Locations
Virginia
Statistics on children, youth and families in Virginia from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Voices for Virginia’s Children
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Why This Indicator Matters
These data extend beyond eligibility for public services to see the true hidden need for food within localities, in a way that can take into account how the cost of a meal may vary from place to place.
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Definition and Source
PROVIDER
Definition
Food insecurity refers to USDA's measure of lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods.Percentage reflects number of children identified as food insecure of the total child population. Data from 2018 are NOT directly comparable to data from any prior study due to methodological changes made in 2018.
Number and percent of children experiencing food insecurity modeled by unemployment, poverty, median income, and demographic factors.
"Feeding America conducts Map the Meal Gap annually to improve our understanding of how food insecurity and food costs vary at the local level. The study estimates overall and child food insecurity for every county and congressional district in the United States as well as local food insecurity estimates for seniors, older adults, by select income levels, and select racial and ethnic groups
Number and percent of children experiencing food insecurity modeled by unemployment, poverty, median income, and demographic factors.
Map the Meal Gap provides estimates of local food insecurity and food costs on an annual basis to better understand people and places facing hunger and to inform decisions and actions that will help us achieve our mission. We do this by generating national and local data about food insecurity, translating those data into insights and tools, and engaging partners to help them use and improve our data and research in the future." -https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/map-the-meal-gap/by-county
Data Source
Map the Meal Gap: Food Insecurity and Child Food Insecurity Estimates at the County Level. Feeding America.
| Ribar, D.C., Harris, V., Dewey, A., Dawes, S., and Engelhard, E. (2025). Map the Meal Gap: An Analysis of Local Food Insecurity and Food Costs in the United States in 2023. Feeding America National Organization. | Citation for 2023 data from Map the Meal Gap |
| Dewey, A., Harris, V., Hake, M., & Engelhard, E. (2024). Map the Meal Gap 2024: An Analysis of County and Congressional District Food Insecurity and County Food Cost in the United States in 2022. Feeding America. | Citation for 2022 data from Map the Meal Gap |
| Gundersen C., Ziliak, J. (2023). Hunger Among Adults Age 50-59 in 2021: An Annual Report. Report for Feeding America. Available from Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/state-senior-hunger | Citation for 2021 data about older adults age 50-59 |
| Ziliak, J., Gundersen, C. (2023). The State of Senior Hunger in America in 2021: An Annual Report. Report for Feeding America. Available from Feeding America: https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/state-senior-hunger | Citation for 2021 data about seniors 60+ |
| Gundersen, C., Strayer, M., Dewey, A., Hake, M., & Engelhard, E. (2023). Map the Meal Gap 2023: An Analysis of County and Congressional District Food Insecurity and County Food Cost in the United States in 2021. Feeding America. | All other 2021 data from Map the Meal Gap |
| Gundersen, C., Strayer, M., Dewey, A., Hake, M., & Engelhard, E. (2022). Map the Meal Gap 2022: An Analysis of County and Congressional District Food Insecurity and County Food Cost in the United States in 2020. Feeding America. | Citation for 2020 data from Map the Meal Gap. |
| Gundersen, C., Strayer, M., Dewey, A., Hake, M., & Engelhard, E. (2021). Map the Meal Gap 2021: An Analysis of County and Congressional District Food Insecurity and County Food Cost in the United States in 2019. Feeding America. | Citation for 2019 data from Map the Meal Gap. |
Notes
Last Updated: November 2025
Last Updated
November 2025