County food-access profile · Maryland
Baltimore city, MD
Most of Baltimore city sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 4.5%
- low-access pop.
- 14
- food-desert tracts
- 23.2%
- on SNAP
- 573K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
4.5% of Baltimore city residents live in a low-access area, and 14 of its 200 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 18
- low-access tracts
- 11K
- food-desert residents
- 26.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 19.7%
- 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).
By the USDA's measure, Baltimore city fares better than most: just 4.5% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 18 of the county's 200 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 28,081 people who live far from a supermarket, and 14 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 11,246 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 Baltimore city compares nationally
Food access in Baltimore city compares favorably nationally: its 4.5% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 9% of them (rank #2,843).
Baltimore city: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 200 census tracts in Baltimore city, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Baltimore city vs. other Maryland counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Maryland
- Baltimore city 4.5
Baltimore city, MD
4.5 % low-access
- Allegany
Allegany County, MD
30.4 % low-access
- Anne Arundel
Anne Arundel County, MD
33.7 % low-access
- Baltimore
Baltimore County, MD
21.8 % low-access
- Calvert
Calvert County, MD
38.6 % low-access
- Caroline 9.2
Caroline County, MD
9.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 200 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 620,961 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 18 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 14 |
| Low-Access Population | 28,081 |
| Low-Access Share | 4.5%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 11,246 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 573,243 |
| Median Household Income | $62,177 |
| Poverty Rate | 19.7%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 59,197 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 23.2%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 26.7%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.6% |
About 23.2% of Baltimore city households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 4.5% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
- 23.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 59,197 households here.
- 26.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 14 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 Baltimore city
below the national share
14 of Baltimore city's 200 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 7.0% of all its tracts.
A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 18.
An estimated 28,081 residents, roughly 4.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 11,246 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 182 tracts (91.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Baltimore city
Baltimore city has 1,114 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 184 locations (17% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 184
- 7-eleven 11536, gwynn oak
- all nations international food store, rosedale
- all halal meat and groceries, lansdowne
- blue crab express, baltimore
- cvs 10123, baltimore
- cvs 10565, baltimore
- cvs 10751, baltimore
- cvs pharmacy 2066, baltimore
- cvs pharmacy 2216, towson
- cvs pharmacy 2522, baltimore
- cvs pharmacy 2865, essex
- cvs pharmacy 3974, baltimore
- cvs pharmacy 3976, baltimore
- cvs pharmacy 4129, towson
- cvs pharmacy 4302, windsor mill
- cvs pharmacy 4429, dundalk
- cvs pharmacy 4438, baltimore
- cvs pharmacy 4602, catonsville
- cvs pharmacy 540, baltimore
- cvs pharmacy 5764, baltimore
- cvs pharmacy 04274, nottingham
- cvs pharmacy 10588, catonsville
- cvs pharmacy 10892, owings mills
- cvs pharmacy 4030, reisterstown
- cvs pharmacy 4079, catonsville
- cvs pharmacy 6858, perry hall
- cvs pharmacy 7952, baltimore
- cvs/pharmacy 2045, parkville
- cvs/pharmacy 2160, rosedale
- catonsville african market, catonsville
- dollar general 13406, baltimore
- dollar general 14175, sparrows point
- dollar general 17185, brooklyn park
- dollar tree 1676, reisterstown
- dollar tree 1702, cockeysville
- dollar tree 1709, baltimore
- dollar tree 261, dundalk
- dollar tree 3040, towson
- dollartree 10442, baltimore
- dollartree 8738, baltimore
- dollartree 8910, baltimore
- dollartree 9411, baltimore
- dudeks old time butcher, essex
- dollar general 10898, gwynn oak
- dollar general 12310, baltimore
- dollar general 12348, baltimore
- dollar general 13163, essex
- dollar general 13751, nottingham
- dollar general 13938, dundalk
- dollar general 14160, parkville
- dollar general 14946, middle river
- dollar general 15271, baltimore
- dollar general 19131, baltimore
- dollar general 19133, baltimore
- dollar general 20825, baltimore
- dollar general 21680, dundalk
- dollar general 22296, baltimore
- dollar general 23110, baltimore
- dollar general 23666, baltimore
- dollar general 23739, baltimore
- dollar general 23967, baltimore
- dollar general 25413, essex
- dollar general 30355, middle river
- dollar general 4579, halethorpe
- dollar general 6542, reisterstown
- dollar general 6575, randallstown
- dollar general 6692, middle river
- dollar general 8071, baltimore
- dollar general 9331, baltimore
- dollar tree 0977, parkville
- dollar tree 1194, owings mills
- dollar tree 1695, essex
- dollar tree 2219, baltimore
- dollar tree 2740, baltimore
- dollar tree 3038, catonsville
- dollar tree 3531, dundalk
- dollar tree 3542, towson
- dollar tree 3828, catonsville
- dollar tree 3971, halethorpe
- dollar tree 4608, lutherville timonium
- dollar tree 4811, baltimore
- dollar tree 5030, baltimore
- dollar tree 5057, baltimore
- dollar tree 5732, baltimore
- dollar tree 591, middle river
- dollar tree 6328, baltimore
- dollar tree 6351, essex
- dollar tree 652, baltimore
- dollar tree 693, nottingham
- dollar tree 703, baltimore
- dollar tree 7032, baltimore
- dollar tree 7207, baltimore
- dollar tree 722, randallstown
- dollar tree 7413, middle river
- dollar tree 7629, baltimore
- dollar tree 7763, baltimore
- dollar tree 8061, dundalk
- dollar tree 860, rosedale
- dollar tree 9393, baltimore
- drug city pharmacy, llc, dundalk
- e&a meats & deli, cockeysville
- family dollar 11597, baltimore
- family dollar 11599, halethorpe
- family dollar 11775, baltimore
- family dollar 11776, baltimore
- family dollar 11835, baltimore
- family dollar 11850, baltimore
- family dollar 11853, baltimore
- family dollar 11858, baltimore
- family dollar 11923, baltimore
- family dollar 12042, baltimore
- family dollar 12154, baltimore
- family dollar 12332, baltimore
- family dollar 12442, middle river
- family dollar 12542, baltimore
- family dollar 13001, baltimore
- family dollar 13816, baltimore
- family dollar 2146, windsor mill
- family dollar 2377, baltimore
- family dollar 3234, randallstown
- family dollar 3481, baltimore
- family dollar 3963, middle river
- family dollar 4363, dundalk
- family dollar 4609, rosedale
- family dollar 5318, essex
- family dollar 5496, baltimore
- family dollar 5647, baltimore
- family dollar 5990, baltimore
- family dollar 6685, baltimore
- family dollar 6764, baltimore
- family dollar 6843, baltimore
- family dollar 6967, baltimore
- family dollar 7004, baltimore
- family dollar 7330, baltimore
- family dollar 8165, baltimore
- family dollar 8176, brooklyn
- family dollar 8236, gwynn oak
- family dollar 8377, essex
- family dollar 843, baltimore
- family dollar 931, baltimore
- family dollar store 3804, reisterstown
- fresh at the avenue, baltimore
- graul's market, parkton
- harford seafood market 1, parkville
- laumans meats, baltimore
- nottingham shell, nottingham
- patel brothers, catonsville
- pgm african mart, randallstown
- punjab supermarket 1, rosedale
- rex's deli, baltimore
- royalty international food supermarket, baltimore
- swadesh, nottingham
- tr deli and grocery, baltimore
- walgreens 07574, catonsville
- walgreens 5409, baltimore
- walgreens 5587, baltimore
- walgreens 5638, baltimore
- walgreens 6320, baltimore
- walgreens 6396, rosedale
- walgreens 00369, baltimore
- walgreens 00476, phoenix
- walgreens 06007, brooklyn
- walgreens 07573, baltimore
- walgreens 10076, baltimore
- walgreens 12560, pikesville
- walgreens 12790, catonsville
- walgreens 12847, lutherville timonium
- walgreens 13606, towson
- walgreens 13840, nottingham
- walgreens 15130, cockeysville
- walgreens 15284, baltimore
- walgreens 17205, baltimore
- walgreens 17522, baltimore
- walgreens 17587, baltimore
- walgreens 17836, timonium
- walgreens 18082, catonsville
- walgreens 18308, baltimore
- walgreens 19086, dundalk
- walgreens 19115, baltimore
- walgreens 19129, reisterstown
- walgreens 19212, timonium
- walgreens 5686, middle river
- walgreens 6265, randallstown
- walgreens 6779, parkville
Convenience Store · 63
- 24/7 snackers, baltimore
- 3 stars tobacco and convenience store 1, baltimore
- 5th street food market, baltimore
- 6 eleven market, baltimore
- 7 food mart, baltimore
- 7-eleven 17553b, essex
- 7-eleven 22094, towson
- 7-eleven 11537d, halethorpe
- 7-eleven 11551b, halethorpe
- 7-eleven 116399e, dundalk
- 7-eleven 17118c, pikesville
- 7-eleven 21054d, baltimore
- 7-eleven 22360, baltimore
- 7-eleven 24164, baltimore
- 7-eleven 26753c, baltimore
- 7-eleven 27456d, baltimore
- 7-eleven 32907, towson
- 7-eleven 33514a, baltimore
- 7-eleven 35316b, baltimore
- 7-eleven 35316j, baltimore
- 7-eleven 37043a, baltimore
- 7-eleven 39148, windsor mill
- 7-eleven 41223h, middle river
- 7-eleven 41323a, baltimore
- 7-eleven inc 25756, dundalk
- 7-eleven inc f 11549, catonsville
- 7-eleven inc f 11602, parkville
- 7-eleven inc f 11607, lutherville timonium
- 7-eleven inc f 20234, nottingham
- 7-eleven inc f 21051, pikesville
- 7-eleven inc f 22467, baltimore
- 7-eleven inc f 22492, baltimore
- 7-eleven inc f 23689, baltimore
- 7-eleven inc f 23703c, parkville
- 7-eleven inc f 33244, white marsh
- 7-eleven inc f 33266, nottingham
- 7-eleven inc f 34125, baltimore
- 7-eleven inc f 34195 a, baltimore
- 7-eleven inc f 34280a, baltimore
- 7-eleven inc f 34324, owings mills
- 7-eleven inc f 34345a, baltimore
- 7-eleven inc f 34644, baltimore
- 7-eleven inc f 34697, pikesville
- 7-eleven inc f 34750a, monkton
- 7-eleven inc f 36009a, baltimore
- 7-eleven inc f 39352, halethorpe
- 7-eleven store 19925f, phoenix
- 7-eleven store 40061h, cockeysville
- 7-eleven, inc. 22575k, baltimore
- 7-eleven, inc. 34905j, baltimore
- 7-eleven #11637k 11637g, pikesville
- 7-eleven #41626b 41626b, baltimore
- 7-eleven 11631c, essex
- 7-eleven 11709c, windsor mill
- 7-eleven 18623b, catonsville
- 7-eleven 20772d, gwynn oak
- 7-eleven 20925e, baltimore
- 7-eleven 21980b, catonsville
- 7-eleven 23698f, baltimore
- 7-eleven 23702e, randallstown
- 7-eleven 23860c, baltimore
- 7-eleven 24086e, rosedale
- 7-eleven 24552e, baltimore
Bakery Specialty · 3
- j & c bakery, baltimore
- sion's bakery, pikesville
- the confetti cake bar, baltimore
Showing 250 of 1,114 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Maryland
Compare Baltimore city vs Allegany County → · All Maryland counties →
Food access nationally, Maryland in context
Baltimore city sits inside Maryland (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 Baltimore city has low food access? ▼
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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.