County food-access profile · Tennessee
Houston County, TN
Most of Houston County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 1.9%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 15.4%
- on SNAP
- 8K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
1.9% of Houston County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 63
- food-desert residents
- 2.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.1%
- 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).
By the USDA's measure, Houston County fares better than most: just 1.9% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 0 of the county's 3 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 164 people who live far from a supermarket, and 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 Houston County compares nationally
Food access in Houston County compares favorably nationally: its 1.9% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 5% of them (rank #2,968).
Houston County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 3 census tracts in Houston County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Houston County vs. other Tennessee counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Tennessee
- Houston 1.9
Houston County, TN
1.9 % low-access
- Anderson 10.9
Anderson County, TN
10.9 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, TN
23 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, TN
12.6 % low-access
- Bledsoe 4.7
Bledsoe County, TN
4.7 % low-access
- Blount
Blount County, TN
30.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 8,426 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 164 |
| Low-Access Share | 1.9%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 63 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 8,353 |
| Median Household Income | $59,576 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.1%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 516 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.4%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.7%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.2% |
About 15.4% of Houston County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 1.9% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
- 15.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 516 households here.
- 2.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $59,576 with a 11.1% 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 Houston County
below the national share
An estimated 164 residents, roughly 1.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 63 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 3 tracts (100.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
None of Houston County's tracts meet the USDA low-access threshold, so the county is not flagged for a food-access gap in the 2019 Atlas.
SNAP retailers in Houston County
Houston County has 7 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 5 locations (71% of the total), followed by large grocery store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 5
- dollar general 57, erin
- dollar general 11384, tennessee ridge
- dollar general 24474, tennessee ridge
- family dollar 3996, erin
- sudden service 0042, erin
Large Grocery Store · 1
- tennessee ridge save a lot, tennessee ridge
Supermarket · 1
- mcglashings piggly wiggly 91, erin
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Tennessee
Compare Houston County vs Anderson County → · All Tennessee counties →
Food access nationally, Tennessee in context
Houston County sits inside Tennessee (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 Houston County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Houston County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Houston County? ▼
Is Houston County a food desert? ▼
What share of Houston 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.