County food-access profile · California
Contra Costa County, CA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Contra Costa 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).
- 23.2%
- low-access pop.
- 15
- food-desert tracts
- 8.5%
- on SNAP
- 1.2M
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
23.2% of Contra Costa County residents live in a low-access area, and 15 of its 207 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 96
- low-access tracts
- 30K
- food-desert residents
- 5.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 8.4%
- 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 Contra Costa County's low-access share at 23.2%, above the national share. 96 of the county's 207 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 243,671 people. 15 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 30,080 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 Contra Costa County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Contra Costa County's 23.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 54% of them and ranked #1,430 most-affected nationwide.
Contra Costa County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 207 census tracts in Contra Costa County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Contra Costa County vs. other California counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in California
- Contra Costa
Contra Costa County, CA
23.2 % low-access
- Alameda 8.1
Alameda County, CA
8.1 % low-access
- Alpine
Alpine County, CA
57 % low-access
- Amador 0.2
Amador County, CA
0.2 % low-access
- Butte 19.1
Butte County, CA
19.1 % low-access
- Calaveras 14.7
Calaveras County, CA
14.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 207 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 1,049,025 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 96 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 15 |
| Low-Access Population | 243,671 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.2%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 30,080 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,165,012 |
| Median Household Income | $127,229 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.4%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 35,128 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.5%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.1% |
About 8.5% of Contra Costa County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 23.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 8.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 35,128 households here.
- 5.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 15 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 Contra Costa County
above the national share
15 of Contra Costa County's 207 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 7.2% of all its tracts.
A further 81 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 96.
An estimated 243,671 residents, roughly 23.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 30,080 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 111 tracts (53.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County has 602 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 169 locations (28% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 169
- 23rd convenience store, richmond
- 3m mom & pops supermarket, richmond
- 4th street market, richmond
- 7 eleven 14207e, concord
- 7 eleven 29736 b, antioch
- 7 eleven 14172d, alamo
- 7 eleven 16693c, bay point
- 7 eleven 16990g 16990g, walnut creek
- 7 eleven 17193f, antioch
- 7 eleven 17906b 17906b, walnut creek
- 7 eleven 19004e, pittsburg
- 7 eleven 20039e, antioch
- 7 eleven 2365 25373c, concord
- 7 eleven 2365 37536a, richmond
- 7 eleven 2365 37948b, richmond
- 7 eleven 2365-14179c 14179c, moraga
- 7 eleven 2365-14206g 14206g, pinole
- 7 eleven 2365-18330d 18330d, antioch
- 7 eleven 2369 39839a, concord
- 7 eleven 2369-35061 35061, martinez
- 7 eleven 23837d 23837d, martinez
- 7 eleven 24268e, pleasant hill
- 7 eleven 25082d 25082d, san ramon
- 7 eleven 26232c, pleasant hill
- 7 eleven 26316a, pleasant hill
- 7 eleven 29908c 29908c, walnut creek
- 7 eleven 32235c 32235c, martinez
- 7 eleven 32604e 32604e, concord
- 7 eleven 32787c, oakley
- 7 eleven 33374b 33374b, pittsburg
- 7 eleven 37929b 37929b, oakley
- 7 eleven 37952b 37952b, martinez
- 7 eleven 37994a, pinole
- 7 eleven 38723a 38723a, brentwood
- 7 eleven 38732b, oakley
- 7 eleven 38737a 38737a, brentwood
- 7 eleven 38955a 38955a, walnut creek
- 7 eleven 39379a, pittsburg
- 7 eleven 39488b, antioch
- 7 eleven 39596d, antioch
- 7 eleven store 36789b, concord
- 7 star market and gift shop 1, richmond
- 7-eleven #27353 b, concord
- 7-eleven 18886 c, concord
- 7-eleven 14177e, lafayette
- 7-eleven 14185g, antioch
- 7-eleven 32305 a, antioch
- 7-eleven store 14197c, concord
- 7-eleven store 22930d, richmond
- 7-eleven store 2365-14169g 14169g, pleasant hill
- 7-eleven store 2365-32993a 32993a, pacheco
- 7-eleven, store 14181, san ramon
- 7-eleven 14166, walnut creek
- 7-eleven 14192c, el cerrito
- a & a ellinwood market, pleasant hill
- a & m liquor & grocery, richmond
- a-1 liquor & food, pacheco
- appian express mart & gas, el sobrante
- alcosta chevron, san ramon
- amigos market, richmond
- antioch liquor beer wine & food, antioch
- antioch shell 381, antioch
- appian food & liquor, el sobrante
- arco am pm 7041, concord
- arco ampm 7095, bay point
- arco ampm, pittsburg
- arco ampm 7034, antioch
- arco ampm 7085, antioch
- arco ampm 7118, oakley
- arco ampm 7126, oakley
- arco ampm 7127, san pablo
- arco ampm 7144, pittsburg
- arco ampm 7188, antioch
- arco ampm ampm #2128, richmond
- atlas liquors, el cerrito
- bay view market, inc., richmond
- baypoint bevbox, bay point
- bethel market, bethel island
- bevbox - antioch, antioch
- bevbox rodeo, rodeo
- bevbox, san pablo n/a, san pablo
- beverage house liquor # 15, bay point
- bizi mart, antioch
- bonfare market 29, pittsburg
- bonfare markets 28, concord
- brentwood gas & more, brentwood
- brentwood petroleum, brentwood
- bridgehead chevron, oakley
- buchanan market and more, antioch
- buchanan smoke shop and more, antioch
- buonaroma liquor and deli, martinez
- byron corners, byron
- carlson food market, richmond
- crs family market & liquor, inc, richmond
- cal chevron 40, pittsburg
- carlson union 76, richmond
- cheers liquor, san pablo
- chevron 1552, danville
- chevron 1584, san ramon
- chevron 1593, concord
- chevron 1722, san pablo
- chevron 1729, walnut creek
- chevron 1761, brentwood
- chevron 1762, brentwood
- chevron 1788, danville
- chevron 1789, walnut creek
- chevron 2207, san ramon
- chevron arthur road, martinez
- chevron extra mile 5914, brentwood
- chevron station 1513, richmond
- cigarettes 4 less 1, pittsburg
- clayton liquor, clayton
- concord petroleum inc dba am pm 83424, concord
- cork n bottle liquor, concord
- crockett fuel & market, crockett
- crown liquor & market, pittsburg
- delta fair chevron, antioch
- dave's liquors, antioch
- del norte liquor, el cerrito
- discount cigarette and vape, antioch
- don's market & liquor 1, concord
- dos cunados market, pittsburg
- dutch pride gas and food, antioch
- eagle mini mart, pittsburg
- el cerrito chevron 007, el cerrito
- el portal shell 53, san pablo
- el sobrante ggp 28, el sobrante
- essential goods and services, richmond
- exotic smoke & vape shop dba fuel & exotic snaks, antioch
- extramile 202, martinez
- ez stop food market, pittsburg
- fast and easy 1, concord
- freska gas 3, san pablo
- g & l liquor and wine, pinole
- gary's liquor & cigarettes 4 less, antioch
- gas city antioch, antioch
- gas n save 01, oakley
- gasco, richmond
- gateway gas & mart, bethel island
- golden 7 food store, san pablo
- golden liquor, antioch
- golf course 76, antioch
- goody hut, martinez
- h & s energy products 3082, brentwood
- h&s energy products llc 2045, antioch
- h&s energy products llc 3040, oakley
- h&s energy products llc 3044, martinez
- h&s energy products llc 3045, bay point
- h&s energy products llc 3046, brentwood
- h&s energy products llc 3047, pittsburg
- h&s energy products llc 3049, bay point
- handy liquors, san pablo
- harbor petroleum inc 82620, brentwood
- hazey mini mart 1, concord
- heaven smoke shop, concord
- hillcrest valero, antioch
- j & l market, crockett
- j and s market, richmond
- jacksons food stores 203, el sobrante
- jay vee liquors, el sobrante
- jay vee liquors, el cerrito
- jefferey way shell 41, brentwood
- joes liquor and food, antioch
- john's market, san pablo
- johnny's market, antioch
- kwik serve, walnut creek
- kwik stop # 3, concord
- la bonita market 1, antioch
- la chicana market, bay point
Combination Grocery/Other · 78
- aala yazdi, concord
- cvs pharmacy 3078, richmond
- cvs pharmacy 4283, brentwood
- cvs pharmacy 4326, antioch
- cvs pharmacy 6526, clayton
- cvs pharmacy 9086, el cerrito
- cvs pharmacy 9203, moraga
- cvs pharmacy 9238, concord
- cvs pharmacy 9253, martinez
- cvs pharmacy 9296, danville
- cvs pharmacy 9299, pinole
- cvs pharmacy 9324, walnut creek
- cvs pharmacy 9348, san ramon
- cvs pharmacy 9509, concord
- cvs pharmacy 9511, brentwood
- cvs pharmacy 9545, walnut creek
- cvs pharmacy 9565, byron
- cvs pharmacy 9800, danville
- cvs pharmacy 9815, walnut creek
- cvs pharmacy 9827, concord
- cvs pharmacy 9868, san ramon
- cvs pharmacy 9938, lafayette
- cvs pharmacy 9939, orinda
- cvs pharmacy 9991, alamo
- carniceria esparza, san pablo
- dollar general 14724, concord
- dollartree 10395, pinole
- dollartree 10430, concord
- dollartree 10522, san pablo
- dollartree 8600, richmond
- dollartree 8944, san ramon
- dollartree 9009, oakley
- dollar general 13586, brentwood
- dollar general 14729, antioch
- dollar tree 1214, san pablo
- dollar tree 1226, pleasant hill
- dollar tree 1536, concord
- dollar tree 1556, pittsburg
- dollar tree 1740, pittsburg
- dollar tree 3178, pinole
- dollar tree 3494, brentwood
- dollar tree 4369, pittsburg
- dollar tree 4406, antioch
- dollar tree 4472, moraga
- dollar tree 4785, martinez
- dollar tree 5355, concord
- dollar tree 6080, el sobrante
- dollar tree 6457, brentwood
- dollar tree 7979, concord
- dollartree 8888, antioch
- grace supermarket africana delight, san pablo
- international market & grill, concord
- ks indian grocery store inc, hercules
- new india supermarket, el cerrito
- paramba fashion & grocery, el sobrante
- shop n save, san pablo
- solange's bethel, antioch
- walgreens 03770, el cerrito
- walgreens 04049, el sobrante
- walgreens 04491, san pablo
- walgreens 07376, pittsburg
- walgreens 09978, brentwood
- walgreens 11614, pinole
- walgreens 13026, bay point
- walgreens 13796, san pablo
- walgreens 15003, concord
- walgreens 15078, walnut creek
- walgreens 15947, san pablo
- walgreens 16090, san ramon
- walgreens 2112, clayton
- walgreens 2560, danville
- walgreens 3164, concord
- walgreens 4026, walnut creek
- walgreens 5864, pleasant hill
- walgreens 6101, martinez
- walgreens 6871, brentwood
- walgreens 9102, brentwood
- williams natural foods, richmond
Bakery Specialty · 3
- papa murphy's 119, pinole
- papa murphy's, clayton
- papa muryphy's pizza 69, martinez
Showing 250 of 602 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in California
Compare Contra Costa County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Food access nationally, California in context
Contra Costa County sits inside California (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 Contra Costa County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Contra Costa County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Contra Costa County? ▼
Is Contra Costa County a food desert? ▼
What share of Contra Costa 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.