County food-access profile · Oregon
Hood River County, OR
Hood River 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.
- 15.0%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 13.4%
- on SNAP
- 24K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
15.0% of Hood River County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 467
- food-desert residents
- 5.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 8.0%
- 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).
Hood River County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 15.0% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 4 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,353 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 Hood River County compares nationally
Hood River County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.0% low-access share that beats 32% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,122).
Hood River County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 4 census tracts in Hood River County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Hood River County vs. other Oregon counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Oregon
- Hood River 15
Hood River County, OR
15 % low-access
- Baker
Baker County, OR
37.9 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, OR
27.9 % low-access
- Clackamas
Clackamas County, OR
17.3 % low-access
- Clatsop 12.4
Clatsop County, OR
12.4 % low-access
- Columbia 6.1
Columbia County, OR
6.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 22,346 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,353 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.0%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 467 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 23,905 |
| Median Household Income | $88,947 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.0%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,202 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.4%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.8%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.7% |
About 13.4% of Hood River County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 15.0% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 13.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,202 households here.
- 5.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $88,947 with a 8.0% poverty rate.
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 Hood River County
near the national share
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 1.
An estimated 3,353 residents, roughly 15.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 467 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 3 tracts (75.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Hood River County
Hood River County has 23 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 9 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 9
- carson oil co inc 16, hood river
- cascade locks station 5021, cascade locks
- center market #35, hood river
- height's fuel stop, hood river
- juanitas marketa inc., hood river
- pine grove grocery, hood river
- riverfront market, hood river
- us market 600, hood river
- windmaster market, hood river
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- columbia market no, cascade locks
- rosauers supermarket 116, hood river
- walgreens 11696, hood river
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- carniceria y verdurena la mexicana, odell
- farm stand in the gorge, hood river
- treebird family market, hood river
Farmers' Market · 2
- gorge grown farmers market, hood river
- mercado del valle, hood river
Large Grocery Store · 2
- mcisaac's, mount hood parkdale
- mid valley market, hood river
Supermarket · 2
- mercado guadalajara, hood river
- safeway 1123, hood river
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy's pizza or-078, hood river
Super Store · 1
- walmart 1876, hood river
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Oregon
Compare Hood River County vs Baker County → · All Oregon counties →
Food access nationally, Oregon in context
Hood River County sits inside Oregon (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 Hood River County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Hood River County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Hood River County? ▼
Is Hood River County a food desert? ▼
What share of Hood River 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.