from 2022. Last year, Gov. Maura Healey and state lawmakers made Massachusetts just the eighth state to offer permanent, universal, free school meals for K-12 students. Permanently adopting this policy, which began during the pandemic in 2020, was a “huge step” for the state, GBFB said in the report.

Food insecurity is not only linked to chronic medical issues like diabetes, but also mental health challenges. The study found that 52% of people experiencing food insecurity screened positive for anxiety, and 49% screened positive for depression.

“These staggering rates are double the overall rates in the sample from this survey, suggesting that holistic and comprehensive services are needed,” the report’s authors wrote.