Over 10% of Americans Say They Received Food from a Food Bank or Pantry in the Past Year

More than one in ten of middle-income Americans (12%) received food from a food bank or pantry over the past year, according to a new analysis.

A report from the Pew Research Center found that 39% of middle-income adults reported at least one of four hardships: difficulty paying for medical care, transportation or housing, or receiving food from a food bank.

Lower-income adults remained substantially more likely to need assistance. Forty-two percent reported receiving food from a food bank or pantry, compared with 12% of middle-income adults and 2% of upper-income adults. Across all income groups, the figure was 20%.

The results measure whether people received assistance during the previous year. They do not establish how frequently respondents visited pantries or whether middle-income participation has increased.

Pew's analysis combines responses from two summer surveys, including an August 24–30 survey of 5,166 adults. Questions about receiving food assistance were asked July 20–August 9.

Medical expenses presented the most widespread difficulty within that group, affecting 27%. Another 16% struggled with daily transportation costs, while 15% reported problems paying rent or a mortgage. These categories overlap, meaning some respondents experienced multiple hardships.

Fifty-two percent of middle-income adults lacked emergency funds sufficient to cover three months of expenses, and 22% said they could not pay some monthly bills or could make only partial payments. Income classifications use adjusted 2025 family earnings, meaning the categories describe an earlier annual income rather than necessarily capturing someone's finances on the day they sought help.

Feeding America's September 29 report surveyed more than 1,200 people who had received charitable food assistance or experienced food insecurity within the previous two years. Among that population, 48% said they delayed bills, including rent or medical expenses, to afford groceries. Another 52% relied on credit cards, loans, or borrowed money to keep food on the table.

Those figures describe people with recent experience of hunger or food assistance, rather than Americans generally. They nevertheless illustrate the financial tradeoffs behind visits to a pantry.

"Behind every measure of demand is a person trying to make a household budget work," Feeding America CEO Denis McDonough said in the organization's release. Reliability is another concern for households already seeking assistance.

The organization said the findings informed its preparations for sustained demand for food assistance. Respondents described charitable food and government nutrition programs as important sources of support while expressing uncertainty about future access.

Among people who received charitable food during the past year, 90% said it was important in helping them afford food. Meanwhile, 55% of surveyed respondents expressed concern about steady and reliable access to charitable assistance.