County food-access profile · Texas
Cameron County, TX
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Cameron 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).
- 32.2%
- low-access pop.
- 31
- food-desert tracts
- 24.8%
- on SNAP
- 426K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
32.2% of Cameron County residents live in a low-access area, and 31 of its 85 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 36
- low-access tracts
- 73K
- food-desert residents
- 6.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 24.8%
- 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 Cameron County's low-access share at 32.2%, above the national share. 36 of the county's 85 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 130,687 people. 31 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 72,825 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 Cameron County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Cameron County's 32.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 74% of them and ranked #803 most-affected nationwide.
Cameron County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 85 census tracts in Cameron County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Cameron County vs. other Texas counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Texas
- Cameron
Cameron County, TX
32.2 % low-access
- Anderson
Anderson County, TX
43.8 % low-access
- Andrews
Andrews County, TX
26.8 % low-access
- Angelina
Angelina County, TX
26 % low-access
- Aransas
Aransas County, TX
31.7 % low-access
- Archer
Archer County, TX
18.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 85 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 406,220 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 36 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 31 |
| Low-Access Population | 130,687 |
| Low-Access Share | 32.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 72,825 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 426,120 |
| Median Household Income | $52,601 |
| Poverty Rate | 24.8%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 34,273 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 24.8%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.6%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.8% |
About 24.8% of Cameron County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 32.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 24.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 34,273 households here.
- 6.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 31 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 Cameron County
above the national share
31 of Cameron County's 85 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 36.5% of all its tracts.
A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 36.
An estimated 130,687 residents, roughly 32.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 72,825 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 49 tracts (57.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Cameron County
Cameron County has 409 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 134 locations (33% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 134
- 7-eleven 42358h, harlingen
- 7-eleven 42606h, san benito
- 7-eleven, inc. 42190h, brownsville
- 7-eleven, inc. 42250h, harlingen
- a-c brew and wine drive thru 1, la feria
- arroyo mart food store, harlingen
- abby's bakery, los fresnos
- alejandro's bakery, harlingen
- amaro's bakery, brownsville
- america ship, brownsville
- amor y pan, brownsville
- anacua drive-thru, olmito
- big m tortilleria, harlingen
- bna drive thru, brownsville
- bait shop, rio hondo
- bargain 1, brownsville
- bna quck stop, san benito
- break time 1, harlingen
- break time 4, harlingen
- break time 7, harlingen
- breaktime 2, la feria
- castros food market, los fresnos
- chilos mini mart, brownsville
- circle drive in, port isabel
- cano's convenience store #2 llc, harlingen
- cano's convenience store 1 1, harlingen
- capistran's bar-b-q, brownsville
- chavez grocery, brownsville
- circle k 1852, san benito
- circle k 1859, brownsville
- circle k 2704598, harlingen
- circle k 2741543, brownsville
- country corner mart, harlingen
- crest retail inc #b1725, brownsville
- crest retail inc. b1758, brownsville
- crest retail inc. b865, brownsville
- crest retail inc. h4706, harlingen
- crest retail inc. h6780, harlingen
- crest retail inc. h711, harlingen
- cruise & booze drive thru 1, brownsville
- dak-doc food store, brownsville
- de alba tortilla factory, san benito
- dannys grocery llc, san benito
- dario's superette, brownsville
- dulceria la marroncita llc, san benito
- el valle tortilleria factory, port isabel
- easy stop n go, brownsville
- el jardin superette, brownsville
- exotic international grocery store, los fresnos
- exxon food store, brownsville
- fastrip 2, brownsville
- flaco's drive thru, port isabel
- g mart 1, brownsville
- galarzas drive inn, los fresnos
- garza tortilla factory, harlingen
- gaspachitos snack bar & mini mart, brownsville
- good eats, harlingen
- heatz, harlingen
- henry's party supply and food service, harlingen
- hernandez tortilleria, los fresnos
- hexa convenience store, la feria
- island market 1, south padre island
- j & a quik stop, la feria
- johnnys country store, san benito
- jovitas one stop, brownsville
- jimmies grocery n/a, san benito
- juliets sweets, brownsville
- k & w quick stop, harlingen
- karina's bakery, san benito
- kimb quick stop, harlingen
- korner market 2 0002, brownsville
- korner market 4 0004, san benito
- la cabana food store, brownsville
- la esquinita 1, brownsville
- la familia padron, brownsville
- la mejico 1, san benito
- la mexico 5, harlingen
- la nueva tortilleria, brownsville
- la reyna bakery, harlingen
- la reynera bakery 3, rio hondo
- laguna market food mart, port isabel
- las palmas bakery, brownsville
- laureles meat market, los fresnos
- linda's cakes and desserts specialty shop llc, brownsville
- little league drive thru, llc, harlingen
- love's travel stop 767, brownsville
- love's travel stop 885, harlingen
- matts quick stop & bakery, san benito
- morenos tortillas & grocery inc, harlingen
- mr g food store, harlingen
- manny's restaurant, bakery, store, brownsville
- martinez mini mart, san benito
- matt's quick stop 2, san benito
- medina's bakery, los fresnos
- mi tienda meat market, san benito
- mi tienda meat market 2 2, san benito
- morgan market, harlingen
- murphy express 8636, harlingen
- murphy usa 5527, brownsville
- murphy usa 6596, brownsville
- murphy usa 6842, san benito
- murphy usa 7140, brownsville
- murphy usa 7161, brownsville
- murphy usa 7365, brownsville
- murphy usa 7590, port isabel
- murphy usa 7657, brownsville (n)
- murphy usa 7873, harlingen
- ortega country store, san benito
- partida's country store, la feria
- ramirez tortilla factory, brownsville
- red barn mini mart, brownsville
- rey de reyes, brownsville
- road ranger 273, combes
- rosie's country store, san benito
- stripes 2188, brownsville
- stripes 2211, harlingen
- stripes 40703h, harlingen
- stripes 40705, combes
- stripes 40712, harlingen
- stripes 40713, harlingen
- stripes 40716, santa rosa
- stripes 40718, la feria
- stripes 40727h, brownsville
- stripes 40728, brownsville
- stripes 40729h, brownsville
- stripes 40730h, san benito
- stripes 40731, brownsville
- stripes 40732h, brownsville
- stripes 40737, san benito
- stripes 40739, harlingen
- stripes 40740h, south padre island
- stripes 40741h, san benito
- stripes 40742h, s padre isle
- stripes 40743, rio hondo
Combination Grocery/Other · 110
- 83 convenience store & meat market llc, brownsville
- ayala's bakery, brownsville
- blue marlin supermarket, south padre island
- cvs pharmacy 2701, brownsville
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 1020, brownsville
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 5641, south padre island
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 8962, harlingen
- cvs/pharmacy 10338, la feria
- dollar general 10450, rio hondo
- dollar general 10477, harlingen
- dollar general 11239, san benito
- dollar general 14406, san benito
- dollar general 18865, la feria
- dollar general 1925, san benito
- dollar general 3747, harlingen
- dollar general 4337, port isabel
- dollar general 6047, brownsville
- dollar general 6145, harlingen
- dollar general 6412, brownsville
- dollar general 7731, brownsville
- dollar general 9713, brownsville
- dollar general 9761, los fresnos
- dollar general 9762, brownsville
- dollartree 10070, brownsville
- dollartree 10280, rio hondo
- dollartree 10578, harlingen
- dollartree 10711, harlingen
- dollartree 11014, brownsville
- dollartree 9098, harlingen
- dollartree 9624, san benito
- dollartree 9715, brownsville
- dollar general 11401, harlingen
- dollar general 13608, brownsville
- dollar general 15059, harlingen
- dollar general 15312, los fresnos
- dollar general 17405, padre island
- dollar general 19876, san benito
- dollar general 19905, harlingen
- dollar general 20863, harlingen
- dollar general 21785, san benito
- dollar general 21873, harlingen
- dollar general 23500, brownsville
- dollar general 24694, laguna vista
- dollar general 25087, harlingen
- dollar general 25466, la feria
- dollar general 25712, harlingen
- dollar general 25983, brownsville
- dollar general 30153, brownsville
- dollar general 30290, brownsville
- dollar general 30409, brownsville
- dollar general 30898, los fresnos
- dollar general 30966, brownsville
- dollar general 31050, harlingen
- dollar general 3604, la feria
- dollar general 6839, san benito
- dollar general 6943, santa rosa
- dollar general 7321, harlingen
- dollar tree 2204, harlingen
- dollar tree 2715, brownsville
- dollar tree 2802, san benito
- dollar tree 3158, brownsville
- dollar tree 3517, brownsville
- dollar tree 4334, port isabel
- dollar tree 4766, harlingen
- dollar tree 5198, brownsville
- dollar tree 6416, brownsville
- dollar tree 6750, los fresnos
- dollar tree 7159, brownville
- dollar tree 7433, harlingen
- dollar tree 7969, brownsville
- dollar tree 8398, la feria
- dollar tree 8565, brownsville
- dulcerias pinkis 1, brownsville
- dulcerias pinkis 3, brownsville
- el centro foods, la feria
- family dollar 10407, brownsville
- family dollar 12185, san benito
- family dollar 12327, brownsville
- family dollar 12387, brownsville
- family dollar 13291, brownsville
- family dollar 13555, santa rosa
- family dollar 13826, rio hondo
- family dollar 2054, san benito
- family dollar 2435, harlingen
- family dollar 4810, la feria
- family dollar 5334, brownsville
- family dollar 5620, brownsville
- family dollar 5847, brownsville
- family dollar 5885, brownsville
- family dollar 6071, brownsville
- family dollar 6133, san benito
- family dollar 6525, brownsville
- family dollar 6935, harlingen
- family dollar 7357, brownsville
- family dollar 7473, harlingen
- family dollar store 11075, brownsville
- family dollar store 5341, brownsville
- hernandez tortilla company, brownsville
- hinojosa tortilla factory 2, brownsville
- la familia bakery, brownsville
- paredes line groc store, brownsville
- reyes bakery 1, la feria
- uni 2 food llc, brownsville
- walgreens 10465, brownsville
- walgreens 11672, port isabel
- walgreens 02896, brownsville
- walgreens 10826, brownsville
- walgreens 11211, harlingen
- walgreens 15381, harlingen
- walgreens 4690, harlingen
Bakery Specialty · 6
- de ayala bakery, brownsville
- la especial bkry & food st, san benito
- reach for the sky bakeshop, san benito
- rico rollo llc 01, brownsville
- rodriguez tortilleria factory, harlingen
- tortilleria san juanita 01, brownsville
Showing 250 of 409 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Texas
Compare Cameron County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →
Food access nationally, Texas in context
Cameron County sits inside Texas (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 Cameron County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Cameron County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Cameron County? ▼
Is Cameron County a food desert? ▼
What share of Cameron 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.