Signature · 23.0% SNAP (92nd pct in TX)
Hale County, TX
Hale County stands out on SNAP (23.0%, +10.9 pts vs U.S.) with 23.5% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 23.5%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 23.0%
- on SNAP
- 32K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Hale County, TX
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ELEVATED 23.5% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +1.4 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 23.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Frio County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Hale County ranks #1,398 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #137 of 252 counties in TX (23.5% low-access).
- #1,398
- national by low-access %
- #137
- in TX
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 23.0% SNAP (92nd pct in TX) (+10.9 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Hale County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Hale County's 23.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 55% of them and ranked #1,398 most-affected nationwide.
Hale County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
9 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
Hale County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (5 urban, 4 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 4 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Hale County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Texas, not a full county-board reprint
- Throckmorton
Throckmorton 100%
100 % low-access
- Hartley 23.9
Hartley 23.9%
23.9 % low-access
- Victoria 23.8
Victoria 23.8%
23.8 % low-access
- Hale 23.5
Hale 23.5%
23.5 % low-access
- Frio 23.5
Frio 23.5%
23.5 % low-access
- Nolan 23.5
Nolan 23.5%
23.5 % low-access
- Rains 0
Rains 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 9 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 36,273 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 8,515 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.5%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,955 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 32,131 |
| Median Household Income | $51,897 |
| Poverty Rate | 20.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,532 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 23.0%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.5%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 6.3% |
Thick SNAP store book in Hale County
Hale County has 32 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 16 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
4 towns share the 32 authorized stores; Plainview holds 78% of them. 1 of the 4 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Petersburg.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Plainview | 25 | 5 |
| Hale Center | 3 | 1 |
| Abernathy | 2 | 1 |
| Petersburg | 2 | none |
Convenience Store · 16
- 7-eleven, inc. 42534, plainview
- allsup's 102367, plainview
- allsups 017, plainview
- allsups 022, plainview
- allsups 023, plainview
- allsups 072, petersburg
- allsups 073, abernathy
- allsups 074, hale center
- allsups 214, plainview
- allsups 231, plainview
- bulldogs grab n go, plainview
- cefco 2070, plainview
- cefco 2074, plainview
- murphy usa 7833, plainview
- quick stop 00001, plainview
- toot'n totum 127, plainview
Combination Grocery/Other · 9
- braum's 292, plainview
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 1533, plainview
- dollar general 1713, plainview
- dollar general 7593, plainview
- dollar general 23543, petersburg
- dollar tree 2491, plainview
- family dollar 10604, hale center
- family dollar 4718, plainview
- frontier market, plainview
Large Grocery Store · 2
- la super economica, lp 01, plainview
- lowes 11, abernathy
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- grocery services north 18, plainview
- lowes 62, hale center
Supermarket · 2
- amigos 508, plainview
- united supermarket 507, plainview
Super Store · 1
- walmart supercenter 927, plainview
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Texas
One of 253 counties in Texas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Hale County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →
Nationwide peers for Hale County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Hale County (23.0%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Texas.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside TX (23.5% here).
- Kittitas County, WA · 23.5% low-access
- Snohomish County, WA · 23.5% low-access
- Roane County, WV · 23.5% low-access
- Greene County, MO · 23.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside TX (23.0% here).
- Marlboro County, SC · 23.0% SNAP
- Summers County, WV · 23.0% SNAP
- Tallahatchie County, MS · 23.0% SNAP
- Wayne County, MI · 23.0% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Texas among West South Central states
Texas ranks 3rd of 4 West South Central states by population-weighted low-access (25.0%). Hale County, at 23.5%, runs 1.5 pts below the Texas rate.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Hale County, TX are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 48189. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.