Inflation has been a challenge to financial security for many households, and food prices have risen substantially more than prices overall. The Consumer Price Index for urban consumers in the northeastern United States estimated prices for all consumer goods and services in January 2024 were about 19.5 percent higher than in January 2019. During this five-year period, food prices rose about 25.6 percent. Prices for “food at home,” which represents groceries and excludes restaurant meals, increased 23.2 percent. While inflation has slowed substantially since early 2022, these increases likely diminished the ability of households with low incomes to consistently remain food secure. 

For more information and analysis regarding poverty and living costs in New Hampshire, see NHFPI’s Issue Brief Poverty and Food Insecurity in New Hampshire During and Following the COVID-19 Crisis.