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Public School Review - Established 2003

Average Percent of Public School Students Eligible For Free Lunch

The national average of public school students eligible for free lunch is approximately 50% (2026).
The state with highest average of public school students eligible for free lunch is New Mexico with 85%. The state with lowest average of public school students eligible for free lunch is New Hampshire with 20%.
Free Lunch Range: 20% 85% Avg. Free Lunch: 50%

Average Percent of Public School Students Eligible For Free Lunch (2026)

State
Percent of Students Eligible For Free Lunch
Schools With Largest Percent of Students Eligible for Free Lunch
Rank: #11.
New Mexico
85%
Rank: #22.
Nevada
81%
Rank: #33.
North Carolina
72%
Rank: #4-54-5.
Oregon
67%
Rank: #4-54-5.
Mississippi
67%
Rank: #66.
Georgia
63%
Rank: #77.
Louisiana
61%
Rank: #88.
Pennsylvania
59%
Rank: #99.
Virginia
57%
Rank: #1010.
Texas
56%
Rank: #11-1211-12.
Kentucky
55%
Rank: #11-1211-12.
New York
55%
Rank: #13-1413-14.
California
54%
Rank: #13-1413-14.
Arkansas
54%
Rank: #1515.
Alabama
53%
Rank: #16-1816-18.
South Carolina
50%
Rank: #16-1816-18.
West Virginia
50%
Rank: #16-1816-18.
Montana
50%
Rank: #19-2019-20.
Oklahoma
49%
Rank: #19-2019-20.
District Of Columbia
49%
Rank: #2121.
Maryland
46%
Rank: #22-2422-24.
Michigan
45%
Rank: #22-2422-24.
Rhode Island
45%
Rank: #22-2422-24.
Tennessee
45%
Rank: #25-2625-26.
Illinois
43%
Rank: #25-2625-26.
Missouri
43%
Rank: #27-2927-29.
Florida
42%
Rank: #27-2927-29.
Indiana
42%
Rank: #27-2927-29.
Ohio
42%
Rank: #30-3130-31.
Kansas
41%
Rank: #30-3130-31.
Arizona
41%
Rank: #32-3432-34.
Washington
39%
Rank: #32-3432-34.
Colorado
39%
Rank: #32-3432-34.
Maine
39%
Rank: #35-3735-37.
Vermont
38%
Rank: #35-3735-37.
Connecticut
38%
Rank: #35-3735-37.
New Jersey
38%
Rank: #38-3938-39.
Hawaii
37%
Rank: #38-3938-39.
Alaska
37%
Rank: #4040.
Wisconsin
36%
Rank: #41-4241-42.
Iowa
35%
Rank: #41-4241-42.
Nebraska
35%
Rank: #43-4643-46.
Wyoming
34%
Rank: #43-4643-46.
Massachusetts
34%
Rank: #43-4643-46.
Minnesota
34%
Rank: #43-4643-46.
South Dakota
34%
Rank: #4747.
Delaware
33%
Rank: #4848.
Idaho
32%
Rank: #4949.
North Dakota
27%
Rank: #5050.
Utah
23%
Rank: #5151.
New Hampshire
20%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the national average of public school students eligible for free lunch?
The national average of public school students eligible for free lunch is 50% for 2026.
What are schools with the highest average of public school students eligible for free lunch in the United States?
The schools with the highest average of public school students eligible for free lunch in the United States include Jumoke Academy, Providence Preparatory Charter and Honaunau Elementary School.
What is the state with the highest average of public school students eligible for free lunch?
The state with the highest average of public school students eligible for free lunch is New Mexico.

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Did You Know?

The state with the highest percentage of public school students eligible for free lunch is New Mexico, with 85%. The county with the highest percentage of public school students eligible for free lunch is Nevada County, AR, with 100%.