County food-access profile · Hawaii
Honolulu County, HI
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Honolulu 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).
- 25.2%
- low-access pop.
- 19
- food-desert tracts
- 10.2%
- on SNAP
- 1.0M
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
25.2% of Honolulu County residents live in a low-access area, and 19 of its 239 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 86
- low-access tracts
- 44K
- food-desert residents
- 9.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 9.2%
- 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 Honolulu County's low-access share at 25.2%, above the national share. 86 of the county's 239 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 240,035 people. 19 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 44,030 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 Honolulu County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Honolulu County's 25.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,282 most-affected nationwide.
Honolulu County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 239 census tracts in Honolulu County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Honolulu County vs. other Hawaii counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Hawaii
- Honolulu
Honolulu County, HI
25.2 % low-access
- Hawaii
Hawaii County, HI
31.3 % low-access
- Kalawao 0
Kalawao County, HI
0 % low-access
- Kauai
Kauai County, HI
34.2 % low-access
- Maui
Maui County, HI
27 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 239 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 953,207 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 86 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 19 |
| Low-Access Population | 240,035 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 44,030 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,001,146 |
| Median Household Income | $106,195 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.2%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 34,575 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.2%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.7%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.4% |
About 10.2% of Honolulu County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 25.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 34,575 households here.
- 9.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 19 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 Honolulu County
above the national share
19 of Honolulu County's 239 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 7.9% of all its tracts.
A further 67 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 86.
An estimated 240,035 residents, roughly 25.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 44,030 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 153 tracts (64.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Honolulu County
Honolulu County has 524 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 173 locations (33% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 173
- 123 store, honolulu
- 7 eleven 54295, aiea
- 7-eleven 54101, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54103, waianae
- 7-eleven 54105, wahiawa
- 7-eleven 54106, wahiawa
- 7-eleven 54107, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54109, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54126, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54127, kailua
- 7-eleven 54128, waianae
- 7-eleven 54129, waimanalo
- 7-eleven 54130, kailua
- 7-eleven 54131, waimanalo
- 7-eleven 54133, waipahu
- 7-eleven 54140, kaaawa
- 7-eleven 54141, waianae
- 7-eleven 54150, ewa beach
- 7-eleven 54201, pearl city
- 7-eleven 54203, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54207, hauula
- 7-eleven 54208, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54210, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54211, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54224, aiea
- 7-eleven 54229, aiea
- 7-eleven 54232, waianae
- 7-eleven 54250, kapolei
- 7-eleven 54251, waipahu
- 7-eleven 54252, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54256, ewa beach
- 7-eleven 54257, pahoa
- 7-eleven 54259, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54261, haleiwa
- 7-eleven 54262, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54263, waianae
- 7-eleven 54264, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54265, kaneohe
- 7-eleven 54270, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54274, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54275, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54276, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54278, kailua
- 7-eleven 54279, haleiwa
- 7-eleven 54280, aiea
- 7-eleven 54282, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54283, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54285, kaneohe
- 7-eleven 54286, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54287, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54289, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54290, honolulu
- 7-eleven 54291, pearl city
- 7-eleven store 54294, kapolei
- 7-eleven store 54297, kapolei
- 7-eleven store 54298, kaneohe
- a & h kinalau mini mart llc, honolulu
- abc 201, honolulu
- abc store 207, honolulu
- abc store 21, honolulu
- abc superette 56, honolulu
- abc store 12, honolulu
- abc store 14, honolulu
- abc store 17h, honolulu
- abc store 202, honolulu
- abc store 26, honolulu
- abc store 31, honolulu
- abc store 35, honolulu
- abc store 37, honolulu
- abc store 38, honolulu
- abc store 39, honolulu
- abc store 65, honolulu
- abc store 66, honolulu
- abc store 72, honolulu
- abc store 83, honolulu
- abc store 85, honolulu
- abc store 98, honolulu
- aim diamond head 1091, honolulu
- aim hawaii kai 1130, honolulu
- aim kailua shell 1306, kailua
- aim kapolei shell 1310, kapolei
- aim king street shell 1304, honolulu
- aim leokane 1131, waipahu
- aim likelike 1082, kaneohe
- aim paiea st shell 1330, honolulu
- aim wahiawa 1098, wahiawa
- aa mart, waipahu
- abc store 52, honolulu
- abc store 70, honolulu
- abc store 81, honolulu
- aikahi 93568, kailua
- ala wai pantry & deli, honolulu
- ala wai service inc., honolulu
- aloha island mart 10th ave. 1016, honolulu
- aloha island mart dillingham 1086, honolulu
- aloha island mart kahala 1017, honolulu
- aloha island mart kam iv 1096, honolulu
- aloha island mart kaneohe 1047, kaneohe
- aloha island mart kaneohe shell 1337, kaneohe
- aloha island mart kapahulu 1005, honolulu
- aloha island mart king st. 1054, honolulu
- aloha island mart mililani 1048, mililani
- aloha island mart nanakuli 1089, waianae
- aloha island mart palolo 1010, honolulu
- aloha island mart school st. 1020, honolulu
- aloha island mart waialua 1055, waialua
- aloha island mart waianae 1021, waianae
- aloha island mart waikiki 1093, honolulu
- aloha island mart waipahu 1097, waipahu
- aloha island mart waipio gentry 1050, waipahu
- amana liquor, inc., honolulu
- angie's mini mart, honolulu
- bay drive market, kaneohe
- beretania texaco 90423, honolulu
- capital market, honolulu
- chaminade university, honolulu
- chinatown liquors, honolulu
- chong's market, honolulu
- chubby's pantry, pearl city
- cj market 1, honolulu
- coco corner mini mart, honolulu
- dukes lane market & eatery 97, honolulu
- dyke's market, honolulu
- ewa mart, ewa beach
- express mini mart, honolulu
- fastop #10 mililani, mililani
- fastop #9 school street, honolulu
- fastop #11 nanakuli 11, waianae
- food pantry eaton square 1003, honolulu
- foodland gas station 47, laie
- friendly store 0, honolulu
- gabi corp, honolulu
- gulick sjd liquor and grocery store, honolulu
- h & a market, honolulu
- hele honolulu 61104, honolulu
- hele stores 61012, honolulu
- hele stores 61013, honolulu
- hele stores 61016, pearl city
- hele stores 61019, honolulu
- hele stores 61020, honolulu
- hele stores 61021, honolulu
- hele stores 61022, honolulu
- hele stores 61024, honolulu
- hele stores 61041, waipahu
- hele stores 61042, waipahu
- hele stores 61046, waianae
- hele stores 61047, waianae
- hele stores 61055, kapolei
- hele stores 61056, mililani
- hele stores 61057, mililani
- hele wahiawa 61199, wahiawa
- halawa height market, aiea
- hawaii kai texaco, honolulu
- hsk investment co n/a, honolulu
- island colony aloha mart, honolulu
- island country markets 87, kapolei
- island country markets 95, honolulu
- kaneohe market, kaneohe
- kahala texaco 91507, honolulu
- kailua texaco 93508, kailua
- kainehe liquors, kailua
- kakaako mart, honolulu
- kalihi foodmart 93183, honolulu
- kalihi stream 95592, honolulu
- kamokila texaco 38019, kapolei
- kapalama texaco 93207, honolulu
- kapolei texaco 20972, kapolei
- kauhale mini mart, honolulu
- keolu market, kailua
- keolu texaco 93186, kailua
- kilani market, wahiawa
- kinau market, honolulu
- koolau snacks, kaneohe
Combination Grocery/Other · 75
- aala meat & seafood 1, honolulu
- alicia's market, honolulu
- b y grocery llc, honolulu
- banchan house, honolulu
- br essential llc, honolulu
- brian's seafood market, honolulu
- celestial natural foods, inc., haleiwa
- cvs 10620, honolulu
- cvs 10621, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 10081, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 10153, hauula
- cvs pharmacy 10987, kapolei
- cvs pharmacy 10988, waianae
- cvs pharmacy 3070, haleiwa
- cvs pharmacy 4405, mililani
- cvs pharmacy 4728, pearl city
- cvs pharmacy 7107, waianae
- cvs pharmacy 9164, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 9185, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 9206, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 9220, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 9228, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 9259, waipahu
- cvs pharmacy 9275, pearl city
- cvs pharmacy 9300, wahiawa
- cvs pharmacy 9317, kapolei
- cvs pharmacy 9653, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 9671, kaneohe
- cvs pharmacy 9813, aiea
- cvs pharmacy 9825, kailua
- cvs pharmacy 9835, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 9890, mililani
- cvs pharmacy 9953, kaneohe
- cvs pharmacy 9954, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 9955, honolulu
- cvs pharmacy 9956, waianae
- cvs pharmacy 9988, ewa beach
- down to earth organic & natural 44, kailua
- down to earth natural foods, honolulu
- emesefich shop llc, waipahu
- f&m snack shop, waianae
- family grocery store, kaneohe
- gmj seafood, waipahu
- gonti corp, honolulu
- hawaii qq market llc, honolulu
- ho ho hawaii market, honolulu
- island green produce, inc., honolulu
- jimmy's produce & seafood market, waipahu
- kay's fish market, honolulu
- keeaumoku seafood honolulu, inc., honolulu
- letter variety store llc, waipahu
- m t asian market, llc, honolulu
- malasig 7 sisters seafood & variety store, honolulu
- malasig 7 sisters seafood vegetables & variety sto, honolulu
- mickey vegetable market, honolulu
- ming fa market llc, honolulu
- new hong kong supermarket, honolulu
- rahat market, honolulu
- rocky road products, inc., waimanalo
- sun chong co., ltd., honolulu
- sam's seafood market, llc, honolulu
- tamashiro market inc, honolulu
- waialua fresh, waialua
- walgreens 10048, kaneohe
- walgreens 11118, honolulu
- walgreens 12466, kailua
- walgreens 13838, wahiawa
- walgreens 13972, honolulu
- walgreens 15079, honolulu
- walgreens 15146, ewa beach
- wholesale unlimited express, honolulu
- wholesale unlimited express, pearl city
- wholesale unlimited inc, waipahu
- xin wang market llc, honolulu
- yu cai market, honolulu
Bakery Specialty · 2
- boulangerie bakery, honolulu
- hannah's bakery, honolulu
Showing 250 of 524 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Hawaii
Compare Honolulu County vs Hawaii County → · All Hawaii counties →
Food access nationally, Hawaii in context
Honolulu County sits inside Hawaii (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 Honolulu County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Honolulu County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Honolulu County? ▼
Is Honolulu County a food desert? ▼
What share of Honolulu 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.