Facts and Figures About Which States Have the Most Rural Students Qualifying for Reduced-Price School Meals


Last Updated: April 29, 2010
 

This article appeared in the April 2010 Rural Policy Matters.

Question: In which nine states do more than 50% of rural students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals?

Answer: New Mexico (81.3% of students qualify), Louisiana (68.4%), Mississippi (63.8%), Arkansas (59.1%), Oklahoma (58.7%), South Carolina (57.3%), Kentucky (55.0%), West Virginia (52.6%), and Alabama (50.6%). The average percentage of rural students qualifying for free and reduced-priced school meals in the U.S. is 40.6%.

Read more from the April 2010 Rural Policy Matters.