PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Alabama

Chilton County, AL

Chilton 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.

10.2%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
14.6%
on SNAP
46K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AL

The food-access picture

10.2% of Chilton County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

1
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
2.6%
households, no vehicle
14.0%
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).

Chilton County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 10.2% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 9 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 4,446 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,907 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 Chilton County compares nationally

Chilton County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.2% low-access share that beats 21% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,468).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Chilton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Chilton 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 Chilton County, AL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (88.9%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (11.1%) Adequate 89% Limited 0% Severe 11% Food-access tier distribution: Chilton County, AL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Chilton County vs. other Alabama counties

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

% 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 Chilton County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)43,643
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population4,446
Low-Access Share10.2%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,907

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Chilton County
IndicatorValue
Population45,992
Median Household Income$65,603
Poverty Rate14.0%near the national average
SNAP Households2,613
SNAP Participation Rate14.6%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle2.6%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.8%
SNAP participation in Chilton County 14.6%

About 14.6% of Chilton County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 10.2% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 14.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,613 households here.
  • 2.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Chilton County

near the national share

1 of Chilton County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.1% of all its tracts.

An estimated 4,446 residents, roughly 10.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,907 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (88.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Chilton County

Chilton County has 54 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 30 locations (56% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 30

  • barking frog mart, maplesville
  • circle k 2704886, clanton
  • circle k 2704895, jemison
  • chevron clanton, clanton
  • chevron/fred headley's food marts 6, clanton
  • clanton interstate chevron, clanton
  • clanton petro, clanton
  • clearview grocery, clanton
  • dev food mart, jemison
  • fred headley's food mart #5 5, verbena
  • fred headley's food marts 7, maplesville
  • grab and go 2, clanton
  • grab n go, verbena
  • hirani's smart group llc, clanton
  • hwy 22 quick stop, clanton
  • jemison int food mart, jemison
  • karl's one stop, clanton
  • lake mitchell one stop, clanton
  • land mart, jemison
  • lawley shell, lawley
  • lil suzy q's, clanton
  • love's travel stops & country stores, inc 368, clanton
  • mobil exxon, clanton
  • murphy usa 7847, clanton
  • one stop, thorsby
  • peachtower chevron, clanton
  • sunny food 6, clanton
  • town-n-kountry, clanton
  • verbena food mart inc, verbena
  • verbena gas & grocery, verbena

Combination Grocery/Other · 18

  • b's market, clanton
  • cvs pharmacy 4893, clanton
  • dollar general 1000, maplesville
  • dollar general 10236, clanton
  • dollar general 19771, verbena
  • dollar general 2363, clanton
  • dollar general 12835, thorsby
  • dollar general 17498, verbena
  • dollar general 20158, clanton
  • dollar general 20381, clanton
  • dollar general 21346, jemison
  • dollar general 22418, clanton
  • dollar general 8862, jemison
  • dollar tree 532, clanton
  • family dollar 13464, maplesville
  • family dollar store 8480, jemison
  • main street market, maplesville
  • walgreens 18148, clanton

Super Store · 2

  • sav mor associated foods 67, clanton
  • walmart s/c 424, clanton

Supermarket · 2

  • piggly wiggly #53, jemison
  • winn dixie 0411, clanton

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • maplesville supermarket, maplesville

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • darlene's discount, clanton

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Alabama

Autauga County
33.9% low-access · 9.2% SNAP
Baldwin County
25.1% low-access · 6.7% SNAP
Barbour County
20.5% low-access · 21.3% SNAP
Bibb County
1.6% low-access · 20.7% SNAP
Blount County
6.8% low-access · 12.3% SNAP
Bullock County
68.5% low-access · 34.0% SNAP

Compare Chilton County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →

Food access nationally, Alabama in context

Chilton County sits inside Alabama (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 Chilton County has low food access? ▼
10.2% of residents in Chilton County, AL 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 Chilton County? ▼
14.6% of households in Chilton County receive SNAP, covering 2,613 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Chilton County? ▼
The poverty rate in Chilton County, AL is 14.0%, with a median household income of $65,603 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Chilton County a food desert? ▼
1 of Chilton County's 9 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 Chilton County households lack a vehicle? ▼
2.6% of households in Chilton 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.