PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Texas

Caldwell County, TX

Caldwell County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

17.5%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
11.4%
on SNAP
49K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 TX

The food-access picture

17.5% of Caldwell County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

5
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
3.6%
households, no vehicle
13.2%
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).

Caldwell County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 17.5% per the USDA Atlas. 5 of the county's 8 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 6,671 residents who live far from a supermarket. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,620 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 Caldwell County compares nationally

Caldwell County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.5% low-access share that beats 39% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,912).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Caldwell County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 8 census tracts in Caldwell County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Caldwell County, TX USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 8 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (37.5%) 1 tracts limited (12.5%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (50.0%) Adequate 38% Limited 13% Severe 50% Food-access tier distribution: Caldwell County, TX
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Caldwell County vs. other Texas counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Texas

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Caldwell County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts8
Atlas Population (2010 basis)38,066
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population6,671
Low-Access Share17.5%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,620

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Caldwell County
IndicatorValue
Population48,669
Median Household Income$69,758
Poverty Rate13.2%near the national average
SNAP Households1,893
SNAP Participation Rate11.4%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.6%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population6.4%
SNAP participation in Caldwell County 11.4%

About 11.4% of Caldwell County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 17.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,893 households here.
  • 3.6% 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 Caldwell County

near the national share

4 of Caldwell County's 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 50.0% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 5.

An estimated 6,671 residents, roughly 17.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,620 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (37.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Caldwell County

Caldwell County has 42 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 25 locations (60% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 25

  • 7-eleven convenience store 40563a, lockhart
  • circle k 2704034, luling
  • dale corner, dale
  • dale xpress, dale
  • ez xpress #1, martindale
  • ez xpress #2, martindale
  • food store, lockhart
  • lion mart 1, lockhart
  • lion mart 2, lockhart
  • lockhart grocery, lockhart
  • loves travel stops & country store 264, luling
  • magnolia mart, luling
  • max mart, maxwell
  • mcmahn country store, dale
  • murphy usa 7523, lockhart
  • mustang travel plaza, mustang ridge
  • picnpac 18, lockhart
  • picnpac 6, lockhart
  • poco loco market 6, maxwell
  • poco loco supermercado 18, lockhart
  • shopper's stop, lockhart
  • snax max 1, kyle
  • snaxbasket #4, luling
  • starfield market # 2, lockhart
  • tex best travel center 530, luling

Combination Grocery/Other · 8

  • 1854 general store llc, dale
  • dollar general 3852, luling
  • dollar general 11376, martindale
  • dollar general 22074, lockhart
  • dollar tree 6258, lockhart
  • family dollar 12370, lockhart
  • family dollar store 6090, lockhart
  • walgreens 11131, lockhart

Supermarket · 3

  • heb 445, lockhart
  • heb 464, luling
  • poco loco supermercado 8, dale

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2

  • hometown meat market, luling
  • smittys market, lockhart

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • el rico supermarket, dale
  • super moreliana 2, lockhart

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • dale supermercado, lockhart

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 292, lockhart

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Texas

Anderson County
43.8% low-access · 18.0% SNAP
Andrews County
26.8% low-access · 13.0% SNAP
Angelina County
26.0% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Aransas County
31.7% low-access · 8.6% SNAP
Archer County
18.3% low-access · 6.5% SNAP
Armstrong County
99.7% low-access · 3.4% SNAP

Compare Caldwell County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →

Food access nationally, Texas in context

Caldwell County sits inside Texas (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Caldwell County has low food access? ▼
17.5% of residents in Caldwell County, TX live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Caldwell County? ▼
11.4% of households in Caldwell County receive SNAP, covering 1,893 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Caldwell County? ▼
The poverty rate in Caldwell County, TX is 13.2%, with a median household income of $69,758 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Caldwell County a food desert? ▼
4 of Caldwell County's 8 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Caldwell County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.6% of households in Caldwell County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.