PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Florida

Gadsden County, FL

Most of Gadsden County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

4.5%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
25.7%
on SNAP
44K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 FL

The food-access picture

4.5% of Gadsden County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
11.4%
households, no vehicle
27.9%
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).

By the USDA's measure, Gadsden County fares better than most: just 4.5% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 2 of the county's 9 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 2,086 people who live far from a supermarket, and 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,250 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 Gadsden County compares nationally

Food access in Gadsden County compares favorably nationally: its 4.5% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 9% of them (rank #2,843).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Gadsden County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Gadsden 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 Gadsden County, FL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (77.8%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (22.2%) Adequate 78% Limited 0% Severe 22% Food-access tier distribution: Gadsden County, FL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Gadsden County vs. other Florida counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida

% 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 Gadsden County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)46,389
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population2,086
Low-Access Share4.5%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,250

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Gadsden County
IndicatorValue
Population43,710
Median Household Income$48,801
Poverty Rate27.9%well above the national average
SNAP Households4,340
SNAP Participation Rate25.7%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle11.4%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population8.9%
SNAP participation in Gadsden County 25.7%

About 25.7% of Gadsden County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 4.5% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 25.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,340 households here.
  • 11.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Gadsden County

below the national share

2 of Gadsden County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 22.2% of all its tracts.

An estimated 2,086 residents, roughly 4.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,250 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (77.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Gadsden County

Gadsden County has 45 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 19 locations (42% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 19

  • cvs pharmacy 3624, quincy
  • cvs pharmacy 5167, chattahoochee
  • dollar general 0790, chattahoochee
  • dollar general 11178, midway
  • dollar general 1478, quincy
  • dollar general 18573, havana
  • dollar general 6158, havana
  • dollar general 11366, gretna
  • dollar general 11673, greensboro
  • dollar general 13434, quincy
  • dollar general 21875, quincy
  • dollar general 22378, havana
  • dollar general 23738, quincy
  • dollar tree 5763, quincy
  • family dollar 12478, chattahoochee
  • family dollar store 1018, havana
  • j & a seafood plus, quincy
  • rose's express 665, quincy
  • walgreen 10147, quincy

Convenience Store · 18

  • concord country store, havana
  • first cast trading post, quincy
  • flying j travel plaza 623, midway
  • food mart, greensboro
  • gretna food mart, gretna
  • highway shop, havana
  • kelly's jr #3, quincy
  • kellys 24 hour inc, quincy
  • krina food mart 1, chattahoochee
  • lynn's country store, havana
  • meadows grocery and market, quincy
  • midway stop, midway
  • murphy usa 7789, quincy
  • php food mart, havana
  • pilot travel center 425, midway
  • sunstop 229, quincy
  • sunset mart, quincy
  • the country store, quincy

Super Store · 2

  • food for less havana 304, havana
  • walmart s/c 488, quincy

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 82184, quincy
  • piggly wiggly 285, quincy

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • quincy quality discount meats, inc, quincy

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • porter house meat market, havana

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • gadsden seafood company, quincy

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • antojitos y variedades, quincy

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Florida

Alachua County
19.2% low-access · 9.2% SNAP
Baker County
55.6% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Bay County
31.5% low-access · 12.6% SNAP
Bradford County
1.1% low-access · 17.3% SNAP
Brevard County
41.8% low-access · 9.4% SNAP
Broward County
9.4% low-access · 13.2% SNAP

Compare Gadsden County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →

Food access nationally, Florida in context

Gadsden County sits inside Florida (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 Gadsden County has low food access? ▼
4.5% of residents in Gadsden County, FL 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 Gadsden County? ▼
25.7% of households in Gadsden County receive SNAP, covering 4,340 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Gadsden County? ▼
The poverty rate in Gadsden County, FL is 27.9%, with a median household income of $48,801 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Gadsden County a food desert? ▼
2 of Gadsden County's 9 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 Gadsden County households lack a vehicle? ▼
11.4% of households in Gadsden 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.