New Mexico is leading the nation in child hunger for the second year in a row. According to the Map the Meal Gap 2019 report by Feeding America, one in every four New Mexico children are at risk for hunger and food insecurity.
While children are at risk of food insecurity in every state, New Mexico’ s child food insecurity is at 24% which is the equivalent of 118,303 children. Nationally, the percentage of children that live in food insecure households is 17%.
The report is based on 2017 data which totals food budget shortfall, national average meal cost, and local and national food insecurity numbers.
Across the state, McKinley and Luna Counties had the highest percentages of child hunger. Luna County’s child food insecurity rate is 33.4% while McKinley County’s is 33.5%.
Click here to view the Child Food Insecurity in New Mexico map.
