Signature · 8.1% low-access (16th pct)
Alameda County, CA
Alameda County lands in the lower national band on low-access (8.1%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 8.1%
- low-access pop.
- 11
- food-desert tracts
- 9.9%
- on SNAP
- 1.6M
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Alameda County, CA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-MODERATE 8.1% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -14.0 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 11 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 9.9% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 10.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 3% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Mariposa County (+ 0.0 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Alameda County lands in the lower national band (8.1%, #2,630 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,630
- national by low-access %
- #52
- in CA
- 61
- low-access tracts
- 17K
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 8.1% low-access (16th pct) (-14 pts vs U.S. low-access).
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 #2,630).
Alameda County's lower-band USDA tier split
360 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 11 LILA.
Alameda County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (354 urban, 6 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 6 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Alameda County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in California, not a full county-board reprint
- Sierra
Sierra 88.2%
88.2 % low-access
- Stanislaus 9.7
Stanislaus 9.7%
9.7 % low-access
- Orange 8.7
Orange 8.7%
8.7 % low-access
- Santa Clara 8.5
Santa Clara 8.5%
8.5 % low-access
- Alameda 8.1
Alameda 8.1%
8.1 % low-access
- Mariposa 8.1
Mariposa 8.1%
8.1 % low-access
- Amador 0.2
Amador 0.2%
0.2 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| 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% |
Thick SNAP store book in Alameda County
Alameda County has 935 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 14 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 423 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
16 towns share the 935 authorized stores; Oakland holds 35% of them. 1 of the 16 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Haywood.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 327 | 87 |
| Hayward | 110 | 39 |
| Fremont | 90 | 32 |
| San Leandro | 74 | 27 |
| Berkeley | 68 | 21 |
| Livermore | 42 | 13 |
| Alameda | 36 | 11 |
| Pleasanton | 34 | 16 |
| Union City | 33 | 14 |
| Dublin | 28 | 13 |
Top 10 of 16 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 423 (250 shown)
- 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
- chevron, livermore
- chevron 1537, pleasanton
- chevron 1700, fremont
- chevron 1708, fremont
- chevron 1719, oakland
- chevron 206854, livermore
- chevron 2210, union city
- chevron extra mile, san leandro
- chevron gas station and extra mile store 371126, oakland
- chevron stations inc. 2239, fremont
- chico's market, oakland
- choice korner, oakland
- city gas & mini mart, livermore
- city lee market, berkeley
- city liquor, san leandro
- civic center shell 2, union city
- coles market, pleasanton
- coliseum gas & food mart, oakland
- crest 76, hayward
- cub market, berkeley
- cypress grocery, oakland
- dallaq market, oakland
- dallas liquor, oakland
- daves grocery & liquor, oakland
- daves liquor, alameda
- de lauers super news, oakland
- derby food center no, berkeley
- diamond gas and market 15, hayward
- diamond gas and mart 11, livermore
- dk-fremont, fremont
- dollar and over, hayward
- dover market, oakland
- e-z liquors, alameda
- e-z shop food & liquor, san leandro
- e-z stop deli, berkeley
- ed's liquor, oakland
- east town market, oakland
- easy stop market, oakland
- eden's liquor, deli & new york pizza, hayward
- encinals liquors grocery deli, alameda
- exotic express market, oakland
- express liquor inc, oakland
- extramile 204, fremont
- family market, oakland
- farwell convenience 140, fremont
- fast & easy mart livermore 39, livermore
- fast fill market, oakland
- fast gas & mini mart, oakland
- fast gas & propane, san leandro
- fifty's market & liquor, hayward
- fleuret's market & spirits, oakland
- food 24 convenience market, oakland
- food town market, berkeley
- food zone, oakland
- foothill food and liquor, hayward
- foothill market, oakland
- fremont arco 82807, fremont
- fremont market & deli, oakland
- freska market, oakland
- friends market, oakland
- g1 liquor, oakland
- g1 liquor 2, oakland
- g1 liquor 3, oakland
- g1 liquor 4, oakland
- gallaghers drive inn, oakland
- gateway liquor, emeryville
- gazzali's express 002, oakland
- giants liquor, oakland
- gold baer food center and spirts, berkeley
- golden 7 food store, alameda
- golden gate petroleum 3, oakland
- gourmet market, oakland
- grab and go market, oakland
- grab n go mart, alameda
- grand express market, oakland
- grand gas, san leandro
- grand gas oakland # 2 036, oakland
- grand market, alameda
- green food & liquor, newark
- green leaf market, berkeley
- grimmer liquor & grocery, fremont
- handy market, oakland
- harder road gas, hayward
- harrys market, oakland
- hayward food and liquor, hayward
- hayward gas and food, hayward
- hayward gas mart, hayward
- hayward gas-valero, hayward
- hayward liquor and market, hayward
- heyer house liquors, castro valley
- high street pharmacy, oakland
- holly market, oakland
- home town grocery, oakland
- honey bird market, alameda
- hub valero, fremont
- ideal market, oakland
- in n out mini mart, oakland
- industrial gas, hayward
- island market, oakland
- isler's liquor, oakland
- j & b fine food's, berkeley
- jackson liquor, oakland
- jalos market, oakland
- jax liquors, oakland
- joe's model liquor 1, hayward
- jvp liquor and food, hayward
- k & d market, oakland
- ktm liquors & bazaar, albany
- kashipur bottle inc, oakland
- kathmandu market and deli, berkeley
- keller market, oakland
- king cigar, oakland
- kwik serv, oakland
- l & m liquors, hayward
- la grande market, hayward
- la raza market 2, oakland
- lincoln market, alameda
Showing 250 of 935 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in California
One of 57 counties in California, 6 are shown here.
Compare Alameda County vs Alpine County → · All California counties →
Counties near Alameda County's lower low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Alameda County, both outside California so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside CA (8.1% here).
- Jackson County, KY · 8.1% low-access
- Essex County, NJ · 8.1% low-access
- Coshocton County, OH · 8.1% low-access
- Campbell County, VA · 8.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside CA (9.9% here).
- Pope County, AR · 9.9% SNAP
- Logan County, AR · 9.9% SNAP
- Mercer County, IL · 9.9% SNAP
- LaPorte County, IN · 9.9% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
California among Pacific states
California ranks 5th of 5 Pacific states by population-weighted low-access (13.3%). Alameda County, at 8.1%, runs 5.2 pts below the California rate.
- Alaska 30.9%
- Hawaii 26.7%
- Washington 23.1%
- Oregon 16.9%
- California 13.3%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Alameda County, CA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 06001. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.