County food-access profile · Florida
Bay County, FL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Bay 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).
- 31.5%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 12.6%
- on SNAP
- 186K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
31.5% of Bay County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 43 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 26
- low-access tracts
- 17K
- food-desert residents
- 4.3%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.9%
- 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 Bay County's low-access share at 31.5%, above the national share. 26 of the county's 43 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 53,131 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 17,453 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 Bay County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Bay County's 31.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 73% of them and ranked #847 most-affected nationwide.
Bay County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 43 census tracts in Bay County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Bay County vs. other Florida counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida
- Bay
Bay County, FL
31.5 % low-access
- Alachua 19.2
Alachua County, FL
19.2 % low-access
- Baker
Baker County, FL
55.6 % low-access
- Bradford 1.1
Bradford County, FL
1.1 % low-access
- Brevard
Brevard County, FL
41.8 % low-access
- Broward 9.4
Broward County, FL
9.4 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 43 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 168,852 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 26 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 53,131 |
| Low-Access Share | 31.5%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 17,453 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 186,393 |
| Median Household Income | $73,533 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.9%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,924 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.6%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.3%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
About 12.6% of Bay County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 31.5% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 9,924 households here.
- 4.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 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 Bay County
above the national share
6 of Bay County's 43 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.0% of all its tracts.
A further 20 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 26.
An estimated 53,131 residents, roughly 31.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 17,453 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 17 tracts (39.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Bay County
Bay County has 227 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 115 locations (51% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 115
- 1 stop mart, panama city
- 360 food store #2, panama city beach
- 360 food store 3, lynn haven
- 360 food store 5, panama city
- 360 fuel store 01, panama city beach
- 360 fuel store 2, panama city
- a & m raceway, panama city
- ami 63 llc, panama city
- ami 74 food mart, panama city
- bay foodmart, panama city
- beeline 641, panama city
- beeline 642, lynn haven
- beeline beeline609, panama city
- big buck market, southport
- blu convenience store & deli 1, panama city beach
- brothers outlet, panama city
- cefco 423, panama city
- cefco 424, panama city
- cefco 428, panama city
- cefco 431, panama city
- circle k 2706480, panama city
- circle k 2707289, panama city
- circle k 2708507, panama city beach
- chiodos 231 express mart, fountain
- circle k 2708985, panama city
- circle k 2721426, panama city
- circle k store 2707063, panama city
- circle k store 2709101, lynn haven
- circle k store 2709207, panama city
- cumberland farms 900165, panama city
- daybreak market d1121, panama city beach
- dodge's store 9101, panama city
- e z lane 3, panama city
- e-z lane 2, panama city
- edgewater chevron, panama city
- express lane 701, panama city beach
- express lane 703, springfield
- express lane 705, mexico beach
- express lane 707, panama city
- express lane 726, panama city
- express lane 737, panama city
- express lane 741, panama city beach
- express lane 744, panama city beach
- express lane 763, panama city beach
- express lane 784, panama city beach
- express lane 786, panama city beach
- express lane 790, panama city beach
- express lane 793, lynn haven
- express lane 795, southport
- express lane 796, panama city
- express lane 797, callaway
- express lane 799, panama city beach
- exxon 1, panama city
- first stop southern express, panama city
- flowers bakery outlet 50000092, panama city
- front beach mart, panama city beach
- good to go 4, youngstown
- good to go food mart, panama city
- hop n pop #6, panama city
- hop n pop 4, panama city
- j shannelle caribbean food market 1, panama city beach
- lpt 1202 1202, youngstown
- lagoon mart, panama city beach
- liton trading corporation inc, panama city
- m & m market iv, lynn haven
- m & m market ii 2, panama city
- m & m market v, panama city
- m&m market iii, youngstown
- mega mart international grocery, panama city
- murphy express 8688, panama city beach
- murphy express 8875, callaway
- murphy express 8957, panama city
- murphy usa 7727, callaway
- murphy usa 7947, panama city beach
- murphy usa 7965, panama city beach
- murphy usa 7994, panama city
- murphy usa 8620, panama city
- ocean oriental market, panama city
- pc fireworks plus, fountain
- pcb mobil, panama city
- petromart 189 1, panama city
- quick stop, panama city
- quickstop 11, panama city
- quickstop 17, panama city
- quickstop 18, panama city
- quickstop 20, panama city
- quickstop 21, panama city
- quickstop 22, panama city
- quickstop 23, panama city
- quickstop 31, panama city
- quickstop 8, panama city
- r & c food mart, panama city
- raceway 6869, panama city
- rizzy store 1 1, panama city beach
- s4 food mart, panama city
- smile line, panama city
- store 317, panama city
- store 331, panama city beach
- store 332, panama city beach
- sun mart, panama city beach
- sunstop 730, panama city beach
- sunstop 798, mexico beach
- super station 18, panama city
- super station 21, panama city
- super station 4, panama city
- svk food mart, lynn haven
- texaco quick fill, panama city
- tom thumb 900134, lynn haven
- tom thumb 900139, panama city
- tom thumb food store 900133, panama city
- tom thumb food store 900137, panama city
- tom thumb food store 900145, panama city beach
- tom thumb food store 900146, panama city
- tom thumb food stores 900155, panama city beach
- vj food mart, panama city
Combination Grocery/Other · 63
- big lots 3342, panama city
- cvs pharmacy 3550, panama city beach
- cvs pharmacy 5246, mexico beach
- cvs pharmacy 6809, panama city beach
- cvs pharmacy 3506, panama city beach
- cvs pharmacy 3629, panama city beach
- cvs pharmacy 3667, lynn haven
- cvs pharmacy 4500, panama city
- cvs pharmacy 5183, panama city
- cvs pharmacy 5204, panama city
- dollar general 0810, panama city
- dollar general 14145, panama city
- dollar general 14148, panama city beach
- dollar general 20794, panama city
- dollar general 3192, panama city beach
- dollar general 3587, panama city
- dollar general 4881, panama city beach
- dollar general 4885, panama city
- dollar general 6215, southport
- dollar general 7141, lynn haven
- dollar general 8527, youngstown
- dollar general 9377, panama city
- dollar general 9607, panama city beach
- dollar general 9621, panama city
- dollartree 9529, panama city
- dollar general 11979, panama city
- dollar general 11981, fountain
- dollar general 12092, panama city
- dollar general 12144, panama city
- dollar general 12280, panama city
- dollar general 12293, panama city
- dollar general 12484, panama city beach
- dollar general 14648, panama city
- dollar general 15344, fountain
- dollar general 15492, panama city
- dollar general 15582, panama city beach
- dollar general 15709, panama city
- dollar general 19929, panama city
- dollar general 20708, panama city
- dollar general 21204, panama city
- dollar general 22458, panama city
- dollar general 22460, panama city
- dollar general 23814, panama city
- dollar general 24479, panama city
- dollar general 25211, panama city
- dollar general 25332, youngstown
- dollar tree 0314, panama city
- dollar tree 2128, callaway
- dollar tree 4249, panama city beach
- dollar tree 4434, panama city beach
- dollar tree 4623, lynn haven
- dollar tree 7349, panama city
- family dollar 10754, panama city
- family dollar 12104, panama
- family dollar 12595, panama city
- family dollar store 10694, fountain
- family dollar store 5747, lynn haven
- family dollar store 967, panama city
- gerald miller seafood, panama city
- tim millers fresh seafood, fountain
- walgreen 09619, panama city
- walgreens 04847, lynn haven
- walgreens 05340, panama city beach
Supermarket · 19
- aldi 82063, panama city
- aldi 82064, lynn haven
- aldi 82187, panama city
- aldi 82188, panama city beach
- bucks piggly wiggly, fountain
- bucks piggly wiggly express 1, fountain
- publix 0481, panama city
- publix 0823, lynn haven
- publix 1005, panama city beach
- publix 1173, panama city
- publix 1241, panama city beach
- publix super markets, inc. 1875, panama city
- publix super markets, inc. 2034, panama city
- the fresh market 214, panama city beach
- winn dixie 436, lynn haven
- winn dixie 481, panama city
- winn dixie 494, panama city beach
- winn dixie 0538, parker
- winn dixie 552, panama city
Super Store · 13
- grocery outlet 7705, panama city
- grocery outlet 7709, panama city
- grocery outlet 7716, lynn haven
- piggly wiggly, panama city
- sam's club 8151, panama city
- target store t-2208, panama city
- the carousel, panama city beach
- target store 811, panama city
- walmart 1207, callaway
- walmart 818, panama city beach
- walmart neighborhood market 3119, panama city beach
- walmart supercenter 3075, panama city
- walmart supercenter 1032, lynn haven
Medium Grocery Store · 4
- apna agora, panama city
- asian oriental international halal market, panama city
- captain hai's seafood & convenience store, panama city
- european food mart, panama city
Seafood Specialty · 4
- buddy gandy's seafood, panama city
- reel time fishers inc, panama city
- shrimp city, panama city
- tarpon dock seafood market, panama city
Farmers' Market · 3
- market at glenwood nafmnp, panama city
- millville farmers market nafmnp, panama city
- the market at st andrews nafmnp, panama city
Small Grocery Store · 3
- cuban bodega, panama city
- cuban sisters, panama city
- cuban sisters llc, panama city
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- tanya's garden, panama city
Large Grocery Store · 1
- garners piggly wiggle express, panama city
Military Commissary · 1
- tyndall afb commissary 546, tyndall afb
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Florida
Compare Bay County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →
Food access nationally, Florida in context
Bay County sits inside Florida (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 Bay County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Bay County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Bay County? ▼
Is Bay County a food desert? ▼
What share of Bay 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.