County food-access profile · Florida
Alachua County, FL
Alachua County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 19.2%
- low-access pop.
- 11
- food-desert tracts
- 9.2%
- on SNAP
- 285K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
19.2% of Alachua County residents live in a low-access area, and 11 of its 56 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 20
- low-access tracts
- 18K
- food-desert residents
- 8.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 21.2%
- below poverty line
Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA, 1-and-10-mile measure).
Alachua County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.2% per the USDA Atlas. 20 of the county's 56 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 47,595 residents who live far from a supermarket. 11 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 17,836 low-income residents.
How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts
The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.
How Alachua County compares nationally
Alachua County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.2% low-access share that beats 44% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,755).
Alachua County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 56 census tracts in Alachua County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Alachua County vs. other Florida counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida
- Alachua 19.2
Alachua County, FL
19.2 % low-access
- Baker
Baker County, FL
55.6 % low-access
- Bay
Bay County, FL
31.5 % low-access
- Bradford 1.1
Bradford County, FL
1.1 % low-access
- Brevard
Brevard County, FL
41.8 % low-access
- Broward 9.4
Broward County, FL
9.4 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 56 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 247,336 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 20 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 11 |
| Low-Access Population | 47,595 |
| Low-Access Share | 19.2%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 17,836 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 285,492 |
| Median Household Income | $61,949 |
| Poverty Rate | 21.2%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 10,714 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.2%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.4%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 6.7% |
About 9.2% of Alachua County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 19.2% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 10,714 households here.
- 8.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 11 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).
USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).
What the food-access data shows for Alachua County
near the national share
11 of Alachua County's 56 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 19.6% of all its tracts.
A further 9 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 20.
An estimated 47,595 residents, roughly 19.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 17,836 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 36 tracts (64.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Alachua County
Alachua County has 202 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 93 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 93
- 39th express, gainesville
- 7-eleven, inc 40324j, gainesville
- 8th ave food store, gainesville
- ak food mart, gainesville
- aayat enterprises llc, gainesville
- archer road bp, gainesville
- bobs mobil, alachua
- breeze rite in travel center, waldo
- camp kulaqua general store, high springs
- circle k 2709225, gainesville
- chevron, gainesville
- chowdhury 39th inc, gainesville
- circle k 2706782, gainesville
- circle k 2721002, gainesville
- circle k 2721142, gainesville
- circle k 2721167, newberry
- circle k 2721220, gainesville
- circle k 2721223, gainesville
- circle k 2721295, newberry
- circle k 2721301, gainesville
- circle k 2721302, gainesville
- circle k 2721306, archer
- circle k 2721311, gainesville
- circle k 2721313, gainesville
- circle k 2721416, gainesville
- circle k 2721424, gainesville
- circle k 2723911, alachua
- circle k 2723912, gainesville
- circle k 2723913, gainesville
- circle k 2726146, gainesville
- circle k 2726161, newberry
- circle k 2726162, gainesville
- circle k 2726265, alachua
- circle k 2726270, gainesville
- circle k 2726527, gainesville
- come n go, gainesville
- daily mart, gainesville
- ez food mart, gainesville
- euro food basket, gainesville
- exxon food mart, gainesville
- fast track foods 200, gainesville
- fast track foods 206, gainesville
- fast track foods 220, gainesville
- flowers bakery outlet 1025, gainesville
- food max, gainesville
- gate petroleum 1445, gainesville
- gator spirit food store, gainesville
- great treat 3, alachua
- green apple, gainesville
- high springs mobil 837, high springs
- high springs sunoco, high springs
- in n out, gainesville
- jiffy 1559, newberry
- kangaroo express, gainesville
- krishna of gainesville, gainesville
- kwik stop, gainesville
- love's travel stop 620, hawthorne
- micanopy mobil 1, micanopy
- murphy express 8728, gainesville
- northwood texaco, gainesville
- on the way, gainesville
- one stop shop, gainesville
- orange heights shell, hawthorne
- pearl country store, micanopy
- putul kwiw stop inc, gainesville
- quik mart, gainesville
- raceway 6953, alachua
- rose food store, gainesville
- sunrise food mart 58, gainesville
- sa express 34th llc, gainesville
- sai kwik stop, gainesville
- stop n go, hawthorne
- stop n go, alachua
- sun store, gainesville
- sunstop 340, alachua
- sunstop 348, high springs
- sunoco 2527 2527, gainesville
- sunrise 159, gainesville
- sunrise food mart, gainesville
- super america 13th st inc, gainesville
- super america 2, gainesville
- tesjax llc, waldo
- texaco, gainesville
- the gator store, gainesville
- towerroad market, gainesville
- university chevron, gainesville
- wawa 5323, gainesville
- wawa 5325, gainesville
- wawa 5385, gainesville
- wawa store 5313, gainesville
- wawa store 5384, gainesville
- wawa store 5438, alachua
- welcome food, gainesville
Combination Grocery/Other · 58
- african unique n/a, gainesville
- cvs pharmacy 1856, gainesville
- cvs pharmacy 5222, alachua
- cvs pharmacy 5227, jonesville
- cvs pharmacy 5832, gainesville
- cvs pharmacy 10883, gainesville
- cvs pharmacy 1815, gainesville
- cvs pharmacy 3255, gainesville
- cvs pharmacy 4139, gainesville
- cvs pharmacy 4485, high springs
- cvs pharmacy 4629, hawthorne
- cvs pharmacy 5160, gainesville
- cvs pharmacy 5181, gainesville
- cvs pharmacy 7178, gainesville
- chun ching market, gainesville
- dollar general 10535, gainesville
- dollar general 1382, high springs
- dollar general 1635, alachua
- dollar general 6106, newberry
- dollar general 7143, archer
- dollar general 8041, waldo
- dollar general 8043, hawthorne
- dollar general 8602, newberry
- dollartree 8107, alachua
- dollartree 8851, gainesville
- dollar general 11538, gainesville
- dollar general 11865, gainesville
- dollar general 12647, gainesville
- dollar general 13291, gainesville
- dollar general 14673, gainesville
- dollar general 14702, alachua
- dollar general 19744, gainesville
- dollar general 20486, high springs
- dollar general 21728, la crosse
- dollar general 22217, high springs
- dollar general store 16564, gainesville
- dollar tree 135, gainesville
- dollar tree 282, gainesville
- dollar tree 310, gainesville
- dollar tree 4748, high springs
- dollar tree 6522, gainesville
- family dollar 5883, high springs
- family dollar 8950, gainesville
- family dollar store 6385, gainesville
- family dollar store 8396, archer
- family dollar store 981, hawthorne
- gville seafood n chicken, gainesville
- nirvana indian grocery & cafe, gainesville
- walgreen 09304, gainesville
- walgreen 09617, gainesville
- walgreens 10792, gainesville
- walgreens 11244, alachua
- walgreens 11245, newberry
- walgreens 12316, gainesville
- walgreens 4037, gainesville
- walgreens 4272, gainesville
- walgreens 5024, gainesville
- walgreens 5994, gainesville
Supermarket · 25
- aldi 74109 74109, gainesville
- aldi 74119, gainesville
- aldi 74169, gainesville
- aldi 74197, gainesville
- hawthorne markets inc. 5525, hawthorne
- publix 0306, gainesville
- publix 0435, gainesville
- publix 0527, gainesville
- publix 0537, gainesville
- publix 0680, gainesville
- publix 0690, newberry
- publix 0735, gainesville
- publix 0795, gainesville
- publix 1038, gainesville
- publix 1111, gainesville
- publix 1312, gainesville
- publix 1376, gainesville
- publix 1505, alachua
- publix super market 1784, gainesville
- publix super markets 1560, gainesville
- publix super markets, inc. 2012, newberry
- the fresh market 082, gainesville
- trader joe's 764, gainesville
- winn dixie 0030, high springs
- winn dixie store 2564, gainesville
Super Store · 8
- bravo supermarket, newberry
- sam's club 8155, gainesville
- target store t-687, gainesville
- ward's supermarket, gainesville
- walmart supercenter 1081, gainesville
- walmart supercenter 3877, gainesville
- walmart supercenter 538, gainesville
- whole foods market 10704, gainesville
Medium Grocery Store · 6
- dandy market, gainesville
- deshi bazar, gainesville
- enson market 5 5, gainesville
- pepe's grocery, gainesville
- westcoast seafood, gainesville
- zeezenia international market, gainesville
Large Grocery Store · 4
- earth origins market 12, gainesville
- india bazaar, gainesville
- la aurora latin supermarket, gainesville
- save a lot 24785, archer
Farmers' Market · 3
- gnv market at heartwood, gainesville
- grove street farmers market ffab, gainesville
- high springs farmers market, high springs
Small Grocery Store · 2
- maa and paa grocery store, gainesville
- toomey tools, waldo
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- marilyn's fresh produce, waldo
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- halal meat & fish market, gainesville
Seafood Specialty · 1
- hawthorne rd fresh market, gainesville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Florida
Compare Alachua County vs Baker County → · All Florida counties →
Food access nationally, Florida in context
Alachua County sits inside Florida (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Alachua County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Alachua County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Alachua County? ▼
Is Alachua County a food desert? ▼
What share of Alachua County households lack a vehicle? ▼
Data Sources & Methodology
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →
Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).
Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.