Food insecurity among military families has nearly tripled since 2023, with more than four in 10 respondents reporting they struggled to consistently afford enough food, according to a new survey from the Military Family Advisory Network.
The nonprofit's 2025 Military Family 360° Survey found that 41.2% of respondents experienced low or very low food security, up from 15.6% in 2023.
The findings point to worsening financial pressures for military households as rising grocery prices, housing costs, and other expenses erode family budgets.
Currently serving military families reported higher rates of food insecurity than veterans and retirees, with 47.2% classified as food insecure compared with 25.2% of transitioned families. Junior enlisted households were among the hardest hit, with 57% reporting food insecurity, while the rate among officer families was 13.7%.
The survey, based on responses from 10,089 people collected between October 2025 and January 2026, concludes that economic stability is fundamental to military readiness and identifies food security, housing affordability, and financial well-being as interconnected challenges affecting service members and their families.
Housing costs emerged as a major contributor to food insecurity.
More than 84% of respondents said they spent more on housing and utilities than they could comfortably afford, while nearly 60% of active-duty families paid more than their Basic Allowance for Housing covered. Junior enlisted families reported the highest rates of severe housing burden.
The report also found that financial pressures extend beyond housing.
More than one-third of currently serving families had less than $500 in emergency savings or no emergency fund at all, and about half reported experiencing a financial emergency within the past two years.
Rising grocery prices were the most commonly cited barrier to saving money, identified by 57.7% of respondents, ahead of high housing costs and unexpected vehicle repairs.
Researchers said food insecurity rarely occurs in isolation. Families most vulnerable to financial hardship included junior enlisted households, active-duty spouses, families with children, and those who had recently completed a Permanent Change of Station move.
The report found that high housing costs reduce money available for food, while broader financial distress compounds both problems.
The survey also found that frequent military relocations increase the likelihood of financial strain, food insecurity, employment disruptions, and difficulty accessing healthcare.
Researchers urged policymakers to modernize military support systems and address underlying economic pressures rather than treating issues such as food insecurity separately from housing affordability and income stability.