County food-access profile · Texas
Hidalgo County, TX
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Hidalgo 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).
- 34.7%
- low-access pop.
- 61
- food-desert tracts
- 27.8%
- on SNAP
- 892K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
34.7% of Hidalgo County residents live in a low-access area, and 61 of its 112 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 69
- low-access tracts
- 157K
- food-desert residents
- 5.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 26.7%
- 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 Hidalgo County's low-access share at 34.7%, above the national share. 69 of the county's 112 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 269,077 people. 61 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 157,181 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 Hidalgo County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Hidalgo County's 34.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 80% of them and ranked #612 most-affected nationwide.
Hidalgo County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 112 census tracts in Hidalgo County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Hidalgo County vs. other Texas counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Texas
- Hidalgo
Hidalgo County, TX
34.7 % low-access
- Anderson
Anderson County, TX
43.8 % low-access
- Andrews
Andrews County, TX
26.8 % low-access
- Angelina
Angelina County, TX
26 % low-access
- Aransas
Aransas County, TX
31.7 % low-access
- Archer
Archer County, TX
18.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 112 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 774,769 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 69 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 61 |
| Low-Access Population | 269,077 |
| Low-Access Share | 34.7%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 157,181 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 891,977 |
| Median Household Income | $54,338 |
| Poverty Rate | 26.7%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 75,177 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 27.8%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.6%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.9% |
About 27.8% of Hidalgo County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 34.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 27.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 75,177 households here.
- 5.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 61 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 Hidalgo County
above the national share
61 of Hidalgo County's 112 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 54.5% of all its tracts.
A further 8 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 69.
An estimated 269,077 residents, roughly 34.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 157,181 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 43 tracts (38.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Hidalgo County
Hidalgo County has 921 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 214 locations (23% of the total), followed by bakery specialty.
Combination Grocery/Other · 214
- cvs 10107, mission
- cvs 10142, pharr
- cvs 10405, edinburg
- cvs pharmacy 10412, donna
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 248, edinburg
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 5651, weslaco
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 7193, mission
- cvs/ pharmacy inc 835, elsa
- cvs/pharmacy inc 227, mcallen
- carnes finas del valle, palmview
- carnes san mateo, mission
- carnes selectas gonzalez, edinburg
- carniceria deluxe meat market, edinburg
- cepedas fruit stand, progreso
- dollar general 10209, palmview
- dollar general 10292, edcouch
- dollar general 10474, penitas
- dollar general 10579, alamo
- dollar general 10604, donna
- dollar general 10611, weslaco
- dollar general 11024, edinburg
- dollar general 11097, mission
- dollar general 11110, weslaco
- dollar general 11240, mission
- dollar general 13658, donna
- dollar general 13959, donna
- dollar general 13966, mission
- dollar general 14005, edinburg
- dollar general 14047, mission
- dollar general 14351, mercedes
- dollar general 14456, weslaco
- dollar general 18924, edinburg
- dollar general 19617, pharr
- dollar general 19618, edinburg
- dollar general 3139, mcallen
- dollar general 3499, hidalgo
- dollar general 3514, alamo
- dollar general 3688, donna
- dollar general 4003, edinburg
- dollar general 5849, edinburg
- dollar general 6417, hidalgo
- dollar general 6531, pharr
- dollar general 7211, san juan
- dollar general 7312, palmview
- dollar general 7313, la joya
- dollar general 7800, edinburg
- dollar general 8295, progreso
- dollar general 8296, alton
- dollar general 8300, pharr
- dollar general 9071, weslaco
- dollar general 9729, mission
- dollar tree 4440, hidalgo
- dollartree 10078, mission
- dollartree 10181, pharr
- dollartree 10218, mcallen
- dollartree 10693, palmview
- dollartree 10831, edinburg
- dollartree 8571, pharr
- dollartree 8676, mercedes
- dollartree 9448, mission
- dollartree 9918, mcallen
- dollartree plus 8761, donna
- dollar general 10115, alamo
- dollar general 10627, pharr
- dollar general 10649, mcallen
- dollar general 11415, edinburg
- dollar general 12127, weslaco
- dollar general 12147, edinburg
- dollar general 12194, mission
- dollar general 12255, edinburg
- dollar general 12912, elsa
- dollar general 12957, monte alto
- dollar general 13269, edinburg
- dollar general 13530, donna
- dollar general 14787, sullivan city
- dollar general 15063, edinburg
- dollar general 15142, edinburg
- dollar general 15224, weslaco
- dollar general 15248, alton
- dollar general 15309, mission
- dollar general 15711, weslaco
- dollar general 17133, edinburg
- dollar general 17253, donna
- dollar general 17586, weslaco
- dollar general 17736, alton
- dollar general 19841, donna
- dollar general 20573, pharr
- dollar general 20574, la joya
- dollar general 21203, edinburg
- dollar general 21551, la villa
- dollar general 22385, alamo
- dollar general 22646, weslaco
- dollar general 22807, mission
- dollar general 23009, edinburg
- dollar general 23157, mission
- dollar general 23258, donna
- dollar general 23306, progreso
- dollar general 23588, palmview
- dollar general 23978, edinburg
- dollar general 24031, penitas
- dollar general 24041, mission
- dollar general 25022, san juan
- dollar general 25055, la blanca
- dollar general 25186, weslaco
- dollar general 25398, mission
- dollar general 25912, mcallen
- dollar general 25987, san juan
- dollar general 30517, donna
- dollar general 30696, san juan
- dollar general 30849, weslaco
- dollar general 31091, mercedes
- dollar general 3736, mercedes
- dollar general 5847, edinburg
- dollar general 6641, mcallen
- dollar general 6905, mission
- dollar general 6913, san juan
- dollar general 9914, weslaco
- dollar general 9952, mcallen
- dollar general store 16413, mcallen
- dollar general store 17254, mission
- dollar tree 2173, edinburg
- dollar tree 2245, pharr
- dollar tree 2524, mcallen
- dollar tree 3165, weslaco
- dollar tree 3642, alamo
- dollar tree 4229, mission
- dollar tree 4473, mcallen
- dollar tree 4894, edinburg
- dollar tree 4898, pharr
- dollar tree 4971, penitas
- dollar tree 5612, edinburg
- dollar tree 6058, elsa
- dollar tree 6238, mcallen
- dollar tree 6509, alton
- dollar tree 6577, weslaco
- dollar tree 6674, mission
- dollar tree 6747, san juan
- dollar tree 6771, mission
- dollar tree 6782, donna
- dollar tree 6835, progreso
- dollar tree 6848, edinburg
- dollar tree 6885, palmview
- dollar tree 7381, pharr
- dollar tree 7669, mcallen
- dollar tree 7683, mission
- dollar tree 7940, mcallen
- dollar tree 7973, mcallen
- dollar tree 8017, alton
- dollar tree 8320, mcallen
- dollar tree 8367, pharr
- dollar tree 8496, weslaco
- dollar tree 8525, edinburg
- el querreque cocina mexicana, edinburg
- el valle supermarket, mission
- fajita haus meat processors, llc, mcallen
- family dollar 10220, mcallen
- family dollar 10272, donna
- family dollar 11935, edinburg
- family dollar 2429, mercedes
- family dollar 2529, pharr
- family dollar 2829, mission
- family dollar 2939, mcallen
- family dollar 4193, mcallen
- family dollar 5057, mcallen
- family dollar 5401, alamo
- family dollar 5405, pharr
- family dollar 5683, san juan
- family dollar 5904, sullivan city
- family dollar 6457, pharr
- family dollar 6561, mcallen
- family dollar 7352, weslaco
- family dollar 7450, alton
- family dollar 9301, edinburg
- family dollar 9349, edinburg
- family dollar store 10762, penitas
- family dollar store 8002, mission
- fitgrill, mcallen
- fruteria tapia, mission
- l'pastel cake shoppe, mission
- la mexicana bakery #2, edinburg
- la colmena meat market, edinburg
- la familia bakery, alamo
- los venados country store, edinburg
- marisco del puerto, pharr
- megalatin food market llc, mcallen
- pr meal preps, llc, mcallen
- panaderia & tortilleria flores 1, donna
- rubens meat market, san juan
- roseli's tortilla factory, sullivan city
- ruben's meat market #3 #3, edinburg
- suehay tortilleria, mcallen
- suehoy tortilleria, alamo
- super mercado morelos, mission
- tortilleria bertha 2, alton
- tortilleria madero, hidalgo
- tokyo asian market, mcallen
- tortilleria lupita, elsa
- tortilleria progeso 4, donna
- tortilleria progreso, weslaco
- tortilleria rica, edinburg
- tortilleria san agustin, palmview
- walgreens 09075, mcallen
- walgreens 09449, mcallen
- walgreens 13114, edinburg
- walgreens 13962, san juan
- walgreens 15202, palmview
- walgreens 3623, mcallen
- walgreens 05734, edinburg
- walgreens 09076, mission
- walgreens 10300, palmhurst
- walgreens 10551, weslaco
- walgreens 11148, edinburg
- walgreens 12837, alamo
- walgreens 2942, mcallen
Bakery Specialty · 28
- blankita pasteleria llc, pharr
- capricious cake shop, pharr
- cory's cakes, inc., san juan
- delicias del contry, mission
- happy soul cupcakes, edinburg
- imperial tortilleria, mission
- karelly cakes, edinburg
- karelly cakes 2, mcallen
- la reynera bakery, mission
- la espiga bakery, edinburg
- la morenita bakery and pastry shop llc 1, edinburg
- la reyna bakery 2 llc, pharr
- la reynera bakery, mcallen
- la reynera bakery 1, edinburg
- la reynera bakery 1, edinburg
- la reynera bakery 3, mission
- la reynera bakery 7 1, hidalgo
- la reynera supreme bakery #2, elsa
- matys pastry and more llc, san juan
- miranda's cake shop and bakery, mcallen
- panaderia donato, mission
- paris bakery 6, mcallen
- san luis bakery and cakes, mission
- sebastian bakery, donna
- sticky fingers ii 2, mcallen
- suehay tortilleria, san juan
- tortillas aries pecan llc, mcallen
- tortilleria hermanos limon 1, donna
Convenience Store · 8
- 107 food mart #2, pharr
- 107 foodmart 1, edinburg
- 1925 drive in gro #1, edinburg
- 7-eleven 36514h, mcallen
- 7-eleven 36540h, edinburg
- 7-eleven 40726, weslaco
- 7-eleven 41321h, mcallen
- 7-eleven 41698h, mission
Showing 250 of 921 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Texas
Compare Hidalgo County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →
Food access nationally, Texas in context
Hidalgo County sits inside Texas (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
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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.