PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Nevada

Carson City, NV

Carson City'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.

14.3%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
10.3%
on SNAP
58K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NV

The food-access picture

14.3% of Carson City residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.

5
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
6.8%
households, no vehicle
10.3%
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).

Carson City's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.3% per the USDA Atlas. 5 of the county's 13 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,883 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.

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 Carson City compares nationally

Carson City lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.3% low-access share that beats 31% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,175).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Carson City: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 13 census tracts in Carson City, 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 Carson City, NV USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 13 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (61.5%) 5 tracts limited (38.5%) Adequate 62% Limited 38% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Carson City, NV
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Carson City vs. other Nevada counties

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

% 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 Carson City
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts13
Atlas Population (2010 basis)55,274
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population7,883
Low-Access Share14.3%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,517

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Carson City
IndicatorValue
Population58,384
Median Household Income$72,355
Poverty Rate10.3%below the national average
SNAP Households2,432
SNAP Participation Rate10.3%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.8%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population5.0%
SNAP participation in Carson City 10.3%

About 10.3% of Carson City households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 14.3% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 10.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,432 households here.
  • 6.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • Median household income is $72,355 with a 10.3% poverty rate.

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 Carson City

near the national share

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

An estimated 7,883 residents, roughly 14.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,517 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (61.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Carson City

Carson City has 48 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 25 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 25

  • 7-eleven 32303b, carson city
  • 7-eleven store 22629c, carson city
  • arco 42336, carson city
  • arco 42337 42337, carson city
  • capital city liquor & food mart, carson city
  • carson central, carson city
  • country store llc, carson city
  • eagle gas, carson city
  • eagle valley market, carson city
  • extramile by jacksons 169, carson city
  • golden gate gas 64, carson city
  • golden gate petroleum 76, carson city
  • hwy 420 liquor & smoke, carson city
  • jacksons food stores 128, carson city
  • jacksons food stores 139, carson city
  • maverik inc 560, carson city
  • maverik, inc 409, carson city
  • northside smoke shop, carson city
  • one stop food mart, carson city
  • panaderia la barca meat market & deli, carson city
  • quik stop market 550164, carson city
  • rand avenue convenience store, carson city
  • rk food mart, carson city
  • sky city market, carson city
  • titan golden enterprises inc, carson city

Combination Grocery/Other · 10

  • cvs pharmacy 8779, carson city
  • cvs pharmacy 9842, carson city
  • cvs pharmacy 9981, carson city
  • dollar general 14780, carson city
  • dollartree 10432, carson city
  • dollartree 10869, carson city
  • dollar tree 1225, carson city
  • fairview food mart, carson city
  • terribles 861, carson city
  • walgreens 04788, carson city

Supermarket · 6

  • carson city grocery outlet bargain market 501, carson city
  • food maxx 449, carson city
  • hacienda market and grill, carson city
  • raleys 114, carson city
  • save mart 552, carson city
  • sprouts farmers market 557, carson city

Super Store · 3

  • centro market, carson city
  • smiths food & drug 356, carson city
  • walmart 3408, carson city

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa murphys pizza, carson city

Farmers' Market · 1

  • carson farmers market, carson city

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • butler meat co, carson city

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • papa murphys 007, carson city

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Nevada

Churchill County
18.9% low-access · 10.6% SNAP
Clark County
19.0% low-access · 13.6% SNAP
Douglas County
50.1% low-access · 5.6% SNAP
Elko County
16.1% low-access · 9.1% SNAP
Esmeralda County
97.2% low-access · 27.8% SNAP
Eureka County
46.8% low-access · 2.6% SNAP

Compare Carson City vs Churchill County → · All Nevada counties →

Food access nationally, Nevada in context

Carson City sits inside Nevada (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 Carson City has low food access? ▼
14.3% of residents in Carson City, NV 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 Carson City? ▼
10.3% of households in Carson City receive SNAP, covering 2,432 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Carson City? ▼
The poverty rate in Carson City, NV is 10.3%, with a median household income of $72,355 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Carson City a food desert? ▼
0 of Carson City's 13 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). No tracts here meet both conditions in the 2019 Atlas.
What share of Carson City households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.8% of households in Carson City 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.