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PantryPath Research · School Hunger Atlas

School hunger in Missouri

49% certified free/reduced

Across 2,286 public schools serving 884,259 students, 48.9% of Missouri students are certified free or reduced-price. 408 schools (18% of NSLP participants) operate under the Community Eligibility Provision, and 20.4% of students are directly certified through SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid linkage.

884K

Students enrolled

2,286

Public schools (CCD)

408

CEP / Provision 2 schools

115

Counties in atlas

Missouri by county

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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.

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Lower
Higher

Missouri at a glance

Free/reduced

48.9%

Share of enrollment

CEP share

18%

Of NSLP schools

Direct cert

20.4%

SNAP/TANF/Medicaid

NSLP schools

98%

Serve NSLP meals

5–17 in poverty

13.5%

Census SAIPE 2023

Access score

0.50

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 115 in Missouri.

Highest free/reduced share

Certified ≤185% FPL per enrollment

  1. 1 Dunklin 99.6%
  2. 2 Mississippi 99.5%
  3. 3 Washington 94.6%
  4. 4 Pemiscot 94.3%
  5. 5 New Madrid 92.2%

Highest CEP adoption

Of NSLP schools — min. 3 NSLP schools

  1. 1 Washington 100%
  2. 2 St. Louis 84%
  3. 3 Benton 75%
  4. 4 New Madrid 75%
  5. 5 Ripley 75%

Largest enrollment

Total students in CCD universe

  1. 1 St. Louis 135K
  2. 2 Jackson 106K
  3. 3 St. Charles 59K
  4. 4 Clay 42K
  5. 5 Greene 41K

Every county in Missouri

All 115 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
Adair 8 2,893 46.6% 0% 19.3% 16.1% 0.43
Andrew 11 2,873 31.7% 0% 13.1% 9.1% 0.36
Atchison 7 848 36.1% 0% 14.6% 13.8% 0.35
Audrain 10 3,298 76.0% 44% 26.1% 18.5% 0.69
Barry 17 4,960 63.8% 6% 23.6% 19.8% 0.54
Barton 9 1,588 50.1% 0% 21.5% 20.4% 0.45
Bates 15 2,556 40.7% 0% 13.8% 15.4% 0.39
Benton 9 2,565 78.3% 75% 26.1% 22.2% 0.79
Bollinger 10 1,759 61.2% 20% 26.8% 21.1% 0.57
Boone 52 24,479 39.8% 16% 17.1% 10.9% 0.44
Buchanan 28 11,478 68.5% 54% 27.0% 17.3% 0.69
Butler 18 6,629 73.3% 56% 30.7% 23.0% 0.73
Caldwell 14 1,469 48.7% 0% 16.0% 14.2% 0.44
Callaway 20 5,343 46.2% 5% 19.7% 15.0% 0.44
Camden 14 4,867 50.0% 14% 19.4% 16.4% 0.49
Cape Girardeau 25 10,866 63.2% 33% 23.2% 12.5% 0.61
Carroll 11 1,299 43.2% 0% 15.6% 15.9% 0.42
Carter 5 1,179 63.7% 0% 28.2% 31.1% 0.52
Cass 40 16,670 35.1% 0% 11.9% 8.1% 0.38
Cedar 7 2,085 58.9% 43% 21.0% 20.9% 0.62
Chariton 8 1,040 42.1% 0% 16.9% 13.4% 0.41
Christian 33 16,048 31.2% 0% 11.8% 8.3% 0.35
Clark 5 1,103 52.9% 0% 21.5% 20.3% 0.46
Clay 74 41,630 37.0% 0% 12.8% 7.5% 0.38
Clinton 12 3,819 32.0% 0% 10.8% 9.9% 0.34
Cole 22 10,368 47.4% 14% 18.9% 10.2% 0.48
Cooper 13 2,344 69.7% 46% 16.8% 12.8% 0.69
Crawford 9 3,017 49.3% 0% 23.7% 19.6% 0.45
Dade 9 1,022 54.9% 0% 19.2% 19.2% 0.47
Dallas 3 1,723 58.3% 0% 27.7% 20.1% 0.49
Daviess 11 1,087 53.2% 18% 19.1% 17.3% 0.52
DeKalb 9 1,065 37.8% 0% 11.2% 11.1% 0.39
Dent 8 2,225 71.2% 50% 26.2% 21.5% 0.71
Douglas 5 1,552 58.4% 0% 21.8% 22.7% 0.49
Dunklin 18 4,882 99.6% 61% 42.3% 26.1% 0.88
Franklin 38 14,880 41.9% 0% 17.3% 9.8% 0.41
Gasconade 7 2,564 51.4% 0% 16.6% 12.9% 0.46
Gentry 7 1,169 40.0% 0% 13.3% 18.4% 0.40
Greene 93 41,182 48.3% 0% 20.8% 14.2% 0.44
Grundy 7 1,354 46.6% 0% 21.0% 22.3% 0.43
Harrison 12 1,300 56.1% 0% 19.3% 18.8% 0.46
Henry 13 2,903 53.5% 54% 21.6% 22.5% 0.63
Hickory 10 1,643 60.2% 30% 24.1% 27.7% 0.59
Holt 8 690 37.8% 0% 15.5% 14.4% 0.39
Howard 7 1,364 40.1% 0% 16.4% 13.3% 0.40
Howell 13 5,809 59.1% 8% 28.1% 19.1% 0.52
Iron 8 1,703 73.5% 38% 29.6% 24.8% 0.68
Jackson 222 105,708 59.6% 29% 24.3% 13.6% 0.58
Jasper 46 21,177 56.0% 0% 22.0% 16.6% 0.48
Jefferson 65 35,207 37.5% 0% 15.9% 10.0% 0.38
Johnson 22 7,813 37.8% 0% 13.4% 12.5% 0.39
Knox 2 460 64.8% 0% 21.3% 25.5% 0.52
Laclede 9 5,532 63.0% 11% 24.9% 17.7% 0.55
Lafayette 17 5,144 42.2% 0% 15.8% 12.4% 0.41
Lawrence 23 7,313 57.0% 0% 21.1% 18.1% 0.49
Lewis 4 1,427 44.2% 0% 15.4% 17.4% 0.42
Lincoln 21 9,806 34.8% 0% 14.7% 9.7% 0.37
Linn 11 2,075 41.8% 0% 14.9% 19.6% 0.41
Livingston 8 2,007 42.0% 0% 16.5% 16.4% 0.41
Macon 12 2,048 46.4% 0% 16.6% 15.2% 0.43
Madison 6 1,932 58.4% 33% 25.3% 19.0% 0.59
Maries 5 866 56.7% 0% 15.2% 15.5% 0.48
Marion 13 4,766 51.1% 0% 21.3% 13.9% 0.46
McDonald 11 3,877 70.4% 0% 26.3% 22.9% 0.55
Mercer 4 487 40.5% 0% 11.9% 18.3% 0.40
Miller 14 5,083 43.6% 0% 18.5% 16.3% 0.42
Mississippi 6 1,803 99.5% 50% 39.7% 26.6% 0.85
Moniteau 11 2,287 43.2% 0% 15.6% 13.5% 0.42
Monroe 10 1,517 47.6% 0% 17.3% 14.9% 0.44
Montgomery 6 1,371 50.2% 0% 19.9% 17.7% 0.45
Morgan 6 2,129 75.2% 33% 27.1% 19.3% 0.68
New Madrid 13 2,716 92.2% 75% 37.7% 24.6% 0.87
Newton 21 9,365 57.3% 0% 21.3% 15.2% 0.49
Nodaway 15 2,410 38.3% 0% 11.2% 12.7% 0.39
Oregon 8 1,771 61.0% 0% 30.8% 26.1% 0.50
Osage 7 1,533 30.7% 29% 11.6% 11.1% 0.44
Ozark 10 1,501 68.7% 20% 26.0% 28.7% 0.60
Pemiscot 16 2,816 94.3% 67% 44.2% 30.0% 0.86
Perry 5 2,175 49.7% 0% 19.7% 12.4% 0.45
Pettis 18 6,682 62.1% 6% 26.8% 16.1% 0.53
Phelps 12 6,309 50.6% 0% 20.0% 14.9% 0.45
Pike 10 2,383 50.9% 0% 22.0% 18.2% 0.45
Platte 31 16,747 25.6% 0% 8.6% 5.8% 0.32
Polk 21 4,991 56.3% 25% 22.2% 18.2% 0.55
Pulaski 21 9,331 45.8% 14% 16.5% 11.7% 0.47
Putnam 3 621 48.0% 0% 15.8% 20.0% 0.44
Ralls 3 838 37.5% 0% 18.5% 11.5% 0.39
Randolph 15 3,421 54.3% 0% 24.4% 17.1% 0.47
Ray 12 3,357 40.6% 0% 16.6% 11.9% 0.40
Reynolds 8 868 66.2% 13% 23.2% 29.1% 0.57
Ripley 8 2,165 87.1% 75% 32.3% 27.7% 0.86
Saline 15 3,176 58.5% 27% 22.8% 21.6% 0.57
Schuyler 2 589 49.9% 0% 20.0% 22.8% 0.45
Scotland 2 519 42.6% 0% 11.9% 15.5% 0.41
Scott 20 6,014 75.9% 45% 29.9% 21.2% 0.71
Shannon 8 1,736 72.3% 38% 28.2% 33.4% 0.67
Shelby 5 960 47.9% 0% 16.6% 17.8% 0.44
St. Charles 87 59,339 17.9% 0% 7.3% 5.0% 0.29
St. Clair 7 1,169 57.2% 0% 24.9% 26.6% 0.46
St. Francois 21 10,208 51.6% 10% 24.7% 14.9% 0.49
St. Louis 99 28,959 92.1% 84% 48.2% 25.0% 0.91
St. Louis 266 134,506 42.1% 29% 20.6% 11.3% 0.49
Ste. Genevieve 4 1,868 42.3% 0% 18.0% 11.3% 0.41
Stoddard 20 4,812 52.4% 0% 26.6% 17.5% 0.45
Stone 14 3,495 53.9% 14% 23.1% 19.2% 0.51
Sullivan 7 1,046 66.9% 0% 18.6% 18.2% 0.53
Taney 21 7,898 60.9% 0% 23.1% 17.3% 0.50
Texas 14 3,597 74.5% 71% 24.1% 24.2% 0.79
Vernon 12 2,941 54.4% 0% 21.3% 19.9% 0.46
Warren 12 4,964 43.5% 0% 17.8% 9.9% 0.42
Washington 11 3,352 94.6% 100% 32.1% 22.5% 0.97
Wayne 7 1,554 63.0% 0% 30.2% 30.7% 0.52
Webster 15 5,183 40.9% 0% 17.5% 19.4% 0.40
Worth 2 274 48.9% 0% 17.2% 20.1% 0.44
Wright 12 3,075 56.1% 0% 24.9% 23.7% 0.48

Missouri 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 432,362 children who rely on school meals in Missouri.

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

Missouri child poverty

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

Missouri child poverty atlas

Missouri pantries

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

Missouri 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