Skip to main content

PantryPath Research · School Hunger Atlas

School hunger in Georgia

64% certified free/reduced

Across 2,270 public schools serving 1,741,369 students, 64.0% of Georgia students are certified free or reduced-price. 862 schools (39% of NSLP participants) operate under the Community Eligibility Provision, and 25.1% of students are directly certified through SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid linkage.

1.7M

Students enrolled

2,270

Public schools (CCD)

862

CEP / Provision 2 schools

159

Counties in atlas

Georgia by county

← Back to national atlas

Toggle between the school-food-access composite, free/reduced eligibility, CEP share, direct-certification rate, and SAIPE school-age poverty. Hover a county to see schools, enrollment, and the underlying certification mix.

Loading county map…

Lower
Higher

Georgia at a glance

Free/reduced

64.0%

Share of enrollment

CEP share

39%

Of NSLP schools

Direct cert

25.1%

SNAP/TANF/Medicaid

NSLP schools

98%

Serve NSLP meals

5–17 in poverty

18.0%

Census SAIPE 2023

Access score

0.63

Composite 0–1

The access score is a 0–1 composite weighted 50% eligibility, 30% CEP share, 20% NSLP share — a visualization and ranking aid, not a direct measurement. See methodology.

County-level hotspots

Top five counties across 159 in Georgia.

Highest free/reduced share

Certified ≤185% FPL per enrollment

  1. 1 Clay 100.0%
  2. 2 Talbot 100.0%
  3. 3 Taliaferro 100.0%
  4. 4 Terrell 100.0%
  5. 5 Hancock 99.6%

Highest CEP adoption

Of NSLP schools — min. 3 NSLP schools

  1. 1 Appling 100%
  2. 2 Baldwin 100%
  3. 3 Ben Hill 100%
  4. 4 Brantley 100%

Largest enrollment

Total students in CCD universe

  1. 1 Gwinnett 195K
  2. 2 Fulton 137K
  3. 3 Cobb 117K
  4. 4 DeKalb 101K
  5. 5 Clayton 62K

Every county in Georgia

All 159 counties with school counts, enrollment, certification mix, CEP adoption, and the SAIPE 5–17 poverty backdrop.

County Schools Enrollment Free/reduced CEP Direct cert 5–17 poverty Access
Appling 5 3,464 79.9% 100% 39.9% 33.2% 0.90
Atkinson 4 1,569 84.6% — 27.8% 33.7% 0.42
Bacon 4 2,111 81.5% 75% 37.7% 29.8% 0.83
Baker 2 296 99.0% 100% 50.7% 39.8% 0.99
Baldwin 6 4,588 87.6% 100% 41.2% 27.1% 0.94
Banks 5 3,298 70.1% 0% 21.8% 16.0% 0.55
Barrow 16 14,613 65.3% 0% 15.0% 14.7% 0.53
Bartow 23 18,729 63.9% 0% 20.5% 13.4% 0.52
Ben Hill 5 3,008 74.9% 100% 38.8% 34.3% 0.87
Berrien 5 3,098 64.5% 60% 33.0% 27.1% 0.70
Bibb 37 23,630 58.4% 97% 42.0% 31.6% 0.77
Bleckley 5 2,623 61.5% 60% 27.1% 27.0% 0.69
Brantley 7 3,407 70.2% 100% 35.2% 25.8% 0.85
Brooks 6 2,192 92.8% 100% 47.4% 34.1% 0.96
Bryan 10 10,500 39.0% 0% 10.3% 8.9% 0.39
Bulloch 16 11,271 69.2% 38% 26.4% 20.9% 0.66
Burke 5 3,910 95.4% 100% 40.8% 29.2% 0.98
Butts 5 3,529 81.8% 100% 31.6% 20.4% 0.91
Calhoun 4 1,001 80.5% 75% 55.3% 40.8% 0.83
Camden 12 9,649 53.1% 0% 17.7% 14.9% 0.47
Candler 4 2,146 83.7% 100% 57.2% 30.3% 0.92
Carroll 28 22,051 69.3% 0% 28.9% 17.3% 0.55
Catoosa 16 10,175 55.0% 0% 18.1% 14.3% 0.48
Charlton 4 1,681 73.7% — 28.9% 26.5% 0.37
Chatham 58 35,781 71.9% 0% 31.1% 20.8% 0.56
Chattahoochee 3 962 71.6% 67% 19.9% 18.4% 0.76
Chattooga 8 3,998 77.1% 0% 35.0% 28.4% 0.59
Cherokee 38 42,627 36.4% 0% 19.9% 6.6% 0.38
Clarke 22 14,488 77.9% 95% 29.0% 24.5% 0.88
Clay 2 205 100.0% 100% 56.1% 38.9% 1.00
Clayton 70 62,374 81.2% 94% 31.3% 26.1% 0.89
Clinch 3 1,244 74.2% 100% 35.5% 28.4% 0.87
Cobb 127 116,840 51.8% 1% 14.5% 11.5% 0.46
Coffee 12 7,667 83.5% 100% 40.5% 30.6% 0.92
Colquitt 13 8,844 79.2% 100% 37.1% 32.6% 0.90
Columbia 31 29,412 40.3% 0% 11.8% 7.7% 0.40
Cook 4 3,068 72.8% 100% 37.7% 27.9% 0.86
Coweta 31 24,142 47.2% 0% 21.1% 11.9% 0.44
Crawford 4 1,553 72.0% 100% 60.0% 22.6% 0.86
Crisp 5 3,442 94.3% 100% 40.1% 37.0% 0.97
Dade 4 2,043 61.7% 0% 17.4% 15.8% 0.51
Dawson 7 4,069 55.2% 0% 14.2% 11.9% 0.48
Decatur 7 4,710 85.1% 86% 41.7% 30.0% 0.88
DeKalb 147 101,339 71.7% 51% 30.3% 18.4% 0.71
Dodge 3 1,462 67.2% 100% 37.8% 28.2% 0.84
Dooly 4 1,113 94.0% 100% 47.1% 33.4% 0.97
Dougherty 22 13,059 95.0% 100% 48.1% 36.3% 0.97
Douglas 36 26,157 72.2% 0% 28.7% 17.0% 0.56
Early 3 1,542 92.6% 100% 51.6% 36.8% 0.96
Echols 2 895 83.7% 100% 38.4% 30.5% 0.92
Effingham 13 14,394 50.0% 0% 15.5% 10.4% 0.45
Elbert 5 3,076 75.5% 80% 34.8% 25.9% 0.82
Emanuel 6 3,978 93.0% 100% 36.6% 33.7% 0.97
Evans 4 1,798 89.2% 100% 47.2% 29.5% 0.95
Fannin 5 2,820 67.6% 0% 20.0% 22.3% 0.54
Fayette 25 20,294 35.0% 0% 10.1% 7.4% 0.38
Floyd 23 15,283 69.7% 21% 27.4% 25.1% 0.58
Forsyth 42 54,984 22.3% 0% 4.9% 4.7% 0.31
Franklin 5 3,557 65.2% 0% 33.2% 23.2% 0.53
Fulton 195 136,957 58.0% 49% 23.7% 15.9% 0.63
Gilmer 5 4,110 73.5% 0% 25.2% 20.9% 0.57
Glascock 2 567 61.6% 0% 18.3% 18.9% 0.51
Glynn 18 14,329 68.4% 0% 29.0% 22.4% 0.54
Gordon 15 10,572 74.0% 0% 22.2% 16.0% 0.57
Grady 7 4,463 70.6% 100% 28.4% 26.4% 0.85
Greene 5 2,580 68.8% 60% 28.3% 25.1% 0.72
Gwinnett 147 195,067 61.8% 0% 18.1% 14.1% 0.51
Habersham 13 6,759 71.5% 0% 21.6% 15.7% 0.56
Hall 46 35,389 65.9% 0% 19.2% 13.6% 0.49
Hancock 3 671 99.6% 100% 46.1% 42.1% 1.00
Haralson 11 5,815 62.9% 64% 19.1% 19.9% 0.71
Harris 7 5,617 42.2% 0% 13.2% 10.3% 0.41
Hart 5 3,765 71.3% 0% 28.7% 21.2% 0.56
Heard 6 2,264 69.8% 0% 28.8% 22.5% 0.55
Henry 50 43,258 66.7% 0% 28.9% 14.7% 0.53
Houston 36 30,303 63.6% 47% 25.7% 16.6% 0.66
Irwin 3 1,632 71.2% 100% 34.6% 29.7% 0.86
Jackson 18 15,881 48.9% 0% 15.0% 9.5% 0.44
Jasper 4 2,620 69.2% 0% 27.4% 20.6% 0.55
Jeff Davis 4 3,077 75.0% 75% 52.8% 26.6% 0.80
Jefferson 5 2,034 89.9% 100% 53.9% 32.5% 0.95
Jenkins 3 1,141 90.5% 100% 41.6% 35.1% 0.95
Johnson 3 1,040 83.9% 100% 46.9% 31.1% 0.92
Jones 7 4,994 61.5% 43% 20.7% 17.7% 0.64
Lamar 4 2,897 76.7% 0% 35.8% 19.7% 0.48
Lanier 3 1,683 73.8% 100% 32.7% 26.6% 0.87
Laurens 13 8,713 73.5% 100% 32.5% 27.0% 0.87
Lee 8 6,129 59.1% 0% 23.3% 13.3% 0.50
Liberty 12 10,740 75.8% 0% 30.4% 23.9% 0.58
Lincoln 3 1,247 68.2% 0% 26.9% 24.1% 0.54
Long 4 4,572 73.5% 0% 23.4% 21.1% 0.57
Lowndes 20 19,842 71.8% 60% 36.3% 22.6% 0.74
Lumpkin 5 3,799 57.8% 0% 19.7% 16.4% 0.49
Macon 3 1,099 94.4% 100% 48.6% 41.5% 0.97
Madison 7 5,130 65.8% 0% 26.0% 15.1% 0.53
Marion 2 1,294 81.5% 100% 37.3% 35.2% 0.91
McDuffie 6 3,174 85.9% 100% 44.9% 28.7% 0.93
McIntosh 3 1,325 79.4% 100% 33.9% 33.9% 0.90
Meriwether 7 2,255 91.5% 100% 40.5% 27.9% 0.93
Miller 3 780 80.4% 100% 35.0% 28.7% 0.90
Mitchell 8 3,466 85.5% 88% 36.8% 33.1% 0.89
Monroe 5 4,575 56.3% 0% 21.3% 15.1% 0.48
Montgomery 3 912 86.4% 100% 35.0% 28.8% 0.93
Morgan 4 3,495 53.8% 0% 22.2% 15.9% 0.47
Murray 11 6,758 76.6% 36% 28.8% 18.9% 0.69
Muscogee 53 29,698 76.6% 77% 35.6% 25.2% 0.82
Newton 22 18,886 77.7% 77% 26.7% 18.1% 0.82
Oconee 11 8,048 20.7% 0% 4.7% 6.0% 0.30
Oglethorpe 4 2,298 68.5% 0% 23.2% 19.3% 0.54
Paulding 33 31,831 53.9% 0% 16.8% 10.3% 0.47
Peach 6 3,980 76.1% 100% 38.1% 24.3% 0.88
Pickens 6 4,007 62.0% 0% 22.3% 15.4% 0.51
Pierce 5 3,650 64.5% 80% 31.1% 20.6% 0.76
Pike 5 3,548 46.4% 0% 15.3% 12.2% 0.43
Polk 11 7,893 76.7% 100% 26.4% 22.9% 0.87
Pulaski 3 1,341 81.2% 100% 34.4% 33.6% 0.91
Putnam 4 2,988 79.1% 100% 34.9% 25.1% 0.90
Quitman 2 322 93.2% 100% 46.0% 40.8% 0.97
Rabun 4 2,311 70.8% 0% 15.9% 23.4% 0.55
Randolph 4 1,224 96.8% 100% 39.3% 36.6% 0.98
Richmond 51 30,366 79.5% 92% 41.4% 30.6% 0.87
Rockdale 18 15,384 80.3% 0% 32.8% 18.5% 0.60
Schley 2 1,231 59.5% 0% 21.9% 21.8% 0.50
Screven 3 2,085 87.2% — 39.9% 33.0% 0.44
Seminole 2 1,339 79.0% 100% 41.5% 33.6% 0.90
Spalding 18 9,371 85.6% 100% 38.8% 27.7% 0.93
Stephens 6 3,853 71.8% 83% 32.1% 20.9% 0.81
Stewart 3 364 96.2% 100% 52.8% 40.3% 0.98
Sumter 6 4,224 95.2% 100% 50.4% 49.9% 0.98
Talbot 1 390 100.0% 100% 59.7% 49.1% 1.00
Taliaferro 1 184 100.0% 100% 45.6% 39.4% 1.00
Tattnall 5 3,599 77.9% 100% 23.4% 29.8% 0.89
Taylor 4 1,190 88.7% 100% 36.7% 38.2% 0.94
Telfair 3 1,556 87.2% 100% 34.8% 45.4% 0.94
Terrell 3 961 100.0% 100% 59.0% 38.1% 1.00
Thomas 11 8,258 66.5% 91% 30.7% 24.9% 0.81
Tift 11 7,631 84.7% 100% 39.0% 26.2% 0.92
Toombs 9 5,442 81.4% 89% 37.9% 33.5% 0.87
Towns 3 1,001 63.3% 0% 17.4% 18.5% 0.52
Treutlen 2 984 89.4% 100% 42.9% 31.8% 0.95
Troup 19 12,278 78.9% 56% 42.0% 26.8% 0.75
Turner 3 1,137 96.3% 100% 72.0% 33.9% 0.98
Twiggs 3 741 89.6% 100% 84.1% 30.9% 0.95
Union 5 3,055 67.2% 0% 14.8% 18.0% 0.54
Upson 4 4,086 85.0% 100% 44.6% 25.1% 0.92
Walker 18 9,662 73.6% 0% 25.0% 18.3% 0.57
Walton 19 16,621 57.0% 0% 21.3% 13.4% 0.48
Ware 9 5,977 87.2% 100% 62.9% 29.5% 0.94
Warren 3 646 94.4% 100% 55.1% 39.0% 0.97
Washington 4 2,769 85.2% 100% 43.6% 29.5% 0.93
Wayne 8 5,220 74.1% 100% 34.8% 24.2% 0.87
Webster 2 259 90.3% 100% 46.3% 32.5% 0.95
Wheeler 3 875 87.1% 100% 44.5% 37.2% 0.94
White 7 5,685 56.5% 0% 18.9% 15.0% 0.48
Whitfield 32 19,813 78.2% 0% 18.1% 21.7% 0.55
Wilcox 3 1,173 84.9% 100% 33.3% 31.2% 0.92
Wilkes 4 1,252 86.3% 75% 38.6% 32.4% 0.86
Wilkinson 4 1,076 84.8% 100% 44.0% 33.9% 0.92
Worth 5 3,057 77.2% 100% 37.5% 30.4% 0.89

Georgia school meals guide

How free and reduced-price school lunch eligibility works, application steps, and what to do if your child's school is not in CEP.

School meals guide

Summer meals

When the school year ends, NSLP and CEP stop. The Summer Food Service Program and Summer EBT fill the gap for the 1,114,162 children who rely on school meals in Georgia.

Summer meals guide

Families with children

SNAP, WIC, Head Start, and the full federal-program stack for households with kids — the assistance ecosystem around the school cafeteria.

Families guide

Georgia child poverty

The sibling atlas — county-level child poverty across Georgia. Free/reduced eligibility and child poverty track each other closely but not perfectly.

Georgia child poverty atlas

Georgia pantries

Verified food pantries, food banks, and meal programs across Georgia — open weeknights, weekends, and through the summer gap.

Georgia pantry directory

Methodology

How we aggregated NCES Common Core of Data school-level records to counties, proxied CEP from lunch_program == 2, and layered SAIPE school-age poverty — plus the access-score formula.

Full methodology