County food-access profile · Georgia
Clayton County, GA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Clayton 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).
- 39.2%
- low-access pop.
- 22
- food-desert tracts
- 19.3%
- on SNAP
- 299K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
39.2% of Clayton County residents live in a low-access area, and 22 of its 49 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 31
- low-access tracts
- 42K
- food-desert residents
- 7.1%
- households, no vehicle
- 17.9%
- 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 Clayton County's low-access share at 39.2%, above the national share. 31 of the county's 49 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 101,685 people. 22 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 41,566 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 Clayton County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Clayton County's 39.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 86% of them and ranked #433 most-affected nationwide.
Clayton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 49 census tracts in Clayton County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Clayton County vs. other Georgia counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Georgia
- Clayton
Clayton County, GA
39.2 % low-access
- Appling
Appling County, GA
47.8 % low-access
- Atkinson 23.5
Atkinson County, GA
23.5 % low-access
- Bacon 3.3
Bacon County, GA
3.3 % low-access
- Baker
Baker County, GA
61.3 % low-access
- Baldwin
Baldwin County, GA
24.6 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 49 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 259,424 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 31 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 22 |
| Low-Access Population | 101,685 |
| Low-Access Share | 39.2%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 41,566 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 298,924 |
| Median Household Income | $59,806 |
| Poverty Rate | 17.9%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 20,461 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.3%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.1%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.3% |
About 19.3% of Clayton County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 39.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 19.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 20,461 households here.
- 7.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 22 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 Clayton County
above the national share
22 of Clayton County's 49 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 44.9% of all its tracts.
A further 9 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 31.
An estimated 101,685 residents, roughly 39.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 41,566 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 18 tracts (36.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Clayton County
Clayton County has 264 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 157 locations (59% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 157
- 1152 mount zion 0, morrow
- 6121 citgo mart, morrow
- 655 food and gas, forest park
- 685 fast lane inc, jonesboro
- 8848 food market, jonesboro
- a one store, forest park
- a one stores ii, riverdale
- ami 72 llc, jonesboro
- amoco food shop, jonesboro
- amoco foodmart, rex
- ayaan mount zion, jonesboro
- bp food mart, riverdale
- bp food mart 0, forest park
- big a shell food mart, riverdale
- big h, jonesboro
- bp express, jonesboro
- bp food mart, forest park
- bp food mart, morrow
- bp foodmart, forest park
- bp garden walk, atlanta
- bp to-go, atlanta
- buddy's food mart, forest park
- buddys supermart, morrow
- chevron food & gas, forest park
- chevron food mart, forest park
- chevron food mart, ellenwood
- chevron food mart, riverdale
- chevron food mart, atlanta
- chevron food mart, morrow
- chevron food mart, jonesboro
- chevron food mart 0, morrow
- chevron foodmart, ellenwood
- circle k #100, morrow
- circle k #235, riverdale
- circle k 113 113, forest park
- circle k 119, morrow
- circle k 191, lake city
- circle m food shop 57, forest park
- citgo food mart, jonesboro
- citgo food mart, riverdale
- citgo food mart, rex
- citgo foodmart, riverdale
- citgo quick mart, jonesboro
- citgo quick shop, lake city
- discount food mart, ellenwood
- discount food mart, forest park
- ellenwood citgo, ellenwood
- express in and out, ellenwood
- express mart, riverdale
- express shop bp 0, riverdale
- exxon, rex
- exxon food mart, ellenwood
- exxon food mart, forest park
- exxon food mart, atlanta
- exxon food mart, forest park
- exxon food mart, riverdale
- exxon food mart, jonesboro
- fm ellenwood, ellenwood
- family groceries, forest park
- fayetville food mart, atlanta
- flint mart, jonesboro
- flowers bakery outlet 176, riverdale
- food mart, jonesboro
- food mart, jonesboro
- food mart, jonesboro
- food mart 0, jonesboro
- foodyo, jonesboro
- forest park food mart, forest park
- forest park mart llc, forest park
- forest park quick mart, morrow
- gardenwalk raceway, riverdale
- gas express llc dba circle k 127, college park
- gk grocery store, rex
- h&y food mart, forest park
- happy food mart, forest park
- happy mart, jonesboro
- happy stop food mart, riverdale
- harbour food mart, atlanta
- highway 85 food mart, riverdale
- hv food mart, morrow
- international supermarket, forest park
- jay mahavir llc, forest park
- jonesboro chevron, jonesboro
- jp rex 209, rex
- k & b grocery, riverdale
- keshav sks, jonesboro
- kings mini mart, riverdale
- lake food mart, morrow
- lake mart, morrow
- lakeridge food mart, riverdale
- lucky grocery store, jonesboro
- mars gas and food, jonesboro
- magic food mart, jonesboro
- marathon food mart, jonesboro
- market at lovejoy amoco, hampton
- market at tara, jonesboro
- mars mobil inc, morrow
- moes zion holdings, morrow
- mt. zion chevron, jonesboro
- murphy express 8761, ellenwood
- murphy usa 7156, lovejoy
- neighborhood food mart, atlanta
- neighborhood grocery, morrow
- one stop food mart, atlanta
- pak n go no, forest park
- parker's grocery, conley
- pit shop convenience store, riverdale
- popstop, jonesboro
- quiktrip 724, atlanta
- quiktrip 726, riverdale
- quiktrip 756, jonesboro
- quiktrip 760, riverdale
- quiktrip 787, ellenwood
- quiktrip 791, morrow
- quick food shop, hampton
- quiktrip 799r, jonesboro
- quiktrip 849, forest park
- quiktrip 814, morrow
- race trip, morrow
- racetrac 2574, forest park
- raceway, jonesboro
- ray1610 food mart inc, riverdale
- rex c store, rex
- rex road chevron, ellenwood
- right stop 0, riverdale
- right stop exxon, jonesboro
- riverdale food & gas, riverdale
- riverdale food mart, riverdale
- riverdale usa inc, jonesboro
- royal food mart, forest park
- rs riverdale inc, jonesboro
- ruta inc, atlanta
- shell food mart, college park
- sarpanch investments inc, riverdale
- shell food mart, morrow
- shell food mart, forest park
- shell food mart, jonesboro
- shell food mart, jonesboro
- shell food mart, hampton
- shell foodmart, hampton
- shell foodmart, forest park
- shreegiriraj business llc, riverdale
- speedzone, jonesboro
- spn herbs, morrow
- sss holdings iii, llc, forest park
- sun food market, atlanta
- sunoco food mart, jonesboro
- tanz food mart, riverdale
- tara convenience, jonesboro
- texaco food mart, forest park
- texaco food mart, riverdale
- texaco food mart, forest park
- the nayberhood store, jonesboro
- u s amoco, atlanta
- valero food mart, riverdale
- vrajk llc dba jp lovejoy, hampton
- z food mart, forest park
Combination Grocery/Other · 55
- cvs pharmacy 2088, morrow
- cvs pharmacy 2184, forest park
- cvs pharmacy 2281, jonesboro
- cvs pharmacy 2468, riverdale
- cvs pharmacy 4549, jonesboro
- carniceria garcia inc, forest park
- dollar general 11170, hampton
- dollar general 2498, riverdale
- dollar general 4011, riverdale
- dollar general 7574, jonesboro
- dollar general 8077, jonesboro
- dollar general 8090, college park
- dollar tree 4017, ellenwood
- dollar general 12309, morrow
- dollar general 14975, jonesboro
- dollar general 16824, jonesboro
- dollar general 19088, lake city
- dollar general 20164, forest park
- dollar general 20907, riverdale
- dollar general 21437, rex
- dollar tree 3478, morrow
- dollar tree 412, jonesboro
- dollar tree 445, riverdale
- dollar tree 4895, forest park
- dollar tree 5135, jonesboro
- dollar tree 6030, morrow
- dollar tree 7885, jonesboro
- dollar tree 995, morrow
- family dollar store 10792, rex
- family dollar 11059, jonesboro
- family dollar 12510, riverdale
- family dollar 270, jonesboro
- family dollar 2930, riverdale
- family dollar 3669, forest park
- family dollar 397, forest park
- family dollar 4107, morrow
- family dollar 4238, jonesboro
- family dollar 4367, riverdale
- family dollar 4967, morrow
- family dollar 5239, rex
- family dollar 6415, jonesboro
- family dollar 6973, jonesboro
- family dollar 7963, forest park
- family dollar 8894, jonesboro
- family dollar 9226, forest park
- family dollar store 10473, jonesboro
- family dollar store 10699, riverdale
- family dollar store 2678, atlanta
- family dollar store 4220, atlanta
- family dollar store 8515, lovejoy
- family dollar store 8648, riverdale
- peggis african market n/a, riverdale
- supermercados jaguar, forest park
- walgreen 09271, jonesboro
- walgreens 11758, riverdale
Super Store · 14
- abc green farm, morrow
- costco wholesale 0579, morrow
- kroger 319, riverdale
- kroger 373, jonesboro
- kroger 492, lake city
- kroger store 413, jonesboro
- little giant farmers market 614, riverdale
- la morena supermarket inc, jonesboro
- lidl 1186, jonesboro
- morrow international farmers market, inc., morrow
- super h mart, riverdale
- sam's club 8287, morrow
- supermercado talpa 11, morrow
- walmart 787, riverdale
Medium Grocery Store · 10
- acroplus afro-carib market, riverdale
- carniceria garcia 5, forest park
- carniceria y tienda el progreso # 5 inc, riverdale
- el chido #2, forest park
- la consentida3, morrow
- main st grocery mart no, jonesboro
- mi rancho supermarket inc, morrow
- super mercado garcias, riverdale
- supermercado la potosina, jonesboro
- trinh grocery, morrow
Small Grocery Store · 7
- cici's mini market llc, jonesboro
- el granero grocery rex llc, rex
- el latino supermarket, jonesboro
- kom pong thom market, atlanta
- lee market & cafe, atlanta
- mi mexico tienda y taqueria, morrow
- tienda hispana la alegria 1, forest park
Seafood Specialty · 3
- international fresh seafood, atlanta
- new orleans bay seafood, jonesboro
- vip new orleans seafood, jonesboro
Delivery Route · 2
- buyers choice gourmet meats n/a, morrow
- premium meat & seafood, jonesboro
Large Grocery Store · 1
- select international farmers market 1, jonesboro
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- t&k discount meats and seafood 1, jonesboro
Showing 250 of 264 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Georgia
Compare Clayton County vs Appling County → · All Georgia counties →
Food access nationally, Georgia in context
Clayton County sits inside Georgia (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 Clayton County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Clayton County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Clayton County? ▼
Is Clayton County a food desert? ▼
What share of Clayton 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.