HUNGER PAINS.

• Position: NC TREND: Pulse: News and insights

North Carolina ranks No. 17 among states with the worst food hardship rates, according to Washington, D.C., nonprofit Food Research & Action Center. One in six households was unable to afford enough food at least one time during 2016-17. Nearly 19% of families with children struggled to afford food. Winston-Salem and Greensboro-High Point are among the top 20 metro areas in the U.S. facing food hardship, with rates at 20.2% and 19.2%, respectively.

Rank State Food Hardship Rate 1 Mississippi 22.0% 2...