Counties with the highest rate of food insecure children in Kentucky
Published 12:02 pm Friday, August 6, 2021
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
Counties with the highest rate of food insecure children in Kentucky
Food insecurity is a widespread problem in the United States, with people experiencing food insecurity in every single county in the nation. The nonprofit Feeding America describes food insecurity as “a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life.”
Food insecurity hits children particularly hard. The USDA estimates that more than 5.3 million children lived in food-insecure households in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic put further strain on households already experiencing food hardship, with Feeding America estimating that 13 million children may experience food insecurity in 2021—that’s one in six children. Not having consistent access to enough food can affect cognitive abilities, overall health, moods, and attention spans—not to mention the psychological effects of living with scarcity.
Stacker compiled a list of counties in Kentucky with the highest rate of food insecure children using data from Feeding America. Counties are ranked by highest percent of children with food insecurity as of 2019.
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#50. Christian County
– Child food insecurity rate: 21.2%
— Number of food insecure children: 4,090
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 74.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 26.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 16.2%
Turover // Wikimedia Commons
#49. Greenup County
– Child food insecurity rate: 21.4%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,630
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 65.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 36.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 15.6%
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
#48. Laurel County
– Child food insecurity rate: 21.5%
— Number of food insecure children: 3,000
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 82.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 18.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 17.2%
Joel Bradshaw // Wikimedia Commons
#47. Ohio County
– Child food insecurity rate: 21.6%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,290
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 79.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 22.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 15.4%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#46. Casey County
– Child food insecurity rate: 21.7%
— Number of food insecure children: 780
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 82.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 18.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 17.7%
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#45. Powell County
– Child food insecurity rate: 21.8%
— Number of food insecure children: 650
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 82.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 18.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 18.1%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#44. Martin County
– Child food insecurity rate: 22.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 510
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 80.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 21.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 19.2%
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#43. Monroe County
– Child food insecurity rate: 22.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 530
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 80.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 20.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 17.5%
Bedford // Wikimedia Commons
#42. Webster County
– Child food insecurity rate: 22.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 670
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 78.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 22.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 17.4%
Wdzinc // Wikimedia Commons
#41. Marion County
– Child food insecurity rate: 22.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,030
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 77.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 23.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 16.4%
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No machine-readable author provided. Blinutne assumed (based on copyright claims). // Wikimedia Commons
#40. Whitley County
– Child food insecurity rate: 22.1%
— Number of food insecure children: 2,000
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 87.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 13.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 18.5%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#39. Lyon County
– Child food insecurity rate: 22.4%
— Number of food insecure children: 260
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 78.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 22.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 15.1%
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#38. Boyd County
– Child food insecurity rate: 22.5%
— Number of food insecure children: 2,280
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 70.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 30.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 17.0%
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
#37. Bath County
– Child food insecurity rate: 22.8%
— Number of food insecure children: 730
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 97.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 3.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 18.1%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#36. Metcalfe County
– Child food insecurity rate: 23.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 530
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 90.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 10.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 17.6%
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Smceuen // Wikimedia Commons
#35. Carroll County
– Child food insecurity rate: 23.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 630
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 67.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 33.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 16.1%
HiB2Bornot2B // Wikimedia Commons
#34. Johnson County
– Child food insecurity rate: 23.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,170
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 66.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 34.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 19.7%
FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore // Wikimedia Commons
#33. Fleming County
– Child food insecurity rate: 23.1%
— Number of food insecure children: 820
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 81.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 19.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 17.1%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#32. Clinton County
– Child food insecurity rate: 23.2%
— Number of food insecure children: 540
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 100.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 0.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 18.4%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#31. Barren County
– Child food insecurity rate: 23.2%
— Number of food insecure children: 2,430
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 79.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 21.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 17.6%
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W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
#30. Rowan County
– Child food insecurity rate: 23.5%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,090
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 83.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 17.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 18.8%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#29. Morgan County
– Child food insecurity rate: 23.6%
— Number of food insecure children: 580
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 79.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 21.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 18.3%
Huw Williams (Huwmanbeing) // Wikimedia Commons
#28. Grayson County
– Child food insecurity rate: 24.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,500
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 84.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 16.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 18.0%
JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons
#27. Wayne County
– Child food insecurity rate: 25.2%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,090
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 76.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 24.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 18.5%
CoryClaxon // Wikimedia Commons
#26. Carter County
– Child food insecurity rate: 25.5%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,540
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 77.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 23.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 19.6%
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#25. Lawrence County
– Child food insecurity rate: 25.6%
— Number of food insecure children: 960
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 87.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 13.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 20.2%
C. Bedford Crenshaw // Wikimedia Commons
#24. Lewis County
– Child food insecurity rate: 25.8%
— Number of food insecure children: 770
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 97.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 3.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 20.3%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#23. Knox County
– Child food insecurity rate: 26.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,910
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 88.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 12.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 20.9%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#22. Perry County
– Child food insecurity rate: 26.2%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,560
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 81.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 19.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 20.8%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Pike County
– Child food insecurity rate: 26.2%
— Number of food insecure children: 3,220
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 80.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 20.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 19.7%
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W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
#20. Robertson County
– Child food insecurity rate: 26.7%
— Number of food insecure children: 140
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 50.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 51.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 17.8%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#19. Menifee County
– Child food insecurity rate: 27.1%
— Number of food insecure children: 370
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 79.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 22.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 18.7%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#18. Estill County
– Child food insecurity rate: 27.8%
— Number of food insecure children: 850
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 79.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 21.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 21.5%
Kybluegrass // Wikimedia Commons
#17. McCreary County
– Child food insecurity rate: 27.9%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,100
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 95.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 5.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 21.8%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#16. Nicholas County
– Child food insecurity rate: 28.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 480
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 85.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 15.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 19.9%
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JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons
#15. Owsley County
– Child food insecurity rate: 28.6%
— Number of food insecure children: 260
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 75.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 25.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 23.4%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Elliott County
– Child food insecurity rate: 28.9%
— Number of food insecure children: 400
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 76.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 24.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 22.4%
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
#13. Jackson County
– Child food insecurity rate: 28.9%
— Number of food insecure children: 870
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 75.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 25.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 22.7%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#12. Floyd County
– Child food insecurity rate: 29.0%
— Number of food insecure children: 2,280
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 76.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 24.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 22.4%
Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons
#11. Fulton County
– Child food insecurity rate: 29.6%
— Number of food insecure children: 400
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 67.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 33.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 19.4%
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#10. Wolfe County
– Child food insecurity rate: 29.6%
— Number of food insecure children: 490
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 83.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 17.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 24.8%
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
#9. Lee County
– Child food insecurity rate: 30.5%
— Number of food insecure children: 430
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 89.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 12.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 23.8%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#8. Knott County
– Child food insecurity rate: 31.7%
— Number of food insecure children: 970
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 97.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 3.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 23.1%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#7. Bell County
– Child food insecurity rate: 31.7%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,810
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 82.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 18.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 24.8%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#6. Clay County
– Child food insecurity rate: 31.8%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,380
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 82.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 18.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 24.7%
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#5. Letcher County
– Child food insecurity rate: 32.2%
— Number of food insecure children: 1,550
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 78.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 22.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 24.0%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#4. Breathitt County
– Child food insecurity rate: 32.7%
— Number of food insecure children: 860
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 82.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 18.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 25.3%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#3. Magoffin County
– Child food insecurity rate: 32.8%
— Number of food insecure children: 940
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 90.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 10.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 24.8%
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#2. Leslie County
– Child food insecurity rate: 33.2%
— Number of food insecure children: 730
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 70.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 30.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 25.9%
W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
#1. Harlan County
– Child food insecurity rate: 35.1%
— Number of food insecure children: 2,150
– Percentage of children in households with income below 185% FPL: 85.0%
– Percentage of children in households with income above 185% FPL: 16.0%
– Overall food insecurity rate: 26.6%
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