Food Insecurity Rose to 40% in 2025, According to The Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham’s Sixth Annual Statewide Food Access Report

Key takeaways

• More people are relying on anti-hunger supports, but resources are insufficient
• Data demonstrates a critical need for further investment in the state government and charitable emergency food system

A record 40% of Massachusetts households—approximately 1.1 million—experienced food insecurity in 2025, according to the sixth annual Massachusetts Food Access Report: Hunger on the Rise (2026 Report) from The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) and Mass General Brigham. The rate has more than doubled since 2019, increasing from 37% in 2024. The findings reflect the compounding effects of Massachusetts’ high cost of living, inflation, and, more recently, disruptions to food access programs following the 2025 federal government shutdown.

“The data clearly shows that hunger in Massachusetts is on the rise,” said Lauren Fiechtner, MD, MPH, Division Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Mass General Brigham for Children, Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, and Senior Health and Research Advisor at GBFB. “Our results are sobering: more people are struggling, and while they report accessing food and nutrition assistance programs like food pantries, SNAP, and WIC, they also say these programs are not enough. Every population—from families with young children to seniors—is struggling to afford food.”

Topline findings

• State of food insecurity: 40% of Massachusetts households—approximately 1.1 million households—experienced food insecurity in 2025 (households that do not have consistent, reliable access to enough healthy food), with 25% experiencing very low food security (regularly missing meals or going hungry).
• Charitable food as a critical safety net: The charitable food system is playing an increasingly essential role, with over half (56%) of food-insecure households depending on them—a record high that underscores increased need and the limits of existing public supports.
• SNAP is insufficient: Amidst federal funding cuts, 75% of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants reported they still need additional food support, and 78% of households received less than $300 per month in SNAP benefits.
• Affordability gaps: 88% of food-insecure households reported trouble paying for at least one basic expense, compared with 27% of food-secure households. On average, food insecure households need an additional $500 per month to meet basic expenses.
• Impact on children and families: Child‑level food insecurity rose to 37%, up from 33% last year.
• Nutrition and health outcomes: Among households experiencing food insecurity in Massachusetts, 57% reported low nutrition security—or difficulty affording healthy foods—an increase from 51% in 2022. Food insecurity is linked to worse health outcomes, with nearly 8 in 10 adults living in food insecure households reporting at least one chronic health condition, compared with about 66% of those in food secure households. Similarly, nearly 6 in 10 children in food insecure households are living with a chronic health condition, compared to 39% of their food-secure counterparts.
• Health system costs: Up to $1.6 billion of healthcare spending for emergency room and inpatient hospitalization for MassHealth patients may be related to food insecurity.
• Demographic data and disparities: Hispanic households have consistently experienced the highest rates of food insecurity during the past six years, with levels reaching 63% in 2025. Black households (51%) and LGBTQ+ households (58%) continue to experience high levels of food insecurity.

Nationally, food prices have increased by nearly 30 percent since March 2020 according to the Consumer Price Index. The recent cuts to federal programs such as the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and SNAP have increased pressure on families and the food bank network. Since October 2025, food supplied to GBFB through the USDA has been reduced by nearly 36%, increasing the need for philanthropic and state resources to help close the resulting gap.

“While the data shows that we are headed in the wrong direction when it comes to food insecurity, Massachusetts has always been committed to solutions – this moment isn’t any different,” said GBFB President and CEO Catherine D’Amato. “The call to action is clear: we must continue to invest in our emergency food system to meet this urgent and growing demand. And we must work together on implementing long-term solutions to poverty to empower everyone to live better, healthier, and more productive lives.”

This study demonstrates how interconnected Massachusetts’ hunger-relief system has become, with government and charitable food assistance programs working in tandem to meet basic needs. SNAP remains a critical foundation, but the data indicates that benefits alone are not sufficient, leading many households to rely on community-based food programs to meet their needs. This increased demand places added pressure on the food bank network and its 900+ local partners, who must raise additional funds and depend on state support through the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP). Furthermore, this survey was conducted before the new SNAP work requirements and eligibility rules from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act went into effect, which will only result in more reliance on food pantries in the coming year.

“As more patients struggle to access consistent, nutritious food, we are seeing the direct impact on their health and well-being,” said Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH, Chief Community Health & Health Equity Officer and Executive Director of the Kraft Center for Community Health at Mass General Brigham. “That’s why Mass General Brigham is working alongside community partners to ensure all Massachusetts families have resources to meet rising demand and serve as a critical bridge to better health for the communities we care for.”

"This report highlights what I hear every day: the high cost of living is causing families to choose between paying for rent or childcare and food,” said Congressman Jim McGovern. “We know that the federal changes to SNAP and Medicaid will only make this affordability crisis worse. We should be shoring up our public investments, not walking away from our hungry neighbors.”

Report background and recommendations

In response to the study’s findings, GBFB and Mass General Brigham call for the following immediate increases in funding for public programs and sustained structural reforms to build a food security system capable of meeting escalating needs, while managing the existing crisis.

Recommendations include:

• Increasing state-level funding through the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP) to $58 million.
• Strengthening SNAP administration and benefit adequacy by providing DTA with $30 million in funding to hire additional case workers.
• Expanding access to WIC, Universal School Meals, HIP, TEFAP, CSFP, and HRSN medically tailored nutrition supports.
• Investing in Food is Medicine initiatives to prevent and treat diet-related illnesses. Also investing in research that builds the evidence base for effective, scalable food and nutrition security interventions, including through MEFAP, Food Security Infrastructure Grants (FSIG), and Healthy Incentives Program (HIP).
• Expanding local food system infrastructure to improve access to nutritious, culturally responsive, Massachusetts grown foods.
• Advancing long-term reforms addressing the root causes of hunger, including income inadequacy, housing instability, and healthcare access barriers.

“The goal of these recommendations is to shift the role of public programs from managing hunger to preventing it by enhancing financial stability and reducing the reliance on the emergency food system. We need to ensure that families have a bridge back to economic stability so they can meet their food needs independently and with dignity,” said D’Amato. From October through December 2025, GBFB and Mass General Brigham conducted an online survey of more than 3,000 adults across Massachusetts, offered in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Learn more about the methodology, key findings, and policy recommendations.

About The Greater Boston Food Bank

The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and one of the largest food banks in the country. For nearly half a century, GBFB has fueled Eastern Massachusetts’ hunger-relief system, putting over 90 million healthy meals on tables across the region each year. Over 600 community-based pantries and other local partners in 190 cities and towns depend on GBFB to provide access to healthy food for 600,000 people every month. GBFB is committed to the belief that access to healthy food is a human right regardless of an individual’s circumstances. Through policy, partnerships, and providing free, nutritious, and culturally responsive food, GBFB is committed to addressing the root causes of food insecurity while promoting racial, gender and economic equity in food access. Together, we have the power to end hunger here. For more information and to help us help others, visit us at GBFB.org, follow us on Facebook, X (@gr8bosfoodbank) and Instagram, or call us at 617.427.5200.