County food-access profile · Alabama
Dallas County, AL
Dallas 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.
- 15.2%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 36.2%
- on SNAP
- 37K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
15.2% of Dallas County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 15 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 5
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- food-desert residents
- 14.1%
- households, no vehicle
- 31.0%
- 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).
Dallas County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 15.2% per the USDA Atlas. 5 of the county's 15 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 6,672 residents who live far from a supermarket. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,842 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 Dallas County compares nationally
Dallas County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.2% low-access share that beats 33% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,113).
Dallas County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 15 census tracts in Dallas County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Dallas County vs. other Alabama counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Alabama
- Dallas
Dallas County, AL
15.2 % low-access
- Autauga
Autauga County, AL
33.9 % low-access
- Baldwin
Baldwin County, AL
25.1 % low-access
- Barbour
Barbour County, AL
20.5 % low-access
- Bibb 1.6
Bibb County, AL
1.6 % low-access
- Blount 6.8
Blount County, AL
6.8 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 15 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 43,820 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 5 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 6,672 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.2%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,842 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 36,858 |
| Median Household Income | $35,627 |
| Poverty Rate | 31.0%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 5,765 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 36.2%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 14.1%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.2% |
About 36.2% of Dallas County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 15.2% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 36.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,765 households here.
- 14.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 4 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 Dallas County
near the national share
4 of Dallas County's 15 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 26.7% of all its tracts.
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 5.
An estimated 6,672 residents, roughly 15.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 3,842 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 10 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Dallas County
Dallas County has 47 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 26 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 26
- b & b grocery, selma
- big star grocery llc, selma
- broad street, selma
- candy lady sweet treats bakery, selma
- circle k store 2706632, selma
- dg 2024, selma
- doc's food mart, selma
- dollar & son quickstop, safford
- express food mart, selma
- harolds grocery, selma
- highway 41 quick stop, selma
- kaypi food mart, marion junction
- lion's pride #13, selma
- lions pride 12, selma
- mahaveer 2023 inc, selma
- murphy usa 7903, selma
- old bobs grocery, valley grande
- one stop 90, selma
- orrville food mart, orrville
- plantersville mini mart, llc, plantersville
- raceway selma 885, selma
- selma curb market, selma
- snack food mart, selma
- sunoco bypass, selma
- the moon of selma, selma
- valley grande grocery, valley grande
Combination Grocery/Other · 13
- dollar general 0650, selma
- dollar general 1303, selma
- dollar general 15349, selma
- dollar general 12938, orrville
- dollar general 15704, jones
- dollar general 16827, selma
- dollar general 25126, plantersville
- dollar general 30213, selma
- dollar tree 0527, selma
- family dollar 12908, orrville
- family dollar 402, selma
- selma cash & carry, selma
- walgreen 10524, selma
Supermarket · 3
- aldi 82243, selma
- dave's market, valley grande
- selma food outlet 314, selma
Farmers' Market · 1
- tmz farms, valley grande
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- 5m farm and produce stan #1, selma
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- selma curb market, selma
Small Grocery Store · 1
- orrville supermarket, orrville
Super Store · 1
- walmart supercenter 700, selma
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Alabama
Compare Dallas County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Dallas County sits inside Alabama (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 Dallas County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Dallas County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Dallas County? ▼
Is Dallas County a food desert? ▼
What share of Dallas 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.