Report: Arkansas has one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the country

Nearly one-fifth of Arkansans were food insecure in 2022, in line with a national trend of more people struggling to afford food, according to the latest data from Feeding America.

Threat level: Arkansas had the nation's second-highest rate of food insecurity in 2022 of 18.6%, up from 15.5% in 2021.

Zoom in: Even Benton County's statewide low of 14% is still above the national average of 13.5%. In Washington County, 16.6% of people were food insecure.

• Searcy County in north-central Arkansas had the state's highest rate at 24.5%.

The big picture: The Midwest saw the biggest increases in the examined time period; however, food insecurity remains an urgent issue in the South, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Alice Feng write .

• "Eight out of 10 high food insecurity counties are in the South," the report reads, adding that the South "contains 45% of all counties but is home to an estimated 84% of counties with food insecurity rates in the top 10%."

How it works: The report uses the USDA's definition of food insecurity: a "lack of access to enough food for an active, healthy life due to limited financial resources."

• But Feeding America looks at a combination of factors — like unemployment, poverty, homeownership, income and disability status — to arrive at what it says is a more accurate estimate than others.
• Read more about the group's methodology here .

The bottom line: "The insights from this year's study confirm what we hear from people facing hunger," said Linda Nageotte, Feeding America president and chief operating officer, in a statement.