One-third in Chicago area can't afford cost of living, leaving them at risk of food insecurity

More than one-third of Chicago-area households cannot afford the basic cost of living in their county, putting them at serious risk of food insecurity, a new report found.

The 36% at risk equates to about 1.4 million households within 16 counties across the Chicago area, according to this year’s Greater Chicagoland Hunger Report compiled by the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Northern Illinois Food Bank and the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.

Roughly 25% of people in the areas served by the food banks already face food insecurity, the report says.

Spikes in grocery prices and rent costs — 20% and 27%, respectively — between 2020 and 2025 have contributed to the rising number of households unable to afford basic living expenses, ultimately leading to more people struggling to consistent