When people suffer economic challenges, it often triggers a cascade of hardship. In addition to food insecurity, it is harder to meet other basic needs and can force many to delay routine care until health issues become urgent. This drives costs up for both the individual and the entire healthcare system.
88% of households with food insecurity reported trouble paying for at least one basic expense, compared to 27% of households with food security.
Financial Strain
In 2025, households experiencing food insecurity were much more likely to struggle with other basic needs compared to households with food security.
- Housing and utility costs: 46% reported trouble paying for heat or electricity. Only about 1 in 2 reported stable housing, compared to 91% of food secure households.
- Medical needs and transportation: Equal proportions (36%) reported difficulty paying for medical needs and transportation.
- Childcare: Among households with children under 5 years of age, 20% struggled with childcare costs.
As one moves across the Hunger Continuum, the money needed to support other basic needs decreases. This suggests higher funding of food and nutrition assistance programs could offset the tradeoffs needed for other basic needs.
Financial Strain Along the Hunger Continuum
On average, households experiencing food insecurity report needing an average of $500 more per month to meet their basic expenses, a gap that would total up to $6.6 billion annually statewide.
Even when isolating food costs alone, households report needing about $100 more per week to afford enough groceries without relying on charitable food assistance, representing up to an additional $3.3 billion per year across Massachusetts.
Healthcare Costs
Food insecurity has a profound impact on health. Rising health insurance costs and worries about affording basic needs contribute to limited access to nutritious food, increased stress, and reduced ability to afford or prioritize routine and preventive medical care. While food insecurity does not cause chronic conditions, it can contribute to them, diminish quality of life, and result in higher healthcare use and costs.
Chronic health conditions were more common among both adults and children in households experiencing food insecurity.
Nearly 8 in 10 adults living in households with food insecurity reported having at least one chronic condition, compared with about 66% of their food secure counterparts.
The most common adult chronic medical conditions among households with food insecurity include mental health conditions, overweight or obesity, diabetes, dental or gum disease, and cardiovascular disease.
Children living in households experiencing food insecurity were also more likely to have chronic conditions, with 57% reported to have at least one condition.
The most common child chronic medical conditions among households with food insecurity are asthma, mental health conditions, food allergies, dental or gum disease, and developmental delays or special needs.
Healthcare Affordability and Tradeoffs
Healthcare costs prevented many households with food insecurity from getting the care they needed. They were much more likely to report being unable to afford prescription medications, medical care, or dental care for themselves or their children.
Among adults in households experiencing food insecurity, 37% reported they were unable to afford routine medical care due to cost, compared to 6% of households with food security. Among households with food insecurity who reported skipping care:
- 67% skipped prescription medication.
- 47% skipped routine medical care.
- 40% skipped dental care.
Among households with children and experiencing food insecurity, 21% reported there was a time when their child was unable to access medical or dental care due to cost, compared to 1% of households with food security. Among households with food insecurity who reported skipping pediatric care:
- 63% skipped prescription medicine.
- 54% skipped routine medical care.
- 26% skipped dental care.
Healthcare Utilization
Food insecurity is also associated with significantly greater healthcare use. Adults and children in households experiencing food insecurity were more than twice as likely to visit the emergency room or be hospitalized in the past year compared with those in food secure households.
The findings underscore the clear link between food insecurity and worsening health outcomes, lost productivity, and increased healthcare costs.
The Cycle of Hunger and Health
Building off previous work,1 food insecurity was associated with an estimated $154 in excess emergency room costs per adult. The estimated excess costs of hospitalization associated with food insecurity were up to $13,257 per adult. In 2025, food insecurity was associated with up to $1.6 billion in emergency room visits and hospitalizations among adult MassHealth members.
