In 2023, the USDA said 9.3 percent of U.S. households with an adult aged 65 and older were food insecure at some time, meaning they had difficulty providing enough food for their members due to inadequate resources. This prevalence of food insecurity in households with an adult 65 and over in 2023 was similar to 9.1 percent in 2022 but significantly higher than the 7.1 percent prevalence in 2021.
USDA’s Economic Research Service monitors the food security status of households in the U.S. through an annual nationwide survey. In 2023, 11 percent of households with an adult 65 and older living alone were food insecure, similar to the 11.4 percent in 2022 and the prevalence in 2021 of 9.5 percent. The prevalence of very low food security for households with an adult 65 and older and households with an adult 65 and older living alone in 2023 was statistically similar to 2021 and 2022.
