County food-access profile · Massachusetts
Bristol County, MA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Bristol 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).
- 26.4%
- low-access pop.
- 8
- food-desert tracts
- 19.8%
- on SNAP
- 582K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
26.4% of Bristol County residents live in a low-access area, and 8 of its 125 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 46
- low-access tracts
- 22K
- food-desert residents
- 9.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.3%
- 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 Bristol County's low-access share at 26.4%, above the national share. 46 of the county's 125 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 144,930 people. 8 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 22,462 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 Bristol County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Bristol County's 26.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 62% of them and ranked #1,194 most-affected nationwide.
Bristol County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 125 census tracts in Bristol County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Bristol County vs. other Massachusetts counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Massachusetts
- Bristol
Bristol County, MA
26.4 % low-access
- Barnstable
Barnstable County, MA
51 % low-access
- Berkshire
Berkshire County, MA
30.9 % low-access
- Dukes
Dukes County, MA
32.2 % low-access
- Essex
Essex County, MA
30.1 % low-access
- Franklin 19.1
Franklin County, MA
19.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 125 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 548,285 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 46 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 8 |
| Low-Access Population | 144,930 |
| Low-Access Share | 26.4%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 22,462 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 582,270 |
| Median Household Income | $85,625 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.3%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 46,290 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.8%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.5%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.5% |
About 19.8% of Bristol County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 26.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 19.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 46,290 households here.
- 9.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 8 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 Bristol County
above the national share
8 of Bristol County's 125 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 6.4% of all its tracts.
A further 38 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 46.
An estimated 144,930 residents, roughly 26.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 22,462 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 79 tracts (63.2%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Bristol County
Bristol County has 514 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 146 locations (28% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 146
- 1 daily stop, new bedford
- 1194 royal farm, new bedford
- 193 pine street attleboro llc, attleboro
- 1995 winthrop llc, north dighton
- 7 days food mart, fall river
- 7 days food mart, somerset
- 7- eleven 37443, fall river
- 7-eleven 33057a, fairhaven
- 7-eleven 37398h, taunton
- 7-eleven, inc. 33065h, new bedford
- 7-eleven 37393a, fall river
- aplus 40125, north attleboro
- aisha & locust llc/ highland mini mart, fall river
- aksharderi corporation, fall river
- alltown fresh easton 2726, north easton
- alltown raynham #2728, raynham
- alprime gas, fall river
- amaros market inc., east taunton
- ameristore, fall river
- ams food mart 1, fall river
- attleboro food mart, attleboro
- attleboro variety inc, attleboro
- b & e variety store, taunton
- berkley farms liquor 1, berkley
- bins mart, taunton
- bizarro foodmart, new bedford
- bonville's market, acushnet
- boot bhavani inc, fall river
- border bets & butts, attleboro
- bridge street mobile, fairhaven
- brock avenue market, new bedford
- c & e variety, new bedford
- cronin's spa, taunton
- cumberland farms 144, attleboro
- cumberland farms 2227, fall river
- cumberland farms 2233, acushnet
- cumberland farms 2275, new bedford
- cumberland farms 2277, new bedford
- cumberland farms 2286, fall river
- cumberland farms 2287, new bedford
- cumberland farms 2288, fairhaven
- cumberland farms 2324, south dartmouth
- cumberland farms 2325, taunton
- cumberland farms 6766, taunton
- cumberland farms 6785, new bedford
- campus market, norton
- canaan fuels, attleboro
- cedar convenience, new bedford
- cidade's service station, new bedford
- circle k 4707516, assonet
- circle k 4707518, east freetown
- cloverdale farms inc, fall river
- cloverdale market, fall river
- colbea enterprises llc 52, swansea
- colbea enterprises llc 55, north attleboro
- colbea enterprises llc 56, north attleboro
- colbea enterprises llc 62, attleboro
- colbea enterprises llc 64, fall river
- colbea enterprises llc 85, fall river
- colbea enterprises llc 91, somerset
- coletti's market, raynham
- corner mart, north attleboro
- corner stop, new bedford
- corner store convenience, fall river
- correla & sons market, somerset
- costa's cash express, new bedford
- costa's sunoco mini mart, new bedford
- costal fuel, fall river
- costas mini mart, new bedford
- country farm, taunton
- countryfarms, fall river
- county general convenience, new bedford
- county street. convenience store, new bedford
- cozy mini market, attleboro
- cumberland farm 6787, fall river
- cumberland farms 0150, norton
- cumberland farms 0187, mansfield
- cumberland farms 2244, fairhaven
- cumberland farms 2251, swansea
- cumberland farms 2301, north dartmouth
- cumberland farms 2314, rehoboth
- cumberland farms 2320, swansea
- cumberland farms 6732, somerset
- cumberland farms 6745, new bedford
- cumberland farms 6767, north attleboro
- cumberland farms 6788, norton
- cumberland farms 6792, seekonk
- cumberland farms 6793, assonet
- cumberland farms, inc 0135, attleboro
- cumberland farms, inc 0170, north attleboro
- cumberland farms, inc 0188, attleboro falls
- cumberland farms, inc 0199, seekonk
- cumberland farms, inc 0223, attleboro
- cumberland farms, inc 2234, westport
- cumberland farms, inc 2273, westport
- cumberland farms, inc 2294, south dartmouth
- cumberland farms, inc 6771, attleboro
- dairy carousel inc, attleboro
- dairy market, new bedford
- dattatreya corp, fall river
- discount food mart, fall river
- dodgeville country store, attleboro
- downtown market, new bedford
- e-market convenience & deli, north easton
- ez convenience & gas, new bedford
- eat africana, taunton
- elly convenience store 1, attleboro
- emmanuel mini market inc, new bedford
- expo's iii, new bedford
- fallriver mini mart, fall river
- family food mart, mansfield
- farm market, fall river
- farm market, fall river
- flint food variety, fall river
- four corners convenience store, mansfield
- friendly farm convenience, fairhaven
- friends food mart, fall river
- good seed corp, seekonk
- gas 44, raynham
- gas express mini mart inc, new bedford
- gas plus, attleboro
- geko, taunton
- geto corp., new bedford
- girlies veriety, taunton
- global montello group corp. #785 785, seekonk
- grace corner mini mart, new bedford
- greene market, new bedford
- guimond farms, fall river
- hari mart, new bedford
- harrys country store, westport
- hathaway service station inc 1, new bedford
- hb gas and convenience inc, fall river
- hi lo gas, new bedford
- home plate, east taunton
- ishan inc, westport
- jareks market, fall river
- jays corner convenience, south easton
- jayshiv corp, new bedford
- jnadel super market, taunton
- joe's gas, new bedford
- joe's gas, east taunton
- joe's kwik mart 517, swansea
- joes market, fall river
- k-mart, fall river
- kam's food mart, fall river
- kd food mart, fall river
Combination Grocery/Other · 102
- cvs 394, seekonk
- cvs pharamcy 335, raynham
- cvs pharmacy 1110, fall river
- cvs pharmacy 1866, mansfield
- cvs pharmacy 1877, norton
- cvs pharmacy 1896, attleboro
- cvs pharmacy 1955, south dartmouth
- cvs pharmacy 207, fall river
- cvs pharmacy 2206, south attleboro
- cvs pharmacy 2878, fall river
- cvs pharmacy 41, taunton
- cvs pharmacy 492, new bedford
- cvs pharmacy 5826, north easton
- cvs pharmacy 610, fairhaven
- cvs pharmacy 685, new bedford
- cvs pharmacy 938, north attleboro
- cvs pharmacy 1041, taunton
- cvs pharmacy 1864, attleboro
- cvs pharmacy 20, fall river
- cvs pharmacy 237, somerset
- cvs pharmacy 513, raynham
- cvs pharmacy 5402, taunton
- cvs pharmacy 6466, swansea
- cvs pharmacy 7140, westport
- cvs pharmacy 7232, north easton
- cvs pharmacy 789, new bedford
- cvs pharmacy 799, new bedford
- cvs pharmacy 972, south easton
- capt frank's seafood market, new bedford
- chartleys country store, rehoboth
- david's fish market, fall river
- dollar tree 1478, fairhaven
- dollar tree 2471, swansea
- dollar tree 3018, n attleboro
- dollartree 6381, new bedford
- dollartree 8979, somerset
- dollartree 9516, new bedford
- dollartree 9791, norton
- dollar general 15668, new bedford
- dollar general 19125, new bedford
- dollar general 20343, seekonk
- dollar general 20417, mansfield
- dollar general 20509, south dartmouth
- dollar general 20530, seekonk
- dollar general 20701, north attleboro
- dollar general 25399, rehoboth
- dollar tree 1335, raynham
- dollar tree 1434, taunton
- dollar tree 1923, fall river
- dollar tree 3199, seekonk
- dollar tree 3281, attleboro
- dollar tree 4124, new bedford
- dollar tree 4213, north easton
- dollar tree 4402, taunton
- dollar tree 4453, north dartmouth
- dollar tree 4688, fall river
- dollar tree 7708, taunton
- dollar tree 7967, new bedford
- dollar tree 8400, north easton
- dt empire aa family farm, fall river
- family dollar 11497, new bedford
- family dollar 11833, taunton
- family dollar 12482, fairhaven
- family dollar 13294, new bedford
- family dollar 13902, fall river
- family dollar 2066, new bedford
- family dollar 2127, fall river
- family dollar 2217, fall river
- family dollar 2412, somerset
- family dollar 3716, fall river
- family dollar 5536, new beford
- family dollar 6146, new bedford
- family dollar store 2421, attleboro
- mello's finest chourico & linguica, fall river
- new bedford meats supermarket inc, new bedford
- ocean state job lot 253, fairhaven
- ocean state job lot 212, new bedford
- ocean state job lot 224, seekonk
- ocean state job lot 235, somerset
- ocean state job lot 249, taunton
- ocean state job lot 254, fall river
- ocean state job lot 257, north dartmouth
- ocean state job lot 263, north attleboro
- pj mart 3, attleboro
- patel brothers, north attleboro
- planiteats dartmouth, north dartmouth
- produce barn, norton
- sams food store, north attleboro
- walgreens 06850, new bedford
- walgreens 10375, new bedford
- walgreens 03020, attleboro
- walgreens 06226, fairhaven
- walgreens 10802, fall river
- walgreens 11885, north dartmouth
- walgreens 12399, taunton
- walgreens 12869, somerset
- walgreens 17925, s dartmouth
- walgreens 19441, mansfield
- walgreens 3021, new bedford
- walgreens 3090, new bedford
- walgreens 3469, fall river
- westport meats 2, westport
Bakery Specialty · 2
- nova bakery, new bedford
- terminal bakery, fall river
Showing 250 of 514 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Massachusetts
Compare Bristol County vs Barnstable County → · All Massachusetts counties →
Food access nationally, Massachusetts in context
Bristol County sits inside Massachusetts (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 Bristol County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Bristol County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Bristol County? ▼
Is Bristol County a food desert? ▼
What share of Bristol 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.