County food-access profile · Alabama
Hale County, AL
Hale 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.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 27.8%
- on SNAP
- 15K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
15.2% of Hale County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
- 11.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 24.6%
- 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).
Hale County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 15.2% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 6 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 2,389 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,099 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 Hale County compares nationally
Hale 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).
Hale County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 6 census tracts in Hale County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Hale County vs. other Alabama counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Alabama
- Hale
Hale 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 | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 15,760 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,389 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.2%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,099 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 14,829 |
| Median Household Income | $39,250 |
| Poverty Rate | 24.6%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,568 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 27.8%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 11.2%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.3% |
About 27.8% of Hale 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.
- 27.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,568 households here.
- 11.2% 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 Hale County
near the national share
2 of Hale County's 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 33.3% of all its tracts.
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.
An estimated 2,389 residents, roughly 15.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,099 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 3 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Hale County
Hale County has 16 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 7 locations (44% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- cvs pharmacy 4917, greensboro
- dollar general 1075, moundville
- dollar general 14314, akron
- dollar general 3715, greensboro
- dollar general 24655, moundville
- dollar general 25840, sawyerville
- family dollar 11904, greensboro
Convenience Store · 6
- 101 chevron, greensboro
- 1305 chevron, greensboro
- five points grocery llc, moundville
- maze food mart llc, greensboro
- z and a enterprises llc, greensboro
- z and s brothers llc, greensboro
Farmers' Market · 1
- benison farm market, greensboro
Small Grocery Store · 1
- lanayarita mexican store, moundville
Super Store · 1
- greensboro food outlet 315, greensboro
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Alabama
Compare Hale County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Hale 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 Hale County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Hale County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Hale County? ▼
Is Hale County a food desert? ▼
What share of Hale 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.