County food-access profile · Florida
Escambia County, FL
Escambia County sits among the counties with the widest food-access gaps the USDA tracks, most residents here live well outside a comfortable walk or drive to a supermarket. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 41.0%
- low-access pop.
- 16
- food-desert tracts
- 15.0%
- on SNAP
- 326K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
41.0% of Escambia County residents live in a low-access area, and 16 of its 71 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 48
- low-access tracts
- 37K
- food-desert residents
- 7.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 14.7%
- 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).
Escambia County carries one of the more serious food-access burdens the USDA Atlas tracks: its low-access share of 41.0% is well above the national share. 48 of the county's 71 census tracts fall into that category, areas where residents live far from a supermarket, covering about 121,964 people. 16 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 36,630 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 Escambia County compares nationally
Escambia County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 41.0% low-access share outpaces 88% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #367 most-affected nationwide.
Escambia County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 71 census tracts in Escambia County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Escambia County vs. other Florida counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida
- Escambia
Escambia County, FL
41 % low-access
- Alachua 19.2
Alachua County, FL
19.2 % low-access
- Baker
Baker County, FL
55.6 % low-access
- Bay
Bay County, FL
31.5 % low-access
- Bradford 1.1
Bradford County, FL
1.1 % low-access
- Brevard
Brevard County, FL
41.8 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 71 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 297,619 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 48 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 16 |
| Low-Access Population | 121,964 |
| Low-Access Share | 41.0%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 36,630 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 325,923 |
| Median Household Income | $67,500 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.7%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 19,304 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.0%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.7% |
About 15.0% of Escambia County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 41.0% of residents are low-access, well above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 15.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 19,304 households here.
- 7.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 16 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 Escambia County
well above the national share
16 of Escambia County's 71 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 22.5% of all its tracts.
A further 32 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 48.
An estimated 121,964 residents, roughly 41.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 36,630 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 23 tracts (32.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Escambia County
Escambia County has 313 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 151 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 151
- 24 saven food mart #2, pensacola
- 87 food mart llc, pensacola
- 9mile urban market, pensacola
- 9th ave food mart 1, pensacola
- abdullah al-selwady, pensacola
- avery grocery market, pensacola
- beacon on mobile llc, pensacola
- beacon on navy 1, pensacola
- beer city #003, pensacola
- blue sky convenience store inc, pensacola
- blue sky groceries, pensacola
- budget deli, pensacola
- burgess quick stop, pensacola
- cefco 421, pensacola
- cefco 425, pensacola
- cefco 429, pensacola
- cefco 436, pensacola
- cefco 438, pensacola
- cervates bp, pensacola
- circle k 1720, pensacola
- circle k 2704457, pensacola
- circle k 2704957, pensacola
- circle k 2704966, cantonment
- circle k 2704969, pensacola
- circle k 2707278, pensacola
- circle k 2707680, pensacola
- circle k 2708235, pensacola
- circle k 2709079, pensacola
- circle k 2709080, pensacola
- circle k 4620, pensacola
- circle k 4727, pensacola
- circle k 4790, pensacola
- circle k 4958, pensacola
- circle k 8223, gulf breeze
- circle k 8224, pensacola
- circle k 8232, pensacola
- cantonment raceway, cantonment
- century food mart, century
- cervantes food mart, pensacola
- circle a, pensacola
- circle food mart, pensacola
- circle k 2704392, pensacola
- circle k 2704960, pensacola
- circle k 2707345, cantonment
- circle k 2707746, pensacola
- circle k 2721587, pensacola
- circle k 2721591, pensacola
- circle k 2721592, pensacola
- circle k store 2709092, cantonment
- circle k stores 2704964, pensacola
- e&jordan, pensacola
- ez deli store, pensacola
- fairfield mart, pensacola
- falcon food mart, pensacola
- filler falcon, pensacola
- flowers bakery outlet 103, pensacola
- flowers bakery outlet 105, pensacola
- food mart, pensacola
- food mart, pensacola
- food mart, pensacola
- franks superette llc, pensacola
- goco 2, pensacola
- goco 3, pensacola
- goco 4, pensacola
- goco1, pensacola
- grab n go, pensacola
- happy 7 #008, pensacola
- happy 7 food store 9, pensacola
- happy nicks store, pensacola
- happy shoppers mart 2, pensacola
- happy shoppers mart 3 8, pensacola
- in and out#3, pensacola
- johnson quick stop, pensacola
- k express market, pensacola
- lillian food mart, pensacola
- maxwell foodmart, pensacola
- mbb food mart, cantonment
- molino food mart inc, molino
- murphy express 8557, pensacola
- murphy express 8666, pensacola
- murphy express 8736, pensacola
- murphy oil 7719, pensacola
- murphy usa 6750, pensacola
- murphy usa 6751, pensacola
- navy base food mart, pensacola
- navy grocery, pensacola
- navy shell, pensacola
- olive road food mart, pensacola
- on the run 1, pensacola
- on the run 2 2, pensacola
- palafox food mart, pensacola
- penny patch, pensacola
- quicki food mart 3, pensacola
- quick food mart 2, pensacola
- quickstop 25, pensacola
- quickstop 26, pensacola
- quickstop 27, pensacola
- quickstop 28, pensacola
- quickstop 29, pensacola
- rfm mobilehwy, pensacola
- robert and mike emmons store, pensacola
- raceway 6877, pensacola
- raceway 6964, pensacola
- raceway 993, pensacola
- raceway6716 llc, pensacola
- red dot 9176262353, pensacola
- rfm cantonment llc, cantonment
- rita market inc, cantonment
- rockys, pensacola
- rod's food mart, pensacola
- royal vape mart llc, pensacola
- s food mart two no, pensacola
- sai krupa, pensacola
- save a penny, pensacola
- shell, pensacola
- shiv ck 2350 investment llc, pensacola
- smart fill 3, pensacola
- snack and vape, pensacola
- sorrento shell, pensacola
- southern pit stop, century
- sp food mart 1, pensacola
- sp food mart 2, pensacola
- speedmart, cantonment
- sunstop 778, pensacola
- sunflower foodmart, pensacola
- sunrise food mart, pensacola
- tom thumb 900126, pensacola
- texas food mart # b, pensacola
- texas food mart #a, pensacola
- tom thumb 900017, pensacola
- tom thumb 900019, pensacola
- tom thumb 900020, pensacola
- tom thumb 900021, pensacola
- tom thumb 900051, pensacola
- tom thumb 900062, molino
- tom thumb 900067, pensacola
- tom thumb 900075, pensacola
- tom thumb 900082, pensacola
- tom thumb 900083, pensacola
- tom thumb 900096, pensacola
- tom thumb 900098, pensacola
- tom thumb 900099, cantonment
- tom thumb 900111, pensacola
- tom thumb 900117, gulf breeze
- tom thumb 900120, pensacola
- tom thumb 900125, pensacola
- tom thumb 900127, pensacola
- tom thumb 900135, pensacola
- tom thumb 900138, pensacola
- tom thumb 900141, pensacola
- tom thumb 900143, pensacola
Combination Grocery/Other · 98
- apple market inc, pensacola
- cvs pharmacy 1055, cantonment
- cvs pharmacy 3675, pensacola
- cvs pharmacy 4027, century
- cvs pharmacy 3283, pensacola
- cvs pharmacy 4171, pensacola
- cvs pharmacy 4430, pensacola
- cvs pharmacy 4461, pensacola
- cvs pharmacy 5158, pensacola
- cvs pharmacy 5175, pensacola
- cvs pharmacy 5180, pensacola
- dollar general 0772, pensacola
- dollar general 14315, pensacola
- dollar general 15234, pensacola
- dollar general 19555, pensacola
- dollar general 2877, pensacola
- dollar general 3478, pensacola
- dollar general 3833, pensacola
- dollar general 4127, cantonment
- dollar general 6088, pensacola
- dollar general 7049, cantonment
- dollar general 7400, pensacola
- dollar general 7598, pensacola
- dollar general 8590, century
- dollar general 9271, pensacola
- dollartree 10620, pensacola
- dollartree 10710, pensacola
- dollartree 11001, pensacola
- dollartree plus 8725, pensacola
- dollar general 11499, pensacola
- dollar general 12189, pensacola
- dollar general 12226, molino
- dollar general 12631, pensacola
- dollar general 13138, pensacola
- dollar general 13553, pensacola
- dollar general 13677, bonifay
- dollar general 14778, pensacola
- dollar general 15794, cantonment
- dollar general 15893, pensacola
- dollar general 17221, pensacola
- dollar general 17440, pensacola
- dollar general 18397, pensacola
- dollar general 20481, cantonment
- dollar general 20561, pensacola
- dollar general 20575, pensacola
- dollar general 22344, cantonment
- dollar general 22360, pensacola
- dollar general 22802, century
- dollar general 23278, cantonment
- dollar general 23873, pensacola
- dollar general 24009, mcdavid
- dollar general 24239, molino
- dollar general 24746, pensacola
- dollar general 24747, pensacola
- dollar general 24913, pensacola
- dollar general 25369, pensacola
- dollar general 30038, pensacola
- dollar general 31120, pensacola
- dollar general 31220, pensacola
- dollar general 3687, pensacola
- dollar tree 0321, pensacola
- dollar tree 1977, pensacola
- dollar tree 3636, pensacola
- dollar tree 4466, pensacola
- dollar tree 4869, pensacola
- dollar tree 6794, pensacola
- dollar tree 7182, pensacola
- dollar tree 948, pensacola
- ever'man cooperative grocery & cafe, pensacola
- everman natural foods cooperative, pensacola
- family dollar 12267, pensacola
- family dollar 3964, pensacola
- family dollar 9021, century
- family dollar store 10227, pensacola
- family dollar store 11647, pensacola
- family dollar store 1321, cantonment
- family dollar store 1889, pensacola
- family dollar store 431, pensacola
- family dollar store 432, pensacola
- family dollar store 4505, pensacola
- family dollar store 4876, walnut hill
- family dollar store 5345, pensacola
- family dollar store 5346, pensacola
- family dollar store 7418, pensacola
- family dollar store 7690, pensacola
- family dollar store 911, pensacola
- l & l fresh seafood, pensacola
- roses express 677, pensacola
- saigon oriental market & deli, pensacola
- walgreen 09916, pensacola
- walgreens 05659, pensacola
- walgreens 7344, pensacola
- walgreens 01042, pensacola
- walgreens 01222, pensacola
- walgreens 05581, pensacola
- walgreens 09917, pensacola
- walgreens 10181, pensacola
- walgreens 10312, pensacola
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy's pizza fl056, pensacola
Showing 250 of 313 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Florida
Compare Escambia County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →
Food access nationally, Florida in context
Escambia County sits inside Florida (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 Escambia County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Escambia County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Escambia County? ▼
Is Escambia County a food desert? ▼
What share of Escambia 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.