Nearly 11% of Americans reported sometimes or often not having enough to eat in the past seven days, according to Census Bureau estimates from mid-September.

Food insecurity is a national issue, but it varies significantly among demographics, with Black Americans, 25- to 39-year-olds, households with incomes of less than $25,000 and those without high school diplomas facing the biggest obstacles to putting food on the table. These statistics reflect the broader trend of rising income equality in the U.S.

To get a close look at this phenomenon, MagnifyMoney researchers analyzed regional data to find which states have the highest percentage of adults going hungry.

Key findings

• In Mississippi, 17.3% of residents report not having enough food at least sometimes, the highest rate in the country.
• The rest of the top 10 is dominated by Southern states. Louisiana ranks second, the District of Columbia ranks third, Kentucky ranks fourth and Arkansas ranks fifth. The top seven places where Americans are most likely to suffer from food insecurity are in the South.
• Western states tend to have the lowest likelihood of residents reporting food insecurity. Though Vermont has the lowest share at 4.3%, five Western states (Utah, Montana, Hawaii, Washington and Idaho) were among the bottom 10.
• Black Americans are more than twice as likely to say they sometimes or often don’t have enough to eat as white Americans.
• Nearly a quarter of Americans without a high school degree report food insecurity. That is more than seven times the level of food insecurity reported by those with a bachelor’s degree.
• Food insecurity and general economic insecurity go hand in hand. People with lower incomes are the most likely to report food insecurity issues. Just under 40% of people who said they used money borrowed from friends and family to make ends meet over the past seven days reported not having enough to eat.
• Nearly 51% of people who say they have no confidence in making their next rent or mortgage payment say they sometimes or often don’t have enough food to eat.

• Food insecurity rate by age, race, education and household income
• Food insecurity rate when going into debt to make ends meet
• Food insecurity rate and confidence around paying rent/mortgage
• 5 options for consumers when they don’t have enough food

Food insecurity rate by age, race, education and household income

Looking at each state’s data tells a story of hunger from coast to coast. However, food insecurity rates look starkly different when you break them down by age, race, education and household income. Below, you can see the percentage of people in each demographic who said they sometimes or often didn’t have enough to eat.

Age

• 18 to 24: 12.7% sometimes or often don’t have enough to eat
• 25 to 39: 13.8%
• 40 to 54: 12.8%
• 55 to 64: 9.4%
• 65 and above: 3.8%

Those ages 25 to 39 are struggling the most, with 13.8% saying they don’t always have enough to eat. Previous MagnifyMoney research found that 63% of this age group who have tapped into retirement savings amid the coronavirus pandemic used the funds to pay for groceries.

Next were those ages 40 to 54, 12.8% of whom are facing food insecurity. Those ages 18 to 24 were right behind at 12.7%. Eighteen- to 24-year-olds have been hit particularly hard by unemployment during the pandemic, which could be making it difficult for them to pay for food.

Race

• Latino: 17.6% sometimes or often don’t have enough to eat
• White: 7.3%
• Black: 18.7%
• Asian: 5.7%
• 2 or more races: 16.0%

Nearly 19% of Black Americans reported they sometimes or often didn’t have enough to eat over that seven-day period — more than triple the rate of Asian Americans and more than double the rate of white Americans who lacked food.

Substantial job losses among people of color during the coronavirus crisis may explain why higher rates of Black and Latino Americans haven’t been able to stock their pantries easily. Black and Latino Americans had August 2020 unemployment rates totaling 13.0% and 10.5%, respectively.

Education

• Less than high school: 24.8% sometimes or often don’t have enough to eat
• High school or GED: 13.9%
• Some college: 10.8%
• Bachelor’s degree: 3.4%

Just about 1 in 4 who haven’t graduated high school said they didn’t have enough to eat, compared with 3.4% who’ve received a bachelor’s degree and reported the same. Just under 14% of those who finished high school (or earned a GED) were experiencing hunger at least sometimes, if not often, while the same was true for about 1 in 10 who had some college education.

This amplifies how education affects income. According to 2019 U.S. Census Bureau data, those who’ve earned a bachelor’s degree take home $24,388 more yearly on average than those who haven’t earned a degree beyond high school, potentially giving them more budgetary flexibilities for expenses.

Household income

• Less than $25,000: 28.3% sometimes or often don’t have enough to eat
• $25,000 to $34,999: 17.0%
• $35,000 to $49,999: 12.8%
• $50,000 to $74,999: 9.3%
• $75,000 to $99,999: 4.9%
• $100,000 to $149,999: 2.1%
• $150,000 to $199,999: 1.0%
• $200,000 and above: 0.6%

It should come as little surprise that wealthier Americans can more easily put food on the table than low-income families. Among those earning less than $25,000 a year, 28.3% were food insecure, compared with 9.3% of people making $50,000 to $74,999 and 0.6% of those earning at least $200,000 and above.

While food insecurity levels varied quite a bit among people of different household incomes, the amount of money they spend on food didn’t fluctuate as much. People in households with incomes less than $75,000 spent between $188.76 and $202.91 on food prepared and eaten at home in the previous seven days. For food outside the home in that same period, those earning less than $75,000 spent between $74.84 and $78.91, or about $50 less than what was spent by households earning $200,000 and up.

Food insecurity rate when going into debt to make ends meet

• Used credit cards or loans to meet spending needs: 14.9% sometimes or often don’t have enough to eat
• Borrowed from friends or family to meet spending needs: 39.3%

Access to financing also helps paint a picture of who’s facing the biggest difficulties getting enough to eat. Nearly 4 in 10 who have turned to friends or family for money recently are food insecure.

While government programs are available for those in need, they don’t always provide enough money to cover food expenses. Just about 32% of people who’ve used benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the seven-day period said they lack enough food sometimes or often. Among people relying on unemployment insurance to cover expenses, 17.7% haven’t had enough to eat.

Lastly, 14.9% who’ve had to use money from savings or selling assets to meet their spending needs sometimes or often don’t have enough to eat.

Food insecurity rate and confidence around paying rent/mortgage

• No confidence 50.6% sometimes or often don’t have enough to eat
• Slight confidence 28.6%
• Moderate confidence 13.4%
• High confidence 2.9%
• Payment is/will be deferred 12.7%

Some families are finding that they need to choose between keeping a roof over their head and eating amid the pandemic — if they can afford either. More than half of those who are certain they can’t pay their rent or mortgage don’t have enough to eat.

The food insecurity rate drops to almost 29% among people who have a slight confidence in covering housing. But even a small number (7.9%) who are caught up on rent or mortgage payments still have a hard time putting enough food on the table.

5 options for consumers when they don’t have enough food

Go to a local food pantry

State government websites, community groups and religious organizations often provide information on food pantries, where consumers can get free groceries. Some food pantries also provide other items, such as notebooks and pencils, that can help families reserve more of their budget for other essentials, including rent and utilities.

Get a hot meal at a soup kitchen

Many soup kitchens offer nutritionally-balanced hot meals for those in need. Some even provide delivery service, which can come in handy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Apply for SNAP

SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides participants with an electronic benefit card they can use to pay for food. The benefits may be used at participating businesses, including grocery stores and farmers’ markets, as well as for online grocery orders at certain retailers. A household’s gross monthly income usually needs to be at no more than 130% of the poverty line to be eligible for SNAP. Contact a local SNAP office to apply.

Apply for WIC

WIC, short for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, helps new or expectant moms, as well as their children up to age 5, get nutritious food, either with an electronic benefit transfer card or via checks or vouchers. Eligible consumers must meet certain income guidelines, residency requirements and be at “nutritional risk,” as determined by a health professional. Consumers can apply for WIC through state agencies.

Get kids’ meals at school

Children from low-income households can get free or reduced-price meals at schools and child care centers through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. As part of its COVID-19 pandemic response, the U.S. has extended its summer meal program through as late as the end of 2020 and made it more flexible, allowing parents and guardians to pick up meals for kids from nearly 80,000 sites across the U.S.

Methodology

Researchers analyzed data from the Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey conducted Sept. 2 to 14, 2020, to track the number of people who reported either sometimes or often not having enough to eat in the past seven days.

With the price of gym memberships, specialty foods and medical care, a healthy lifestyle can seem unachievable when you’re on a budget.

However, making the investment in your health can pay off in ways that go beyond feeling well. Studies show that healthy people earn significantly higher wages and accumulate more wealth than unhealthy people. And the good news is that being healthy doesn’t have to strain your finances.

In this article, we break down the costs of being healthy and how you can save money on food, fitness and medical expenses.

The cost of healthy living

Costs can be a barrier to managing our health. American families consistently point to the cost of healthcare as one of their biggest financial problems in polls conducted by Gallup.

“I hear from patients all the time that they feel pressure to go broke trying to stay healthy,” said Libby Pellegrini, a certified physician assistant and medical expert for RxSaver, a site that helps people find ways to save money on prescription drugs.

Here’s what you should know about the price of health-related expenses, like maintaining a nutritious diet, getting in shape and obtaining medical services.

Food

A diet rich in nutritious foods, like vegetables, fruits, lean meats and nuts, can reduce your risk of heart disease and other conditions — potentially saving money on health care costs in the long run.

However, stocking your pantry with good-for-you ingredients can be pricey. A 2013 meta-analysis published in the journal BMJ Open found that the healthiest diet costs around $1.50 per day more than the least nutritious diet. That means making the switch to a healthy diet could cost nearly $550 per year more for just one person, and push into the thousands for an entire family.

A 2012 study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which analyzed 4,439 foods, also found that healthy food can be more expensive on a per-calorie basis than “moderation foods,” such as those with added sugar and high quantities of saturated fat. Vegetables and fruits in particular cost a lot per calorie. While study authors acknowledge that healthy food can actually be cheaper than junk food by other measurements, like average portion price, the cost per calorie may play a role in some people’s dietary choices.

Fitness

Exercising regularly not only reduces your risk of serious health conditions, it can also help you avoid costly medical expenses. The American Heart Association reported in 2016 that people who exercised regularly spent around $2,500 less per year on health care costs than inactive people. But what does it cost to get in shape?

Gym memberships cost an average of $58 per month across the country. In some cities, the monthly expense of joining a health club can top $100. Expenses on fitness can add up even higher when you consider other costs of staying in shape. A survey of 1,350 Americans between the ages of 18 and 65 found that people spend a monthly average of $55.95 on supplements, $34.34 on gym apparel and accessories, and $13.83 on personal training services and workout plans.

While exercise can eat up a substantial portion of your budget, it doesn’t have to. In the section below, we’ll offer some tips on how you can get in shape for free.

Medical

Health care costs are a hot-button issue for people in the U.S., and for good reason — the country spends around double on health per person than other wealthy countries. Spending on health care across the nation climbed to $11,172 per person in 2018, an increase of 4.6% from the previous year.

While a portion of those costs may be covered by third parties, like private health insurance and Medicare, Americans often need to cover the rest out of pocket. On average, 8.1% of an American household’s monthly expenses went to health care in 2018, totaling $4,968 per year. Medical bills can take a financial toll on families and even drive some people to bankruptcy.

If cost feels like an insurmountable barrier to getting and staying healthy, take a second look.

“You will spend far less money making small investments in your health today than you will spend mitigating the undesired outcomes of poor health tomorrow, but being health conscious doesn’t have to break the bank,” Pellegrini said.

Plus, there are some ways to reduce and even eliminate some of the upfront costs of staying healthy. Here are some tips.

Food

Buy canned or frozen produce, unless it’s in season
The cost of some fresh fruits and vegetables can vary significantly throughout the year. Strawberries, for example, generally cost the least from May through August, when there’s a large supply of them on the market, and the prices increase sharply later in the year. You might be able to save money on healthy groceries by avoiding fresh produce when it’s not in season, said Jessi Holden, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich.

“Canned and frozen produce is an excellent way to maintain a healthy diet and a healthy budget,” Holden said.

Embrace generic brands
Before you toss brand-name products into your shopping cart, scan the shelves to see if there’s a generic equivalent, Holden said. Stocking your pantry with less expensive alternatives to popular health foods may help you save money.

“Most of the time, [generic brands are] cheaper, and when you compare nutrition labels, they’re almost identical,” Holden said. “If you compare what you’d spend on name brands to what you could spend on generic, you’ll find your budget for food expands and your ability to purchase more things like produce increases.”

Try meal planning
When you don’t have a plan for dinner, it’s all too easy to rely on take-out. You may end up blowing both your budget and your intent to eat healthy.

“Meal planning helps us utilize the food we have on hand and the food that we’ve purchased for the week or month,” Holden said. “I always encourage people who want to meal plan to start by checking their pantry, fridge and freezer and plan at least one meal using ingredients they have on hand.”

Fitness

Walk as much as possible
Walking regularly can help ease you into fitness — and it costs nothing.

“Park a few blocks farther from the office to add a natural brisk walk into your morning and evening routine. Take a phone call while you walk around the hallway,” Pellegrini said.

You can also check out this 12-week walking schedule from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Work out with free online videos
YouTube is filled with workout videos that can help you work up a sweat without the expense of a gym or a personal trainer.

“Want to do a 20-minute yoga video on the beach in Nicaragua? There’s a free YouTube video that has you covered,” Pellegrini said. “Want someone to yell at you while you do squats, pushups and burpees in your living room? Same.”

Strength train at home
No barbells? No problem. Heavy items around your home can double as weights, allowing you to strength train at no cost. Consider using bottles filled with sand or water and canned goods during your home workout.

Medical

Switch to generic prescription drugs
If you’re paying a lot for a brand-name medication, ask your doctor if there’s a generic version that could work for your needs.

“Sometimes there may be a slightly different formulation that will be at a radically different price point,” Pellegrini said. “There may also be a way to combine two medications to achieve the same desired effect.”

Open an FSA or HSA
Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs) give you the ability to cover certain medical costs with pretax money. Like a checking account, FSAs and HSAs often include a debit card that you can use for eligible expenses, such as doctor’s co-pays, eyeglasses and acupuncture.

“Before you hit the store to load up on necessities, take a quick look around an FSA store website [such as FSAStore.com] to see if any items on your list are reimbursement eligible,” Pellegrini said. “You may be surprised by how much is covered, from contact lens cleaning solution to sunscreen.”

Make preventative care appointments
Seeing your doctor for a preventative care appointment could help you catch potential health issues before they turn into something worse, Pellegrini said.

“A prime example of this that we see all the time is the corporate executive with a high-profile job who comes in for routine preventative blood work and discovers that she has prediabetes,” she said. “With a few modifications, we can easily reverse her prediabetes, virtually eliminating the possibility that she will ever become a diabetic. This will help save on future health expenses in a huge way.”