The number of Mainers experiencing hunger continues to rise and is the highest it’s been in a decade, according to a report released this week.

New data from Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap shows more than 203,000 people in Maine are experiencing food insecurity, including more than 31,000 adults over 60.

The data in the Feeding America report is based on conditions in 2024. Hunger prevention advocates say the level of need is likely higher now because of rising grocery costs and changes to federal food assistance programs.

Heather Paquette, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn, said the data shows that “food insecurity touches every community in Maine” and reinforces the importance of working to make sure everyone has reliable access to nutritious food.

“These numbers represent our neighbors — children, older adults, working families, veterans and people doing everything they can to make ends meet,” Paquette said in a statement Friday.

According to Feeding America, childhood food insecurity in Maine remains the highest in New England, with nearly 50,600 kids experiencing hunger.

Hunger rates within Maine continue to be highest in rural areas that face unique challenges, including access to public transportation and food assistance programs. Washington County has the highest food insecurity rate of any county in New England at 18.8%, according to Good Shepherd, based on the Feeding America data. The childhood hunger rate there is over 26%, higher than the overall Maine rate of 20.7%.

“These numbers show what Mainers and our clients already know — more people are hungry in Maine, especially in our most rural communities,” Alex Carter, a senior policy advocate for Maine Equal Justice, said in an email Friday. “As the cost of basic needs like food and healthcare continue to increase, the federal government is intent on slashing food assistance that Maine people and grocers rely on to stay afloat. Hunger is a policy choice and it’s clear we’re moving in the wrong direction.”

Thousands of Mainers have lost access to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because of sweeping changes that began rolling out last fall. Since Congress enacted significant changes to SNAP, the number of Mainers receiving benefits has dropped by more than 11,000, according to state officials.

Rural areas of Maine, where people tend to rely on SNAP, are being hit especially hard by the changes, according to hunger prevention advocates. Work exemptions were removed for rural areas with low employment options, leaving some people struggling to find work or volunteer opportunities to maintain access to food assistance, according to advocates.

The Feeding America report found that nearly half of Mainers experiencing food insecurity had incomes above the eligibility threshold for SNAP. Local food pantries and meals programs have reported historically high numbers of people turning to them for help — including people who can’t get SNAP — and sometimes struggle to keep up with the demand.

Food-insecure households in Maine face an annual food budget shortfall of more than $151 million to buy the food they need to meet their needs, according to Feeding America.