County food-access profile · Massachusetts
Hampden County, MA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Hampden County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 23.8%
- low-access pop.
- 12
- food-desert tracts
- 25.5%
- on SNAP
- 463K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
23.8% of Hampden County residents live in a low-access area, and 12 of its 103 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 38
- low-access tracts
- 22K
- food-desert residents
- 12.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.3%
- 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).
USDA data puts Hampden County's low-access share at 23.8%, above the national share. 38 of the county's 103 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 110,388 people. 12 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 22,252 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 Hampden County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Hampden County's 23.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 56% of them and ranked #1,381 most-affected nationwide.
Hampden County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 103 census tracts in Hampden County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Hampden County vs. other Massachusetts counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Massachusetts
- Hampden
Hampden County, MA
23.8 % low-access
- Barnstable
Barnstable County, MA
51 % low-access
- Berkshire
Berkshire County, MA
30.9 % low-access
- Bristol
Bristol County, MA
26.4 % low-access
- Dukes
Dukes County, MA
32.2 % low-access
- Essex
Essex County, MA
30.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 103 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 463,490 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 38 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 12 |
| Low-Access Population | 110,388 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.8%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 22,252 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 462,815 |
| Median Household Income | $71,306 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.3%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 47,108 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 25.5%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 12.0%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.9% |
About 25.5% of Hampden County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 23.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 25.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 47,108 households here.
- 12.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 12 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 Hampden County
above the national share
12 of Hampden County's 103 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.7% of all its tracts.
A further 26 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 38.
An estimated 110,388 residents, roughly 23.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 22,252 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 65 tracts (63.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Hampden County
Hampden County has 510 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 144 locations (28% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 144
- 4707515.0 7515, westfield
- 5 star food mart, west springfield
- 7-eleven 20448f, springfield
- 7-eleven 25003, springfield
- 7-eleven store 22402 e, springfield
- 787 mini mart, holyoke
- a to z convenience, springfield
- a to z supermarket, springfield
- a-1 variety, chicopee
- afh food market 2, springfield
- amg retail i 560, springfield
- amg retail i 561, westfield
- amg retail i 562, chicopee
- amg retail i 567, east longmeadow
- amg retail i llc 522, chicopee
- aaz cash & carry, springfield
- abdali's mart, springfield
- adham smoke shop llc, chicopee
- agawam f.l. roberts 04047, agawam
- agawam food inc, agawam
- alltown 3707, palmer
- alltown holyoke 3709, holyoke
- almonte market & deli one llc, holyoke
- anais mini market llc, chicopee
- appletonmart llc, holyoke
- apurv food mart inc n. a., chicopee
- atlasmart 417 llc, springfield
- aunty's market, holyoke
- basics plus mini mart, chicopee
- bd mart, wilbraham
- bd mart, springfield
- becket country store, becket
- best choice convenience store, springfield
- betty mini mart & restaurant inc., holyoke
- big y express 094, wilbraham
- big y express 116, springfield
- big y express 119, chicopee
- big y express 122, westfield
- big y express 93, longmeadow
- bob's convenience store, springfield
- borinquen convenience store, springfield
- brimfield market, brimfield
- brown family mini mart, springfield
- c - mart #2, east longmeadow
- c-mart #1, holyoke
- chester village market, chester
- cumberland farms 0156, chicopee
- cumberland farms 0211, springfield
- cumberland farms 167, feeding hills
- cumberland farms 173, russell
- cumberland farms 202, springfield
- cumberland farms 212, westfield
- cumberland farms 6665, palmer
- cumberland farms 6677, brimfield
- cumberland farms 6717, indian orchard
- carew mini market, springfield
- central convenience llc, springfield
- choice food and package store, wales
- circle k 1, holyoke
- citgo food mart, agawam
- citigo gas & mart, springfield
- city mini mart, springfield
- commuters variety, springfield
- convenience mart, west springfield
- convenience mart n smoke shop 1, feeding hills
- convenience plus 3713, hampden
- convenience plus 3714, bondsville
- country corner citgo, inc., three rivers
- country mart, westfield
- country mart i i, westfield
- country store, west springfield
- cumberland farms 0139, ludlow
- cumberland farms 0195, chicopee
- cumberland farms 0201, agawam
- cumberland farms 213, ludlow
- cumberland farms 6703, west springfield
- cumberland farms 6730, west springfield
- cumberland farms 6738, westfield
- cumberland farms, inc 0200, ludlow
- cumberland farms, inc. 6768, wilbraham
- delaney's market- springfield, west springfield
- dickinson deli, springfield
- downtown convenience, springfield
- ez mart westfield, westfield
- easy pick convenience, holyoke
- el pajuil mini mart, chicopee
- erica llc dba sams food, springfield
- ez mart, agawam
- ezee mart, west springfield
- ezee mart, west springfield
- ezee mart n/a, west springfield
- friendly variety store, holyoke
- falcon gas, springfield
- family mart, indian orchard
- feroz and sons llc dba stop and run 1, chicopee
- franklin market no, springfield
- friendly mini market, holyoke
- ft pleasant convenience store, springfield
- gallagher's convenience store, chicopee
- goodies deli & variety, agawam
- gopinathji inc 7104, west springfield
- grove chicopee op llc, chicopee
- gulf express mart, agawam
- gulf gas and mart, palmer
- hsd co/bay st. mini mart, springfield
- hampden mini mart, hampden
- health products shop, west springfield
- highland farm convenience store, chicopee
- highland farms convenience, chicopee
- holland market, holland
- holyoke community college, holyoke
- honeyland farms, springfield
- honeyland farms, holyoke
- honeyland farms, chicopee
- honeyland farms 1, springfield
- honeyland farms food shop, westfield
- hum inc /chapin east variety, ludlow
- island farm, springfield
- island food market n/a, springfield
- j & j variety store, westfield
- jai umiya ma inc, ludlow
- joe's kwik mart 516, springfield
- juan deli mini market, holyoke
- kibbys corner, springfield
- king mart, holyoke
- knox supermarket, springfield
- kwikpik, springfield
- lucky mini mart & halal deli, springfield
- ludlow mobil 4444, ludlow
- ludlow smokeshop & convenience, ludlow
- m&s food mart inc, three rivers
- ma grocert store, indian orchard
- main st mobil, springfield
- main street mart, wilbraham
- maple market n/a, springfield
- maspak, holyoke
- meadow market, westfield
- melo deli grocery, holyoke
- memorial drive f.l. roberts 04050, chicopee
- merills superatte, springfield
- monson woodbine country store llc, monson
- new corner variety, chicopee
- nathalys market, springfield
- new corner variety, chicopee
Combination Grocery/Other · 106
- asian food market, westfield
- asian market 426, springfield
- cvs 373, holyoke
- cvs pharmacy 1130, springfield
- cvs pharmacy 1972, w springfield
- cvs pharmacy 2339, chicopee
- cvs pharmacy 2476, agawam
- cvs pharmacy 2566, wilbraham
- cvs pharmacy 315, ludlow
- cvs pharmacy 488, springfield
- cvs pharmacy 517, longmeadow
- cvs pharmacy 693, chicopee
- cvs pharmacy 769, east longmeadow
- cvs pharmacy 859, agawam
- cvs pharmacy 950, longmeadow
- cvs pharmacy 969, palmer
- cvs pharmacy inc 1291, springfield
- cvs pharmacy 1026, springfield
- cvs pharmacy 1157, springfield
- cvs pharmacy 1234, westfield
- cvs pharmacy 2071, holyoke
- cvs pharmacy 4471, springfield
- cvs pharmacy 838, westfield
- cvs pharmacy 84, southwick
- cvs pharmacy 843, chicopee
- cvs pharmacy 957, west springfield
- dollar general 15284, agawam
- dollar general 18908, westfield
- dollar general 19128, springfield
- dollar tree 1432, chicopee
- dollar tree 2909, westfield
- dollartree 10676, westfield
- dollartree 3541, springfield
- dollartree 9352, palmer
- dollartree 9510, chicopee
- delaney's market 2, longmeadow
- delaney's market 3, westfield
- delaney's market 4, wilbrahan
- dollar general 13774, chicopee
- dollar general 14404, springfield
- dollar general 15341, holyoke
- dollar general 17777, palmer
- dollar general 19121, holyoke
- dollar general 19129, west springfield
- dollar general 21918, russell
- dollar general 22009, feeding hills
- dollar general 30194, southwick
- dollar tree 1159, west springfield
- dollar tree 1586, springfield
- dollar tree 2495, holyoke
- dollar tree 3891, east longmeadow
- dollar tree 4755, agawam
- dollar tree 5194, west springfield
- dollar tree 5573, springfield
- dollar tree 6119, springfield
- dollar tree 7029, southwick
- dollar tree 7095, springfield
- dollar tree 7696, agawam
- dollar tree 8897, holyoke
- family dollar 11747, springfield
- family dollar 11908, chicopee
- family dollar 12030, springfield
- family dollar 12212, springfield
- family dollar 12461, springfield
- family dollar 1972, chicopee
- family dollar 2485, westfield
- family dollar 2579, holyoke
- family dollar 2666, springfield
- family dollar 4637, springfield
- family dollar 4907, springfield
- family dollar 5705, springfield
- family dollar 8082, springfield
- family dollar 9063, holyoke
- family dollar 9253, springfield
- family dollar store 11061, indian orchard
- first oriental grocery, chicopee
- granny's place, agawam
- koffee kup bakery, chicopee
- ludlow public market, ludlow
- ocean state job lot 208, holyoke
- ocean state job lot 216, springfield
- ocean state job lot 230, westfield
- ocean state job lot 233, southwick
- ocean state job lot 234, palmer
- ocean state job lot 258, springfield
- ocean state job lots 237, chicopee
- old san juan bakery, holyoke
- saigon market, springfield
- shah mart, west springfield
- the munchies conveniences store, indian orchard
- walgreens 10127, springfield
- walgreens 02699, ludlow
- walgreens 03736, springfield
- walgreens 05445, springfield
- walgreens 07063, chicopee
- walgreens 07703, e longmeadow
- walgreens 17302, palmer
- walgreens 17542, chicopee
- walgreens 17650, southwick
- walgreens 17673, chicopee
- walgreens 17787, springfield
- walgreens 18949, westfield
- walgreens 19421, monson
- walgreens 2311, springfield
- walgreens 4358, agawam
- walgreens 4967, holyoke
Showing 250 of 510 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Massachusetts
Compare Hampden County vs Barnstable County → · All Massachusetts counties →
Food access nationally, Massachusetts in context
Hampden County sits inside Massachusetts (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 Hampden County has low food access? ▼
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What is the poverty rate in Hampden County? ▼
Is Hampden County a food desert? ▼
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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.