PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Florida

Hamilton County, FL

Hamilton 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.
2
food-desert tracts
28.6%
on SNAP
14K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 FL

The food-access picture

18.6% of Hamilton County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 3 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
3.6%
households, no vehicle
20.1%
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).

Hamilton County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 18.6% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 3 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 2,758 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,408 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 Hamilton County compares nationally

Hamilton 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).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Hamilton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 3 census tracts in Hamilton 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 Hamilton County, FL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 1 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 3 tracts evaluated. 1 tracts adequate (33.3%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (66.7%) Adequate 33% Limited 0% Severe 67% Food-access tier distribution: Hamilton County, FL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Hamilton 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 Hamilton County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts3
Atlas Population (2010 basis)14,799
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population2,758
Low-Access Share18.6%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,408

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Hamilton County
IndicatorValue
Population13,616
Median Household Income$50,144
Poverty Rate20.1%above the national average
SNAP Households1,225
SNAP Participation Rate28.6%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.6%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population18.0%
SNAP participation in Hamilton County 28.6%

About 28.6% of Hamilton 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.
  • 28.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,225 households here.
  • 3.6% 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 Hamilton County

near the national share

2 of Hamilton County's 3 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 66.7% of all its tracts.

An estimated 2,758 residents, roughly 18.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,408 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 1 tract (33.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Hamilton County

Hamilton County has 23 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 14 locations (61% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 14

  • fast track #2, jasper
  • fast track 1, white springs
  • fast track 404, jasper
  • fast track foods 103, jasper
  • fast trip 6, jennings
  • gate petroleum 1136, white springs
  • love's travel stop 470, jasper
  • munchies food store, white springs
  • one stop 7, jennings
  • pilot travel center 500, jasper
  • sunstop 308, white springs
  • sunstop 330, jennings
  • sunstop 349, jasper
  • sunny food mart, jasper

Combination Grocery/Other · 6

  • cvs pharmacy 5169, jasper
  • dollar general 1398, jasper
  • dollar general 25857, jasper
  • dollar general 6515, white springs
  • family dollar 11524, jennings
  • family dollar store 977, jasper

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • d mart 1, jennings

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • jennings mini mart 1, jennings

Supermarket · 1

  • jasper markets inc. 5526, jasper

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 Hamilton County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →

Food access nationally, Florida in context

Hamilton 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 Hamilton County has low food access? ▼
18.6% of residents in Hamilton 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 Hamilton County? ▼
28.6% of households in Hamilton County receive SNAP, covering 1,225 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Hamilton County? ▼
The poverty rate in Hamilton County, FL is 20.1%, with a median household income of $50,144 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Hamilton County a food desert? ▼
2 of Hamilton County's 3 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 Hamilton County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.6% of households in Hamilton 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.