PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Florida

Columbia County, FL

Columbia 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.

13.1%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
20.5%
on SNAP
72K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 FL

The food-access picture

13.1% of Columbia County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
5.5%
households, no vehicle
16.7%
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).

Columbia County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 13.1% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 12 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 8,818 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,005 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 Columbia County compares nationally

Columbia County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 13.1% low-access share that beats 28% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,265).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Columbia County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Columbia 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 Columbia County, FL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (66.7%) 3 tracts limited (25.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (8.3%) Adequate 67% Limited 25% Severe 8% Food-access tier distribution: Columbia County, FL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Columbia County vs. other Florida counties

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

% 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 Columbia County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)67,531
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population8,818
Low-Access Share13.1%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,005

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Columbia County
IndicatorValue
Population71,789
Median Household Income$59,205
Poverty Rate16.7%above the national average
SNAP Households5,611
SNAP Participation Rate20.5%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population5.8%
SNAP participation in Columbia County 20.5%

About 20.5% of Columbia County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 13.1% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 20.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,611 households here.
  • 5.5% 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 Columbia County

near the national share

1 of Columbia County's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 8.3% of all its tracts.

A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 8,818 residents, roughly 13.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,005 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Columbia County

Columbia County has 94 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 56 locations (60% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 56

  • chevron 011, lake city
  • chevron 299, lake city
  • circle k 6618, lake city
  • circle k 9831, lake city
  • discount food mart, fort white
  • fast track #3, lake city
  • fast track foods 240, lake city
  • flowers bakery outlet 50000057, lake city
  • johnson & johnson 34, lake city
  • kevin food mart, lake city
  • lake city tiger mart chevron, lake city
  • lake food store, lake city
  • love's travel stop 724, lake city
  • m&m food mart, fort white
  • murphy oil 7708, lake city
  • om shree 101 inc, lake city
  • one stop chevron, lake city
  • one stop chevron # 3, lake city
  • one stop chevron 2, lake city
  • pit stop, lake city
  • pit stop #36, lake city
  • pit stop 33, lake city
  • pit stop 37, fort white
  • pit stop 39, fort white
  • pit stop food store, lake city
  • saveway supermarket, lake city
  • shop smart #2, high springs
  • spring food store, lake city
  • step in food mart, lake city
  • stop n go, lake city
  • stop n go 09, lake city
  • stop n go 2, lake city
  • stop n go 3, lake city
  • stop n go 4, lake city
  • stop ngo food store 12, lake city
  • sunstop 303, lake city
  • sunstop 304, lake city
  • sunstop 305, lake city
  • sunstop 307, lake city
  • sunstop 309, lake city
  • sunstop 310, lake city
  • sunstop 311, lake city
  • sunstop 313, lake city
  • sunstop 314, lake city
  • sunstop 315, fort white
  • sunstop 323, lake city
  • sunstop 327, lake city
  • sunstop 328, lake city
  • sunstop 329, lake city
  • sunstop 333, lake city
  • sunstop 337, lake city
  • sunstop 338, lake city
  • sunstop 341, lake city
  • sunstop 342, lake city
  • sunstop 344, lake city
  • sunstop 352, lake city

Combination Grocery/Other · 25

  • cvs pharmacy 1817, lake city
  • cvs pharmacy 4357, lake city
  • dollar general 10661, lake city
  • dollar general 10962, lake city
  • dollar general 18371, lake city
  • dollar general 7614, lake city
  • dollar general 7897, fort white
  • dollar tree 6592, lake city
  • dollar general 11562, lake city
  • dollar general 11716, lake city
  • dollar general 12133, lake city
  • dollar general 12523, lake city
  • dollar general 12851, lake city
  • dollar general 1404, lake city
  • dollar general 14979, lake city
  • dollar general 17873, lake city
  • dollar general 19930, lake city
  • dollar general 20685, lake city
  • dollar general 23068, lake city
  • dollar tree 4922, lake city
  • family dollar 10021, fort white
  • family dollar 8949, lake city
  • family dollar store 1134, lake city
  • family dollar store 7993, lake city
  • walgreens 6263, lake city

Super Store · 3

  • harveys supermarket 1671, lake city
  • save-a-lot 24132, lake city
  • walmart 767, lake city

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 74102, lake city
  • publix 1192, lake city
  • winn dixie 0081, lake city

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • kc's produce, lake city
  • nettles sausage, lake city

Seafood Specialty · 2

  • kurdi fresh seafood market, lake city
  • zebo's crab shack, lake city

Delivery Route · 1

  • shaggy s seafood and more llc, lake city

Farmers' Market · 1

  • faith farms, lake city

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • taru food mart, lake city

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Florida

Alachua County
19.2% low-access · 9.2% SNAP
Baker County
55.6% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Bay County
31.5% low-access · 12.6% SNAP
Bradford County
1.1% low-access · 17.3% SNAP
Brevard County
41.8% low-access · 9.4% SNAP
Broward County
9.4% low-access · 13.2% SNAP

Compare Columbia County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →

Food access nationally, Florida in context

Columbia County sits inside Florida (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 Columbia County has low food access? ▼
13.1% of residents in Columbia County, FL 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 Columbia County? ▼
20.5% of households in Columbia County receive SNAP, covering 5,611 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Columbia County? ▼
The poverty rate in Columbia County, FL is 16.7%, with a median household income of $59,205 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Columbia County a food desert? ▼
1 of Columbia County's 12 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 Columbia County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.5% of households in Columbia 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.