New Hampshire Child Food Insecurity Rises to 15.5% in 2024
Child food insecurity in New Hampshire increased 6% from 2023 to 2024, affecting 38,430 children or 15.5% of the state's child population, according to Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap report. Coös County saw the highest rates at 22.1% of children food insecure, while Rockingham County had the lowest at 11.6%. The data predates implementation of federal SNAP restrictions enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of July 2025, which reduced benefits, tightened work requirements, and banned refugees and asylees from the program. Future data will show the impact of those SNAP cuts on food insecurity rates among Medicaid-eligible populations, as food insecurity and Medicaid eligibility substantially overlap.
Rising food insecurity among children signals growing economic strain in Medicaid-eligible populations, particularly in rural areas like Coös County, and the 2025 SNAP restrictions may further increase healthcare utilization and unmet social needs among state Medicaid beneficiaries.
Maternal · CHIP
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