Mapping hunger at a local level
Three Square Food Bank and Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, released its most recent Map the Meal Gap study in 2023. This study accurately reflects who is truly hungry at the local community level by taking into consideration such factors as the unemployment rate, federal food assistance eligibility rates, and the average cost of a meal. Other key findings include:
- 14.6% – The percentage of the population in Clark County who are food insecure. Three Square’s service area also includes three rural counties: Esmeralda, Lincoln, and Nye. Though the rural population is smaller, the food insecurity rate in each county ranges between 13.2%–18.4%.
- 51.3 million – The number of meals needed each year to close the gap between the need for food and what is currently made available through federal nutrition programs and charitable organizations.
- $3.91 – The average price of a meal in Clark County. Rural communities in Nevada often have an even higher average meal cost than their urban counterparts.