County food-access profile · Alabama
Baldwin County, AL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Baldwin 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).
- 25.1%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 6.7%
- on SNAP
- 247K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
25.1% of Baldwin County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 31 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 14
- low-access tracts
- 14K
- food-desert residents
- 2.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 10.1%
- 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 Baldwin County's low-access share at 25.1%, above the national share. 14 of the county's 31 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 45,789 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 14,466 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 Baldwin County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Baldwin County's 25.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,286 most-affected nationwide.
Baldwin County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 31 census tracts in Baldwin County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Baldwin County vs. other Alabama counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Alabama
- Baldwin 25.1
Baldwin County, AL
25.1 % low-access
- Autauga
Autauga County, AL
33.9 % low-access
- Barbour 20.5
Barbour County, AL
20.5 % low-access
- Bibb 1.6
Bibb County, AL
1.6 % low-access
- Blount 6.8
Blount County, AL
6.8 % low-access
- Bullock
Bullock County, AL
68.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 31 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 182,265 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 14 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 45,789 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.1%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 14,466 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 246,989 |
| Median Household Income | $78,775 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.1%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 6,568 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.7%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.7%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.3% |
About 6.7% of Baldwin County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 25.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 6.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 6,568 households here.
- 2.7% 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 Baldwin County
above the national share
4 of Baldwin County's 31 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 12.9% of all its tracts.
A further 10 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 14.
An estimated 45,789 residents, roughly 25.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 14,466 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 17 tracts (54.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Baldwin County
Baldwin County has 225 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 94 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 94
- american pride, bay minette
- bama first stop, seminole
- bay minette marathon, bay minette
- beach express, summerdale
- big country 1, summerdale
- cefco 401, fairhope
- cefco 402, fairhope
- cefco 404, robertsdale
- cefco 405, foley
- cefco 406, daphne
- cefco 430, gulf shores
- cefco 435, loxley
- cefco 439, foley
- circle k 2704391, lillian
- circle k 4164, daphne
- checkouts, inc, foley
- circle k 2705999, loxley
- circle k 2721558, gulf shores
- circle k 2721560, loxley
- circle k 2721561, stapleton
- circle k 2721572, bay minette
- circle k 2721578, bay minette
- circle k 2721582, orange beach
- circle k 2721584, foley
- circle k store 2707035, daphne
- circle k store 2707057, foley
- circle k store 2707739, robertsdale
- clarks 14, daphne
- clarks 26, gulf shores
- corner market, perdido
- cumberland farms 900159, gulf shores
- cumberland farms 900161, orange beach
- daphne chevron, daphne
- daphne express, daphne
- diamond 18, perdido
- dixie oaks food mart, summerdale
- dodge store 7003, foley
- dragon seafood inc, daphne
- elberta food mart, elberta
- fairhope express, fairhope
- flagship food 2, loxley
- flowers baking co new orleans la llc 207, loxley
- foley raceway, foley
- foley shell, foley
- food mart 104, fairhope
- gringa latina, foley
- hc&l foodmart, foley
- hop-in, fairhope
- hub city express, robertsdale
- jrs big country store llc, elberta
- krish food mart, robertsdale
- las tarascas llc, daphne
- lillian chevron, lillian
- love' travel stops & country stores, inc 206, loxley
- magnolia shell, magnolia springs
- magnolia speedway, magnolia springs
- marathon 685, spanish fort
- marathon 688, silverhill
- maw maw's country market, robertsdale
- mckenzie oil company 15, elberta
- mckenzie oil company 5, bay minette
- merrimart, spanish fort
- murphy express 8686, orange beach
- murphy usa 6619, daphne
- murphy usa 7506, fairhope
- murphy usa 7820, foley
- murphy usa 7906, bay minette
- outpost food store, robertsdale
- pic n pay, foley
- powells grocery, stockton
- quick stop, foley
- robertsdale food mart, robertsdale
- shell merri mart 320, foley
- speedway 4400, loxley
- sai yogeshwaraaya llc n/a, foley
- shell merri mart 321, elberta
- summerdale marathon, summerdale
- tienda la azteca, robertdale
- tom thumb 900065, stapleton
- tom thumb 900103, orange beach
- tom thumb 900104, orange beach
- tom thumb 900153, foley
- triple a, robertsdale
- triple b convenience store 3, daphne
- us food market llc, bay minette
- wahoo market 105, orange beach
- wawa store 5801, fairhope
- wawa store 5803, robertsdale
- wawa store 5804, fairhope
- yogeshwari llc no, foley
- yogi raceway, bay minette
- yogir llc no, foley
- z-tec 533, foley
- circle k 2702524, foley
Combination Grocery/Other · 80
- cvs pharmacy 1806, foley
- cvs pharmacy 1822, robertsdale
- cvs pharmacy 2899, orange beach
- cvs pharmacy 4945, fairhope
- cvs pharmacy 4959, daphne
- cvs/pharmacy 4938, bay minette
- dollar general 0703, bay minette
- dollar general 0728, robertsdale
- dollar general 10518, bay minette
- dollar general 14166, orange beach
- dollar general 14243, seminole
- dollar general 1632, spanish fort
- dollar general 18945, bay minette
- dollar general 20141, daphne
- dollar general 4952, fairhope
- dollar general 5707, orange beach
- dollar general 5708, foley
- dollar general 6694, stapleton
- dollar general 7395, loxley
- dollar general 8081, elberta
- dollar general 8798, lillian
- dollar general 9042, summerdale
- dollar general 9851, daphne
- dollar general 9852, fairhope
- dollartree plus 9045, daphne
- dollar general 11549, perdido
- dollar general 11815, summerdale
- dollar general 11838, stockton
- dollar general 11840, gulf shores
- dollar general 12173, foley
- dollar general 13394, robertsdale
- dollar general 13609, foley
- dollar general 14179, gulf shores
- dollar general 15264, daphne
- dollar general 15459, fairhope
- dollar general 15747, spanish fort
- dollar general 17026, elberta
- dollar general 18118, bay minette
- dollar general 20146, foley
- dollar general 20457, gulf shores
- dollar general 20734, foley
- dollar general 20871, robertsdale
- dollar general 21492, fairhope
- dollar general 21840, elberta
- dollar general 21895, magnolia springs
- dollar general 22168, daphne
- dollar general 22287, bay minette
- dollar general 23105, gulf shores
- dollar general 23430, bay minette
- dollar general 24124, robertsdale
- dollar general 24506, foley
- dollar general 25085, foley
- dollar general 30010, elberta
- dollar general 30826, foley
- dollar general 31316, foley
- dollar general 6815, foley
- dollar general 8640, silverhill
- dollar general store 16294, orange beach
- dollar general store 17948, robertsdale
- dollar tree 2166, foley
- dollar tree 2705, bay minette
- dollar tree 2936, fairhope
- dollar tree 3033, spanish fort
- dollar tree 4969, daphne
- dollar tree 5214, gulf shores
- dollar tree 6444, robertsdale
- dollar tree 6935, lillian
- family dollar 13802, stapleton
- family dollar 375, foley
- family dollar 9156, loxley
- loxley farm market, loxley
- streets seafood & produce, bay minette
- walgreen 010169, spanish fort
- walgreens 5606, daphne
- walgreens 6084, fairhope
- walgreens 01230, gulf shores
- walgreens 01318, foley
- walgreens 17739, orange beach
- walgreens 19255, spanish fort
- walgreens 19324, robertsdale
Supermarket · 22
- aldi 76147, daphne
- aldi 76152, foley
- aldi 82040, fairhope
- cashsaver 14, bay minette
- corner market 6050, foley
- greers cashsaver 18, fairhope
- publix 1213, orange beach
- publix 1265, fairhope
- piggly wiggly fairhope 13, fairhope
- piggly wiggly foley 14, foley
- piggly wiggly loxley 12, loxley
- piggly wiggly spanish fort 11, spanish fort
- publix 1292, gulf shores
- publix 1362, daphne
- publix 1400, spanish fort
- publix 1673, foley
- publix alabama, llc 1672, gulf shores
- publix alabama, llc 1799, fairhope
- publix alabama, llc 1809, fairhope
- publix alabama, llc 2098, foley
- the fresh market 151, daphne
- winn dixie 599, fairhope
Super Store · 15
- greers cashsaver 34, robertsdale
- rouses market 53, spanish fort
- rouses market 54, gulf shores
- rouses market 76, orange beach
- rouses market 78, daphne
- sam's club 4990, daphne
- target store t-2154, gulf shores
- target store t-1274, daphne
- walmart 2748, gulf shores
- walmart neighborhood market 5653, orange beach
- walmart s/c 2739, bay minette
- walmart s/c 904, foley
- walmart supercenter 4333, fairhope
- walmart supercenter 6173, robertsdale
- walmart supercenter 934, daphne
Small Grocery Store · 4
- la guadalupana, foley
- n & b jamaican food market, foley
- tienda la rosita, foley
- tienda perumex llc, silverhill
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- ferguson grocerry, little river
- gourmet world market llc, gulf shores
- la michoacana, foley
Seafood Specialty · 3
- deep sea seafood, foley
- foley fish company, foley
- lartigue's seafood market, fairhope
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 2
- hazel's market llc, daphne
- twisted lime market 1, bay minette
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphys al009, foley
Large Grocery Store · 1
- the grocery store of elberta, elberta
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Alabama
Compare Baldwin County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Baldwin County sits inside Alabama (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 Baldwin County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Baldwin County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Baldwin County? ▼
Is Baldwin County a food desert? ▼
What share of Baldwin 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.