County food-access profile · Texas
Dallas County, TX
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.
- 18.6%
- low-access pop.
- 91
- food-desert tracts
- 10.5%
- on SNAP
- 2.6M
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
18.6% of Dallas County residents live in a low-access area, and 91 of its 528 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 176
- low-access tracts
- 171K
- food-desert residents
- 6.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 13.9%
- 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 18.6% per the USDA Atlas. 176 of the county's 528 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 439,457 residents who live far from a supermarket. 91 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 171,370 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 18.6% low-access share that beats 42% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,809).
Dallas County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 528 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 Texas counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Texas
- Dallas
Dallas County, TX
18.6 % low-access
- Anderson
Anderson County, TX
43.8 % low-access
- Andrews
Andrews County, TX
26.8 % low-access
- Angelina
Angelina County, TX
26 % low-access
- Aransas
Aransas County, TX
31.7 % low-access
- Archer
Archer County, TX
18.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 528 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 2,368,139 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 176 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 91 |
| Low-Access Population | 439,457 |
| Low-Access Share | 18.6%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 171,370 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,621,179 |
| Median Household Income | $76,547 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.9%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 103,078 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.5%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.8%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.2% |
About 10.5% of Dallas County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 18.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 103,078 households here.
- 6.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 91 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
91 of Dallas County's 528 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 17.2% of all its tracts.
A further 85 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 176.
An estimated 439,457 residents, roughly 18.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 171,370 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 352 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Dallas County
Dallas County has 1,782 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 246 locations (14% of the total), followed by bakery specialty.
Combination Grocery/Other · 246
- 1 star beverage, garland
- az food grocery, richardson
- abyssinia market no, dallas
- afghan asian halal market, richardson
- afribbean market 2, carrollton
- al markaz, carrollton
- braum's 120, richardson
- braum's 179, rowlett
- braum's 185, dallas
- braum's 201, duncanville
- braum's 255, irving
- braum's 256, dallas
- braum's 257, dallas
- braum's 258, dallas
- braum's 55, garland
- braum's 57, richardson
- braum's 58, carrollton
- braum's 59, irving
- braum's 61, garland
- braum's 62, garland
- braum's 67, irving
- braum's 71, mesquite
- braum's 73, grand prairie
- braum's 79, desoto
- braum's 91, carrollton
- cvs 10351, dallas
- cvs 10634, dallas
- cvs 10665, richardson
- cvs 10758, dallas
- cvs 7417, balch springs
- cvs pharmacy 10670, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 5894, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 2979, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 3900, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 4985, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 5259, richardson
- cvs pharmacy inc 5260, irving
- cvs pharmacy inc 5963, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 6777, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 6779, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 6803, irving
- cvs pharmacy inc 6824, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 6960, carrollton
- cvs pharmacy inc 6963, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 6967, richardson
- cvs pharmacy inc 7156, richardson
- cvs pharmacy inc 7196, carrollton
- cvs pharmacy inc 7288, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 7412, dallas
- cvs pharmacy inc 7664, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 10056, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 10324, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 10880, irving
- cvs pharmacy 10909, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 10910, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 10946, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 10948, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 10977, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 11065, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 11162, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 11389, irving
- cvs pharmacy 4272, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy 10068, rowlett
- cvs/ pharmacy 6847, garland
- cvs/ pharmacy 6965, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy 6966, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy 7456, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 15, irving
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 296, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 3187, coppell
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 5314, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 5869, mesquite
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 5990, mesquite
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 6781, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7413, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7421, grand prairie
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7430, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7431, rowlett
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7458, sunnyvale
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7469, coppell
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7481, garland
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7491, cedar hill
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7640, lancaster
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7643, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7645, mesquite
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7672, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7702, duncanville
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7715, irving
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7740, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7741, irving
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7747, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7748, dallas
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7809, grand prairie
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7824, garland
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 8342, desoto
- cvs/pharmacy 6775, grand prairie
- cvs/pharmacy 7679, irving
- cvs/pharmacy 7739, dallas
- cvs/pharmacy 7742, dallas
- chuchu grocery & catering, dallas
- dollar general 0584, richardson
- dollar general 0600, grand prairie
- dollar general 0743, irving
- dollar general 0852, dallas
- dollar general 10329, garland
- dollar general 10350, mesquite
- dollar general 10967, dallas
- dollar general 10974, garland
- dollar general 11115, glenn heights
- dollar general 11346, dallas
- dollar general 1220, garland
- dollar general 1221, balch springs
- dollar general 13077, mesquite
- dollar general 13151, balch springs
- dollar general 1604, grand prairie
- dollar general 1801, mesquite
- dollar general 1826, duncanville
- dollar general 18546, balch springs
- dollar general 1896, garland
- dollar general 2939, carrollton
- dollar general 3163, mesquite
- dollar general 3247, grand prairie
- dollar general 3277, garland
- dollar general 3351, cedar hill
- dollar general 3369, garland
- dollar general 3560, richardson
- dollar general 3896, duncanville
- dollar general 4203, richardson
- dollar general 4497, seagoville
- dollar general 4515, grand prairie
- dollar general 4540, rowlett
- dollar general 6565, lancaster
- dollar general 7105, sachse
- dollar general 7170, irving
- dollar general 7193, irving
- dollar general 7294, duncanville
- dollar general 8278, desoto
- dollar general 8497, duncanville
- dollar general 8785, rowlett
- dollar general 8993, mesquite
- dollar general 9369, dallas
- dollar general 9628, desoto
- dollar tree 1184, garland
- dollar tree 3272, seagoville
- dollar tree 6362, grand prairie
- dollartree 10023, sunnyvale
- dollartree 10116, irving
- dollartree 10434, mesquite
- dollartree 10465, dallas
- dollartree 10681, san antonio
- dollartree 11004, carrollton
- dollartree 6254, dallas
- dollartree 6928, richardson
- dollartree 6996, dallas
- dollartree 8069, dallas
- dollartree 8156, mesquite
- dollartree 9631, irving
- dollartree 9823, dallas
- deshi bazzar inc, irving
- dollar general 10090, grand prairie
- dollar general 10133, wilmer
- dollar general 10910, garland
- dollar general 12342, dallas
- dollar general 12498, desoto
- dollar general 12629, dallas
- dollar general 12836, dallas
- dollar general 12856, dallas
- dollar general 13350, dallas
- dollar general 13707, dallas
- dollar general 15118, lancaster
- dollar general 15500, mesquite
- dollar general 19292, dallas
- dollar general 19327, balch springs
- dollar general 19473, dallas
- dollar general 19624, dallas
- dollar general 20133, dallas
- dollar general 22927, dallas
- dollar general 23032, irving
- dollar general 24176, garland
- dollar general 24469, cedar hill
- dollar general 24500, mesquite
- dollar general 24749, irving
- dollar general 24919, grand prairie
- dollar general 25589, coppell
- dollar general 25659, carrollton
- dollar general 25807, richardson
- dollar general 3541, mesquite
- dollar general store 15981, dallas
- dollar general store 16913, dallas
- dollar general store 17248, irving
- dollar tree 1120, mesquite
- dollar tree 1137, richardson
- dollar tree 1280, dallas
- dollar tree 1869, irving
- dollar tree 2002, duncanville
- dollar tree 2076, dallas
- dollar tree 2095, cedar hill
- dollar tree 2131, dallas
- dollar tree 2187, grand prairie
- dollar tree 2350, dallas
- dollar tree 2636, dallas
- dollar tree 2637, dallas
- dollar tree 2639, dallas
- dollar tree 3015, grand prairie
- dollar tree 3183, dallas
- dollar tree 3641, grand prairie
- dollar tree 3729, balch springs
- dollar tree 3893, rowlett
- dollar tree 3939, richardson
- dollar tree 4305, dallas
- dollar tree 5210, garland
- dollar tree 5252, dallas
- dollar tree 5319, dallas
- dollar tree 5353, carrollton
- dollar tree 5444, dallas
- dollar tree 5511, desoto
- dollar tree 5746, garland
- dollar tree 5795, carrollton
- dollar tree 5799, dallas
- dollar tree 5915, dallas
- dollar tree 6096, dallas
- dollar tree 6230, garland
- dollar tree 6240, dallas
- dollar tree 6466, lancaster
- dollar tree 6547, garland
- dollar tree 6919, dallas
- dollar tree 7645, grand prairie
- dollar tree 7672, dallas
- dollar tree 7837, irving
- dollar tree 7844, rowlett
- dollar tree 8042, garland
- dollar tree 8429, dallas
- dollar tree 8507, coppell
- don cuco meat market don cuco#3, garland
- dukem ethiopian grocery and restaurant, dallas
- el mayoreo meat market, dallas
- family dollar 10178, dallas
- family dollar 10199, mesquite
- family dollar 10734, dallas
- family dollar 10932, mesquite
- family dollar 11006, mesquite
- family dollar 11392, hutchins
- family dollar 11509, balch springs
- family dollar 11538, lancaster
- family dollar 11572, dallas
- family dollar 11581, dallas
Bakery Specialty · 4
- jolly jolly bakery, dallas
- la tapatia bakery & mexican products, grand prairie
- papa murphy's pizza tx134, mesquite
- ramallah bakery inc, richardson
Showing 250 of 1,782 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Texas
Compare Dallas County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →
Food access nationally, Texas in context
Dallas County sits inside Texas (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.