County food-access profile · California
Alameda County, CA
Alameda 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.
- 8.1%
- low-access pop.
- 11
- food-desert tracts
- 9.9%
- on SNAP
- 1.6M
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
8.1% of Alameda County residents live in a low-access area, and 11 of its 360 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 61
- low-access tracts
- 17K
- food-desert residents
- 10.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 9.2%
- 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).
Alameda County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.1% per the USDA Atlas. 61 of the county's 360 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 122,085 residents who live far from a supermarket. 11 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 16,876 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 Alameda County compares nationally
Alameda County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.1% low-access share that beats 16% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,637).
Alameda County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 360 census tracts in Alameda County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Alameda County vs. other California counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in California
- Alameda 8.1
Alameda County, CA
8.1 % low-access
- Alpine
Alpine County, CA
57 % low-access
- Amador 0.2
Amador County, CA
0.2 % low-access
- Butte 19.1
Butte County, CA
19.1 % low-access
- Calaveras 14.7
Calaveras County, CA
14.7 % low-access
- Colusa
Colusa County, CA
39.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 360 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 1,510,271 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 61 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 11 |
| Low-Access Population | 122,085 |
| Low-Access Share | 8.1%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 16,876 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,649,473 |
| Median Household Income | $129,367 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.2%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 59,416 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.9%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 10.0%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.2% |
About 9.9% of Alameda County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 8.1% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 59,416 households here.
- 10.0% 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 Alameda County
near the national share
11 of Alameda County's 360 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 3.1% of all its tracts.
A further 50 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 61.
An estimated 122,085 residents, roughly 8.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 16,876 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 299 tracts (83.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Alameda County
Alameda County has 935 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 133 locations (14% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 133
- 00 liquors, union city
- 2-star liquor, oakland
- 24-7 gas and food mart, oakland
- 24/7 mlk 041, oakland
- 3 ring wine & spirits, san leandro
- 3 rings market, oakland
- 4m foods, oakland
- 65th street market, emeryville
- 7 amigos, oakland
- 7 eleven #39575, livermore
- 7 eleven 14174f, oakland
- 7 eleven 14184a 14184a, san leandro
- 7 eleven 14204g, san leandro
- 7 eleven 16086b 16086b, pleasanton
- 7 eleven 18177b, hayward
- 7 eleven 18608f 18608f, oakland
- 7 eleven 18855e, berkeley
- 7 eleven 2369 14175g, hayward
- 7 eleven 2369 14191g, san leandro
- 7 eleven 2369 19168e, fremont
- 7 eleven 2369 20364f, san leandro
- 7 eleven 2369 35697b, fremont
- 7 eleven 2369 37634a, oakland
- 7 eleven 2369 37768a, hayward
- 7 eleven 2369-18348e 18348e, hayward
- 7 eleven 2369-35485a 35485a, dublin
- 7 eleven 24003d, alameda
- 7 eleven 32734c 32734c, livermore
- 7 eleven 33637b, newark
- 7 eleven 35341a, hayward
- 7 eleven 35737a, fremont
- 7 eleven 36794a, fremont
- 7 eleven 36870b, hayward
- 7 eleven 38702a, union city
- 7 eleven 39382a, san leandro
- 7 eleven 39870a, fremont
- 7 eleven 41163a 41163a, san leandro
- 7 eleven inc - 7 eleven 14182g, hayward
- 7 eleven store 14202a, albany
- 7 eleven store 2366 24109c, fremont
- 7 eleven store 39413b, fremont
- 7 seas food and liquor, oakland
- 7-eleven 14193 e, alameda
- 7-eleven 14195 d, newark
- 7-eleven 16104 c, union city
- 7-eleven 18216e, oakland
- 7-eleven 20009d, oakland
- 7-eleven 26343 b, fremont
- 7-eleven #17008f 17008f, san leandro
- 7-eleven 14180f, san lorenzo
- 7-eleven 14190e, san lorenzo
- 7-eleven 16192e, berkeley
- 7-eleven 17582, berkeley
- 7-eleven 18825, hayward
- 7-eleven 19673c, newark
- 7-eleven 20273e, san leandro
- 7-eleven 21427c, union city
- 7-eleven 25693, livermore
- 7-eleven 26596b, fremont
- 7-eleven 29519c, castro valley
- 7-eleven 32181b, oakland
- 7-eleven 32266b, livermore
- 7-eleven 33005t, livermore
- 7-eleven 33163, dublin
- 7-eleven 33480, livermore
- 7-eleven 14186, hayward
- 7-eleven 14187c, fremont
- 7-eleven 14203, livermore
- 7-eleven 16824, union city
- 711 store no. 18916b-2366, fremont
- 76 2611130, hayward
- 880 family market, oakland
- 98 international inc, oakland
- 98th gas, oakland
- 98th gas and mart, oakland
- a & p service mini mart, oakland
- a & r market, oakland
- a&a one stop shop, berkeley
- a&a snack market, san leandro
- a-1 market, alameda
- a.k. market & groceries, hayward
- a1 liquor & foodmart, inc, fremont
- adeline liquor and market, emeryville
- adnan market, oakland
- aga lakeside mkt, oakland
- ak services, inc, livermore
- alameda cellars wines & liquors, alameda
- alameda grocery, alameda
- albany ampm, albany
- alcatraz market, berkeley
- all star gas, oakland
- alvarado 76 circle k 2654156, union city
- am liquor, oakland
- arco am pm, oakland
- arco am pm 2107, oakland
- arco ampm 4977, castro valley
- arco ampm 7026, oakland
- arco ampm 7133, fremont
- arco ampm 7167, san leandro
- arco ampm 7206, dublin
- arco ampm 82878, livermore
- arco ampm 83416, livermore
- arco ampm site 83232, oakland
- arsheen boparai inc, san leandro
- asa liquors, emeryville
- automall shell 32, fremont
- b st liquor, hayward
- black & white market, oakland
- brunette liquors, hayward
- bay area liquor, emeryville
- bayhill food & liquors, hayward
- bear market, berkeley
- bell liquor market, livermore
- berkeley chevron 008, berkeley
- berkeley mini mart, berkeley
- bernal arco 82635, pleasanton
- bings lilquor, berkeley
- bob's quick shop beer & wine, union city
- both side convienience store, oakland
- bottles liquor, oakland
- boulevard chevron 6067, castro valley
- bridge mart, oakland
- broadway market, oakland
- business park chevron, fremont
- c & c liquors, fremont
- cj liquor, fremont
- califuel, hayward
- campus mini mart, berkeley
- carriage trade liquors 1, oakland
- cedar market 1, berkeley
- central gas 3, oakland
- central liquor & food, newark
- cherryland grocery, hayward
Combination Grocery/Other · 113
- 88 s y, oakland
- african caribbean food market, oakland
- aloha market, oakland
- asian and american fruit market, oakland
- baby food care, hayward
- bharat bazar 4, union city
- bombaymusicom, berkeley
- cvs 10119, pleasanton
- cvs 10121, berkeley
- cvs pharmacy 10199, haywood
- cvs pharmacy 10924, pleasanton
- cvs pharmacy 3024, dublin
- cvs pharmacy 8431, oakland
- cvs pharmacy 9099, fremont
- cvs pharmacy 9128, alameda
- cvs pharmacy 9130, oakland
- cvs pharmacy 9226, oakland
- cvs pharmacy 9234, fremont
- cvs pharmacy 9251, pleasanton
- cvs pharmacy 9378, oakland
- cvs pharmacy 9397, livermore
- cvs pharmacy 9494, newark
- cvs pharmacy 9595, albany
- cvs pharmacy 9600, fremont
- cvs pharmacy 9622, hayward
- cvs pharmacy 9635, san leandro
- cvs pharmacy 9678, livermore
- cvs pharmacy 9876, san leandro
- cvs pharmacy 9904, castro valley
- cvs pharmacy 9929, oakland
- cvs pharmacy 9941, berkeley
- cvs pharmacy 9942, san leandro
- chennai groceries, fremont
- chi-ezuka stores, san leandro
- chung chou city inc, oakland
- coco's mercado, fremont
- dollartree 10095, fremont
- dollartree 10420, livermore
- dollartree 10550, hayward
- da feng feng co ltd 1, oakland
- dollar tree 1233, union city
- dollar tree 1259, oakland
- dollar tree 1264, hayward
- dollar tree 1387, san leandro
- dollar tree 1846, fremont
- dollar tree 2515, san leandro
- dollar tree 3014, dublin
- dollar tree 4118, hayward
- dollar tree 4492, newark
- dollar tree 4885, albany
- dollar tree 5128, pleasanton
- dollar tree 5130, hayward
- dollar tree 5364, san leandro
- dollar tree 5672, alameda
- dollar tree 5812, fremont
- dollar tree 7164, livermore
- dollar tree 7646, oakland
- dollar tree 7980, castro valley
- el rancho supermercado, castro valley
- farmer joe's produce mart, oakland
- fruit basket 3, hayward
- halal meat & produce market, oakland
- india cash and carry, fremont
- india cash and carry, pleasanton
- india metro hypermarket, fremont
- kamal spices, pleasanton
- king of grocery, oakland
- long pat market, oakland
- la hacienda market 2, newark
- la raza market, san leandro
- layonna vegetarian, oakland
- mi rancho supermarket 5, san leandro
- namaste plaza, dublin
- new d&k market 1, oakland
- new hop lung market, oakland
- new india bazaar, fremont
- new india bazar, dublin
- new wing fong, oakland
- nilgiris cash and carry, fremont
- oakland mei shen ginseng co 1, oakland
- q & w produce, san lorenzo
- r&s healthy inc., oakland
- rebuni market, oakland
- santos spice products, san leandro
- saffron indian market llc, newark
- sangram's palace, union city
- siddhartha international, fremont
- spice blend, oakland
- tian yuan co, oakland
- vik's market, berkeley
- wah hang market 2, oakland
- walgreens 00101, castro valley
- walgreens 02306, hayward
- walgreens 02314, berkeley
- walgreens 04614, berkeley
- walgreens 09248, alameda
- walgreens 10045, berkeley
- walgreens 10526, oakland
- walgreens 13595, oakland
- walgreens 15163, livermore
- walgreens 1537, oakland
- walgreens 2150, pleasanton
- walgreens 2366, fremont
- walgreens 2426, san leandro
- walgreens 2660, fremont
- walgreens 4050, alameda
- walgreens 4517, fremont
- walgreens 6502, hayward
- y & d produce llc, oakland
- yuen hop company, oakland
- yagerbet market, oakland
- yang sheng tang ginseng and herbs, union city
- yet sun market, oakland
Bakery Specialty · 4
- papa murphy's ca010, alameda
- papa murphy's castro valley ca234, castro valley
- papa murphy's livermore ca154, livermore
- papa murphy's take 'n' bake pizza ca251, san leandro
Showing 250 of 935 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in California
Compare Alameda County vs Alpine County → · All California counties →
Food access nationally, California in context
Alameda County sits inside California (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 Alameda County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Alameda County? ▼
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Is Alameda County a food desert? ▼
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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.