New York Fed Survey: Food Insecurity Returns to Pre-Pandemic Levels

A Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey conducted in February 2026 found that one in ten households reported not having enough food to eat or that children missed meals, more than double the 4 percent recorded in June 2020. 8 percent early in the pandemic.

Researchers described the rise in food insecurity as remarkable, especially among lower-income, lower-educated households and those with young children.

8 percent in April, the highest level in almost three years. The New York Fed linked the findings to higher housing and food costs that have placed greater pressure on low- and middle-income families. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act reduced SNAP funding by $186 billion over ten years, a 20 percent cut.

Before the reduction, children accounted for 39 percent and elderly recipients for 20 percent of SNAP participants. Additional reductions to Medicaid, Medicare, and Affordable Care Act subsidies have also increased living costs for lower- and middle-income households.

8 in May 2026, below levels recorded during the Great Recession and the pandemic. The share of families expecting to be financially better off in a year has also declined, according to the New York Fed. 4 million people from SNAP rolls. Researchers noted signs of a widening K-shaped economy in which lower-income households face rising financial stress while higher earners drive wage and productivity growth.