Washington households are grappling with the sustained pressure of rising prices, strained food budgets and growing uncertainty about federal food assistance programs, according to the sixth wave of the Washington State Food Security Survey (WAFOOD6). The survey, a partnership between Washington State University, the University of Washington, and Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), gathered responses from 5,717 Washington households between March and April 2026.
WAFOOD has tracked food security, food assistance use and economic well-being among Washington households since 2020. While WAFOOD is designed to provide detailed insights into the experiences of households facing food insecurity rather than to estimate statewide prevalence, the data offer a uniquely detailed picture of how Washington families are faring.
“An increasing number of people are experiencing financial stress,” said Shawna Beese, an assistant professor of rural health promotion in WSU Extension and a collaborator in the survey. “It’s not just lower income families feeling these stressors. People are feeling food stress across the spectrum and at higher levels.”
Beese helped with recruitment of survey participants and some data analysis, which was led by UW researchers.
“”The findings from this survey are an important reminder that food insecurity is not limited to any single community or income group,” said Raj Khosla, Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean of WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. “As economic pressures continue to affect households across Washington, research like this provides the evidence needed to guide effective solutions. We are proud to partner with the University of Washington and the Washington State Department of Agriculture on work that helps improve the lives of Washington residents and strengthens the future of our communities.”
Key findings
- Nearly all WAFOOD6 households (90 percent) reported that prices in their area increased in the past month, and a similar share expressed concern about future price increases. Among food-insecure respondents, 69 percent said they had reduced the quantity or quality of food they ate to cope with rising costs, a sign that food inflation is not merely an economic concern but a direct threat to health and nutrition.
- The expenses most commonly reported as hard to afford were utilities, food and housing, reflecting the reality that food insecurity does not exist in isolation from broader financial stress. Food insecurity was experienced at all income levels in the WAFOOD6 sample: among households earning $75,000–$150,000, 25 percent were food insecure and 26 percent used at least one type of food assistance in the past month.
- Almost half of all WAFOOD6 households (48 percent) used some form of food assistance in the past month. The most widely used programs were food banks and pantries, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and school meals. Notably, both food-secure and food-insecure households reported using assistance programs, reflecting the role these programs play in helping families manage costs before they reach a crisis point.
- School meal programs were especially important for households with children. Among WAFOOD6 households with children who used school meals, 83 percent reported that their children’s schools provided free meals, and a majority said those meals helped stretch their household food budget.
- Among food-insecure respondents, the mental health toll was striking: 86 percent reported high stress in the past month, and rates of anxiety and depression were significantly higher than among food-secure respondents.
Read the entire story on the WSDA website.