County food-access profile · New York
Albany County, NY
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Albany County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 31.4%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 11.0%
- on SNAP
- 317K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
31.4% of Albany County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 75 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 33
- low-access tracts
- 17K
- food-desert residents
- 12.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 13.0%
- 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).
USDA data puts Albany County's low-access share at 31.4%, above the national share. 33 of the county's 75 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 95,528 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 16,860 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 Albany County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Albany County's 31.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 73% of them and ranked #854 most-affected nationwide.
Albany County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 75 census tracts in Albany County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Albany County vs. other New York counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New York
- Albany
Albany County, NY
31.4 % low-access
- Allegany 3.9
Allegany County, NY
3.9 % low-access
- Bronx 0.6
Bronx County, NY
0.6 % low-access
- Broome
Broome County, NY
16.4 % low-access
- Cattaraugus 7.9
Cattaraugus County, NY
7.9 % low-access
- Cayuga 3.3
Cayuga County, NY
3.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 75 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 304,204 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 33 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 95,528 |
| Low-Access Share | 31.4%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 16,860 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 317,018 |
| Median Household Income | $85,333 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.0%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 14,841 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.0%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 12.6%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 6.0% |
About 11.0% of Albany County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 31.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 11.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 14,841 households here.
- 12.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 4 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 Albany County
above the national share
4 of Albany County's 75 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 5.3% of all its tracts.
A further 29 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 33.
An estimated 95,528 residents, roughly 31.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 16,860 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 42 tracts (56.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Albany County
Albany County has 274 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 159 locations (58% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 159
- 1250 selkirk inc, selkirk
- 191 imperial mart inc, albany
- 19th st in and out grocery and deli, watervliet
- 19th st quick stop, watervliet
- 200 23rd street enterprise inc, watervliet
- 24 hour albany news&groc, albany
- 323 lucky deli and grocery inc, albany
- 323 maple leaf inc, albany
- 35 top ten deli and grocery inc., albany
- 367 livingston food market inc, albany
- 413 clinton deli inc, albany
- 518 marketplace, albany
- 7 eleven store #40417 40417, albany
- 99 cents discount wireless llc, albany
- a-plus sunoco, cohoes
- aplus 40196h, albany
- aplus 40431h, latham
- achmed-way mart inc, albany
- airport mobil, latham
- albanian inc, albany
- albany desi bazar, albany
- american star petro llc, menands
- amros deli llc, albany
- bondhu grocery, albany
- boulevard grocery, albany
- bridge ave deli inc, cohoes
- buyrite stores inc., albany
- cumberland farms 1520, cohoes
- cumberland farms 1706, albany
- campus mobil, albany
- capital deli express inc, albany
- central and fuller mobil 1351, albany
- central deli & grocery, albany
- central service, albany
- citgo, albany
- country stop n' shop inc, altamont
- cumberland farms 1626, glenmont
- cumberland farms 1691, latham
- cumberland farms 1694, cohoes
- cumberland farms 1697, colonie
- cumberland farms 1707, altamont
- cumberland farms 1708, ravena
- cumberland farms, inc 1618, albany
- cumberland farms, inc 1662, glenmont
- cumberland farms, inc 1700, latham
- d coulson's, albany
- delaware grocery, albany
- food town deli inc, albany
- fresh bites & juice bar inc., albany
- gc petroleum llc, albany
- grant mart inc., albany
- gtb fuel 9 corp one dream, latham
- hometown deli, westerlo
- ibb food mart inc, albany
- ida yarbrough convenience supermarket inc, albany
- j & s grocery store inc, albany
- jang tuh asian grocery, latham
- joe's kwik mart 463, delmar
- joe's kwik mart 474, latham
- juniors corner store 1, troy
- k & k quail inc, albany
- k & s deli grocery, albany
- k and k albany inc - citgo, watervliet
- key 2 convenience, albany
- khan fuels inc, albany
- khip sansar foodmart inc, watervliet
- kim's asian market albany inc., albany
- krispy mart llc, menands
- latham circle gas, inc., latham
- mr sam food market, albany
- madison ave xtra mart 668, albany
- mearl's african and caribbean market 0, albany
- menands 2020 market, inc, menands
- menands gas & convenience inc - mobil, menands
- miami market llc, albany
- mike's deli corp, albany
- mr. convenient, albany
- new elite gas inc, watervliet
- nas deli & grocery, albany
- nice and easy food mart inc, albany
- one 2 two marketplace inc, albany
- p & a mini market inc, albany
- pearl discount and beauty, albany
- phillips mini mart, altamont
- plaza 23 truck stop, albany
- progress business usa inc, albany
- quicky mart inc, albany
- r & j grocery & deli inc, albany
- remsen st. mini market, cohoes
- royal family mega mart inc, albany
- sham candy & grocery, albany
- spindle city market, cohoes
- stewart's shop #122, cohoes
- stewart's shop #291, albany
- stewart's shop 124, albany
- stewart's shop 133, albany
- stewart's shop 397, albany
- stewarts shop 178, watervliet
- stewarts shop 186, menands
- stewarts shop 201, watervliet
- sts 5 petroleum inc, westerlo
- sai energy inc, albany
- sanderi inc, watervliet
- scotland mobil, albany
- shortstop, albany
- shorty deli, albany
- shree bhavani1 inc, cohoes
- shree sanderi inc/ noor mart, watervliet
- solomon deli mart inc, albany
- speedway 1695, albany
- speedway 7583, latham
- speedway 7586, albany
- speedway 7590, schenectady
- speedway 7647, albany
- speedway 7708, cohoes
- speedway 7710, slingerlands
- stewart's shop 128 128, middleburgh
- stewart's shop 278, newburgh
- stewart's shop 382, latham
- stewart's shop 457, watervliet
- stewart's shops 138, albany
- stewart's shops 204, latham
- stewart's shops 238, albany
- stewart's shops 421, latham
- stewart's shops 462, albany
- stewart's shops 469, albany
- stewart's shops 490, albany
- stewart's shops 492, east berne
- stewart's shops 497, albany
- stewarts shop 105, delmar
- stewarts shop 140, albany
- stewarts shop 144, ravena
- stewarts shop 167, altamont
- stewarts shop 176, glenmont
- stewarts shop 188, delmar
- stewarts shop 203, altamont
- stewarts shop 210, latham
- stewarts shop 231, albany
- stewarts shop 234, latham
- stewarts shop 240, selkirk
- stewarts shop 263, albany
- stewarts shop 267, albany
- stewarts shop 277, voorheesville
- stewarts shop 304, feura bush
- stewarts shop 334, albany
- stewarts shop 350, cohoes
- stewarts shop 379, slingerlands
- stewarts shop 386, slingerlands
- stewarts shop 406, albany
- sunny mart, albany
- t & a 477 llc, albany
- the prince corner deli & grocery, inc., albany
- trios pizzeria & delcatessen, albany
- vliet mart corp, cohoes
- walworld international supermarket, colonie
- washington market, albany
- watervliet mini mart, inc, watervliet
- yazzy's market, albany
- z & t inc, cohoes
Combination Grocery/Other · 46
- cvs 375, delmar
- cvs 415, latham
- cvs 417, albany
- cvs pharmacy 1895, albany
- cvs pharmacy 2702, colonie
- cvs pharmacy 5030, albany
- cvs pharmacy 5037, ravena
- cvs pharmacy 600, albany
- cvs pharmacy 744, albany
- cvs pharmacy 1090, glenmont
- cvs pharmacy 134, albany
- cvs pharmacy 2743, cohoes
- cvs pharmacy 5047, latham
- cvs pharmacy 5358, schenectady
- central ave pharmacy, albany
- dnipro, latham
- dollar general 13422, middleburgh
- dollar general 16872, albany
- dollar general 19911, east berne
- dollar general 22495, albany
- dollar general 25518, latham
- dollar general 31479, albany
- dollar tree 1414, albany
- dollar tree 4874, albany
- dollar tree 5680, watervliet
- dollar tree 6156, guilderland
- dollar tree 6253, loudonville
- dollar tree 7771, menands
- dollar tree 8380, cohoes
- dollar tree 883, latham
- dollar tree 9022, latham
- family dollar 1871, watervliet
- family dollar 1973, ravena
- family dollar 2048, albany
- family dollar 3696, menands
- family dollar 5656, albany
- family dollar store 2164, cohoes
- rolf's pork store, albany
- the naan factory, albany
- walgreen 19948, watervliet
- walgreens 09153, guilderland
- walgreens 09154, albany
- walgreens 09971, albany
- walgreens 19787, latham
- walgreens 19884, loudonville
- yemen market inc, albany
Medium Grocery Store · 13
- al-aqsa meat and grocery import llc, latham
- aladdin halal market mediterranean, albany
- albany ny supermarket inc, albany
- albaraka halal market, latham
- albaraka halal market, latham
- banglabazar halal grocery, albany
- bismillah mediterranean supermarket, albany
- breakthrough african market llc, albany
- circle pizza & halal market inc, latham
- history hill inc./lark central market, albany
- john and marys grocery llc, delmar
- la grande meat market & products corp, albany
- the medina halal market inc, albany
Small Grocery Store · 12
- el pilon market, albany
- elhariri market llc, albany
- hope full life center inc - helping harvest, ravena
- lark natural foods, albany
- madison deli grocery inc, albany
- mobil/dani's market, athens
- n k n trading inc, albany
- pearl market, albany
- pearl street convenience inc, albany
- r&s finnigan's inc, albany
- sky blue deli & grocery bakery, albany
- urban tobacco convenience, albany
Super Store · 11
- asian supermarket group inc 1, albany
- bj's wholesale club 7, albany
- farmer's india market, albany
- honest weight food coop, albany
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8233, voorheesville
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8339, delmar
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8362, colonie
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8367, albany
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8386, latham
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8393, guilderland
- ravena shop'n save, ravena
Farmers' Market · 5
- albany county farmers market, albany
- delaware community farmers market, albany
- empire state plaza farmers market, albany
- the west hill community farmers market, albany
- vienna farmers market, blossvale
Large Grocery Store · 3
- aladdin halal llc, latham
- halal supermarket, latham
- india bazzar, albany
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- allie b's fresh fruits and vegetables, albany
Showing 250 of 274 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New York
Compare Albany County vs Allegany County → · All New York counties →
Food access nationally, New York in context
Albany County sits inside New York (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 Albany County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Albany County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Albany County? ▼
Is Albany County a food desert? ▼
What share of Albany 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.