PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Alabama

Colbert County, AL

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Colbert 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).

32.9%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
14.5%
on SNAP
58K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AL

The food-access picture

32.9% of Colbert County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 14 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

7
low-access tracts
5K
food-desert residents
4.6%
households, no vehicle
17.4%
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 Colbert County's low-access share at 32.9%, above the national share. 7 of the county's 14 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 17,902 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 4,806 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 Colbert County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Colbert County's 32.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 76% of them and ranked #748 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Colbert County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 14 census tracts in Colbert 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 Colbert County, AL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 14 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (50.0%) 5 tracts limited (35.7%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (14.3%) Adequate 50% Limited 36% Severe 14% Food-access tier distribution: Colbert County, AL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Colbert 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 Colbert County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts14
Atlas Population (2010 basis)54,428
Low-Access Tracts7
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population17,902
Low-Access Share32.9%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,806

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Colbert County
IndicatorValue
Population58,022
Median Household Income$60,628
Poverty Rate17.4%above the national average
SNAP Households3,515
SNAP Participation Rate14.5%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.6%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.7%
SNAP participation in Colbert County 14.5%

About 14.5% of Colbert County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 32.9% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 14.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,515 households here.
  • 4.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Colbert County

above the national share

2 of Colbert County's 14 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.3% of all its tracts.

A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 7.

An estimated 17,902 residents, roughly 32.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 4,806 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Colbert County

Colbert County has 70 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 34 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 34

  • 247 food mart, tuscumbia
  • a1 bama mart, tuscumbia
  • arya food mart, muscle shoals
  • aseem corporation, tuscumbia
  • avalon quick mart inc, muscle shoals
  • avya foodmart, muscle shoals
  • chevron barton station, cherokee
  • chevron quik stop markets, tuscumbia
  • chiska foodmart, cherokee
  • circle k 2723642, sheffield
  • circle k 2723685, muscle shoals
  • dadabhagwan inc., sheffield
  • flowers bakery outlet 124, tuscumbia
  • happys woodmont chevron 5, tuscumbia
  • hari food mart #2, sheffield
  • hatch shoprite, sheffield
  • hwy 20 quickstop, tuscumbia
  • listerhill bp, muscle shoals
  • little mart, russellville
  • love's travel stop 580, tuscumbia
  • melrose, tuscumbia
  • mudcreek mart, tuscumbia
  • murphy usa 7759, muscle shoals
  • paradise food mart, muscle shoals
  • quik mart 18, muscle shoals
  • quik mart 37, muscle shoals
  • quik mart 41, muscle shoals
  • racetrac 2629, tuscumbia
  • shop n go, tuscumbia
  • sprint mart 40, tuscumbia
  • tuscumbia texaco, tuscumbia
  • urmisha inc., cherokee
  • white oak market, leighton
  • yogi food mart, russellville

Combination Grocery/Other · 25

  • cvs pharmacy 4901, muscle shoals
  • dollar general 0197, tuscumbia
  • dollar general 1762, cherokee
  • dollar general 1888, sheffield
  • dollar general 3624, muscle shoals
  • dollar general 8821, sheffield
  • dollartree 9673, sheffield
  • dollar general 11337, tuscambia
  • dollar general 17371, leighton
  • dollar general 20423, sheffield
  • dollar general 21828, tuscumbia
  • dollar general 25082, muscle shoals
  • dollar general 30548, tuscumbia
  • dollar general 31222, leighton
  • dollar general 8638, russellville
  • dollar general 8662, muscle shoals
  • dollar general 8731, muscle shoals
  • dollar general 8913, tuscumbia
  • dollar general store 3898, muscle shoals
  • dollar tree 154, muscle shoals
  • dollar tree 8459, tuscumbia
  • family dollar 13487, cherokee
  • family times discount mattress and merchandise, sheffield
  • malone's garden center, tuscumbia
  • walgreens 2557, muscle shoals

Super Store · 5

  • foodland 102, muscle shoals
  • foodland 108, muscle shoals
  • foodland 119, tuscumbia
  • foodland plus 130, sheffield
  • walmart s/c 660, muscle shoals

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 70084, muscle shoals
  • foodland 101, muscle shoals
  • publix 1532, muscle shoals

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • rick's farm market, muscle shoals

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • mike's meat market, muscle shoals

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • penny pincher discount grocery, muscle shoals

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 Colbert County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →

Food access nationally, Alabama in context

Colbert 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 Colbert County has low food access? ▼
32.9% of residents in Colbert 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 Colbert County? ▼
14.5% of households in Colbert County receive SNAP, covering 3,515 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Colbert County? ▼
The poverty rate in Colbert County, AL is 17.4%, with a median household income of $60,628 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Colbert County a food desert? ▼
2 of Colbert County's 14 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 Colbert County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.6% of households in Colbert 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.