Poverty Roll Call: 2017’s Neediest Cities

Poverty Roll Call: 2017’s Neediest Cities

Hunger, poverty, and homelessness affect every nation — even the richest and most powerful.

According to Feeding America, food insecurity plagues every U.S. county, with more than 41 million individuals lacking access to adequate food. More than 40 million, or 12.7 percent of the population, live in poverty. And in the absence of more affordable housing or accommodations provided by relatives or friends, many must take to the streets or shelters. A report published by the National Alliance to End Homelessness shows that nearly 565,000 people — many of them children — had been homeless at one point in January 2015.

On the heels of our report on the most charitable states, WalletHub compared the more than 180 U.S. cities based on 25 key indicators of economic disadvantages, such as child poverty, food insecurity, and uninsured rates. Read on for our findings, additional insight from our panel of experts and a full description of our methodology.