Food insecurity in Chicago is widespread and worsening, according to the 2026 Hunger in Chicago Report released on Monday by the Greater Chicago Food Depository in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago. Based on a June survey of 1,200 Chicago residents, the report finds that 36% of Chicago households — about 417,000 households — lack consistent access to enough food. And nearly 1 in 2 Chicago households with children (47%) are struggling to put food on the table. The findings show that cost of living is outpacing people’s ability to make ends meet. Rising costs and historic cuts to critical safety net programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are forcing hundreds of thousands of neighbors to choose between groceries and essentials such as housing, utilities and medicine. Key findings include:

• More than one in three Chicago households are food insecure. As of June 2026, 36% of Chicago households — approximately 417,000 households — reported not having consistent access to enough food.

• Families with children are at even greater risk. Nearly half of Chicago households with children, 47%, are struggling to put food on the table, compared with 30% of households without children.

• Unaffordability is driving the crisis. Forty percent of Cook County households cannot afford the basic cost of living. Since 2021, food prices have increased 22% and rent prices have risen 31% in the Chicago metro area.

For the full report, visit chicagosfoodbank.org.