PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Alabama

Dale County, AL

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

23.1%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
18.4%
on SNAP
50K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AL

The food-access picture

23.1% of Dale County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 14 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

5
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
5.7%
households, no vehicle
18.7%
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).

USDA data puts Dale County's low-access share at 23.1%, above the national share. 5 of the county's 14 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 11,623 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 4,420 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 Dale County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Dale County's 23.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 54% of them and ranked #1,444 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Dale County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 14 census tracts in Dale 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 Dale County, AL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 14 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (64.3%) 4 tracts limited (28.6%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (7.1%) Adequate 64% Limited 29% Severe 7% Food-access tier distribution: Dale County, AL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Dale 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 Dale County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts14
Atlas Population (2010 basis)50,251
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population11,623
Low-Access Share23.1%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,420

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Dale County
IndicatorValue
Population49,599
Median Household Income$54,963
Poverty Rate18.7%above the national average
SNAP Households3,637
SNAP Participation Rate18.4%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.7%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.6%
SNAP participation in Dale County 18.4%

About 18.4% of Dale County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 23.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 18.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,637 households here.
  • 5.7% 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 Dale County

above the national share

1 of Dale County's 14 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 7.1% of all its tracts.

A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 5.

An estimated 11,623 residents, roughly 23.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 4,420 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (64.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Dale County

Dale County has 56 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 31

  • beeline 101, ozark
  • circle k 2721551, midland city
  • coachs petro 1, midland city
  • convenience store and gas, ozark
  • echo country store, ozark
  • fast trip #2, newton
  • fast trip 3 na, ozark
  • finnway express 502, daleville
  • finnway express 503, daleville
  • finnway express 506, ozark
  • food basket, ozark
  • h & w country crossroads, skipperville
  • hobo pantry 10 10, enterprise
  • hobo pantry 11, ariton
  • hobo pantry 21, ozark
  • inkamex llc, midland city
  • legacy foodmart, enterprise
  • legacy foodmart # 5, ozark
  • lokapal llc no, midland city
  • love's travel stop 566, ozark
  • marathon #106 106, daleville
  • midland city shell inc, midland city
  • murphy usa 6885, ozark
  • quick pick, pinckard
  • stop and go a, ozark
  • stop n go 3, ozark
  • sunstop 615, daleville
  • sunstop 616, daleville
  • sunstop 619, daleville
  • sunstop 620, ozark
  • sunstop 631, ozark

Combination Grocery/Other · 19

  • cvs pharmacy 4826, ozark
  • dollar general 13894, daleville
  • dollar general 2738, ozark
  • dollar general 4458, midland city
  • dollar general 4680, daleville
  • dollar general 11924, newton
  • dollar general 12201, ariton
  • dollar general 15677, enterprise
  • dollar general 17979, ozark
  • dollar general 21843, ozark
  • dollar general 22162, newton
  • dollar general 22630, skipperville
  • dollar general 23143, midland city
  • dollar general 24524, ozark
  • dollar general 25269, daleville
  • dollar general 30890, ozark
  • dollar general 6247, ozark
  • dollar tree 2894, ozark
  • dollar tree 8558, daleville

Super Store · 3

  • grocery outlet 7713, daleville
  • grocery outlet 7714, ozark
  • walmart supercenter 740, ozark

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • midland city foods, midland city

Military Commissary · 1

  • fort rucker commissary 520, fort novosel

Supermarket · 1

  • ozark piggly wiggly, ozark

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 Dale County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →

Food access nationally, Alabama in context

Dale 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 Dale County has low food access? ▼
23.1% of residents in Dale 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 Dale County? ▼
18.4% of households in Dale County receive SNAP, covering 3,637 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Dale County? ▼
The poverty rate in Dale County, AL is 18.7%, with a median household income of $54,963 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Dale County a food desert? ▼
1 of Dale 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 Dale County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.7% of households in Dale 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.