County food-access profile · California
Humboldt County, CA
Humboldt 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.
- 11.2%
- low-access pop.
- 7
- food-desert tracts
- 21.0%
- on SNAP
- 135K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
11.2% of Humboldt County residents live in a low-access area, and 7 of its 30 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 9
- low-access tracts
- 6K
- food-desert residents
- 6.1%
- households, no vehicle
- 18.7%
- 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).
Humboldt County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 11.2% per the USDA Atlas. 9 of the county's 30 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 15,059 residents who live far from a supermarket. 7 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 6,112 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 Humboldt County compares nationally
Humboldt County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 11.2% low-access share that beats 23% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,400).
Humboldt County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 30 census tracts in Humboldt County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Humboldt County vs. other California counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in California
- Humboldt 11.2
Humboldt County, CA
11.2 % low-access
- Alameda 8.1
Alameda County, CA
8.1 % low-access
- Alpine
Alpine County, CA
57 % low-access
- Amador 0.2
Amador County, CA
0.2 % low-access
- Butte 19.1
Butte County, CA
19.1 % low-access
- Calaveras 14.7
Calaveras County, CA
14.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 30 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 134,623 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 9 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 7 |
| Low-Access Population | 15,059 |
| Low-Access Share | 11.2%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 6,112 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 134,541 |
| Median Household Income | $61,160 |
| Poverty Rate | 18.7%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 11,540 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 21.0%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.1%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.1% |
About 21.0% of Humboldt County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 11.2% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 21.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 11,540 households here.
- 6.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 7 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 Humboldt County
near the national share
7 of Humboldt County's 30 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 23.3% of all its tracts.
A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 9.
An estimated 15,059 residents, roughly 11.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 6,112 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 21 tracts (70.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Humboldt County
Humboldt County has 141 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 64 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 64
- arcata 76 100, arcata
- arcata petro mart, arcata
- bear river pump & play, loleta
- blue lake liquor and gas, blue lake
- bonominis market, eureka
- broadway gas & deli 195, eureka
- c & v market, eureka
- california market, eureka
- deerhorn market, phillipsville
- dk market 01, eureka
- e&j market, inc, rio dell
- fourth street mkt. & deli, arcata
- fairway market, eureka
- fairway plus, eureka
- ferndale liquors, ferndale
- fortuna liquors, fortuna
- freeway 76, mckinleyville
- greenview market, arcata
- gas n go, eureka
- h&s stations, llc 5002, arcata
- h&s stations, llc 5003, eureka
- h&s stations, llc 5004, eureka
- hasco stations, llc 8003, mckinleyville
- hasco stations, llc 8004, arcata
- hasco stations, llc 8005, eureka
- hasco stations, llc 8006, eureka
- hasco stations, llc 8007, eureka
- hasco stations, llc 8008, eureka
- hasco stations, llc 8010, eureka
- hasco stations, llc 8012, fortuna
- hasco stations, llc 8013, fortuna
- hasco stations, llc 8014, fortuna
- hasco stations, llc 8015, rio dell
- hasco stations, llc 8016, redway
- hasco stations, llc 8017, garberville
- handee market, eureka
- hoopa mini mart, hoopa
- lighthouse market & mini golf, arcata
- loleta market, loleta
- mckinleyville mini mart 160, mckinleyville
- miranda market, miranda
- n & s liquors, eureka
- orleans market, orleans
- pats market, eureka
- pec-tah fuel mart, weitchpec
- red front/francis creek inn, llc, ferndale
- redwood market 126, garberville
- redwood market 276, trinidad
- redwood market 277, mckinleyville
- redwood market 278, willow creek
- redwood market 279, eureka
- redwood market 280, eureka
- redwood market 281, fortuna
- redwood market 283, garberville
- redwood market 731, mckinleyville
- redwood market 734, willow creek
- redwoods market and deli, myers flat
- rogers market & cafe inc, mckinleyville
- shoreline fuel mart, orick
- speedex, willow creek
- speedex 2, garberville
- three corners market, eureka
- unitedgas, eureka
- valley west chevron, arcata
Combination Grocery/Other · 17
- cvs 10513, mckinleyville
- cvs pharmacy 3939, eureka
- cvs pharmacy 9482, arcata
- chautauqua natural foods, inc., garberville
- clendenen's cider works, fortuna
- dollar general 14839, rio dell
- dollar general 15232, fortuna
- dollar general 19539, mckinleyville
- dollar tree 1845, arcata
- dollar tree 1878, fortuna
- dollar tree 1945, eureka
- dollar tree 3770, eureka
- eureka natural foods mckinleyville, mckinleyville
- murphy's 5, trinidad
- walgreens 05863, eureka
- walgreens 09703, fortuna
- walgreens 4681, eureka
Farmers' Market · 14
- arcata plaza cert - fm-north coast growers assn, arcata
- bear river band tribal farmers market, loleta
- blue lake farmers' market, blue lake
- fortuna certified fm-north coast growers assn, fortuna
- garberville certified farmers' market, garberville
- harvest hub, arcata
- henderson center certified fm - north coast grower, eureka
- ktrcd monday night markets, hoopa
- mckinleyville certified fm-north coast growers asn, mckinleyville
- miranda certified farmers' market cfm 01, miranda
- old town certified fm - north coast grower assn, eureka
- shelter cove certified farmers market cfm2, whitethorn
- united indian health services farmers market, arcata
- willow creek cert fm - north coast grower assn cfm1705, willow creek
Super Store · 14
- costco wholesale 0125, eureka
- eureka natural foods, eureka
- fortuna grocery outlet 285, fortuna
- grocery outlet of mckinleyville 313, mckinleyville
- hoopa valley tribe, hoopa
- murphy's in cutten, eureka
- murphy's market, arcata
- north coast cooperative, inc., arcata
- north coast cooperative, inc., eureka
- ray's food place 64, garberville
- ray's shop smart 32, redway
- target store t-1421, eureka
- wildberries marketplace, arcata
- walmart 5629, eureka
Supermarket · 13
- eureka grocery outlet, eureka
- hoby's market, scotia
- murphy's markets 4, mckinleyville
- murphys westwood 6, arcata
- murrish market & deli, hydesville
- ray's food place 47, fortuna
- ray's food place 7, arcata
- ray's food place 75, willow creek
- safeway 1640, mckinleyville
- safeway 793, arcata
- safeway 975, fortuna
- safeway 2908, eureka
- winco foods 007, eureka
Medium Grocery Store · 7
- asia's best, eureka
- asia's best 2, fortuna
- cc market, rio dell
- dinsmore store, bridgeville
- orick market, orick
- shelter cove general store, whitethorn
- valley grocery, ferndale
Small Grocery Store · 6
- campton heights market, fortuna
- country club market, eureka
- el pueblo supermarket, eureka
- lao oriental market, eureka
- new harris general store, inc., garberville
- parents nutrition center, eureka
Bakery Specialty · 5
- franz bakery outlet 9006, eureka
- home cooking, redway
- papa murphy's of humboldt, llc ca014, fortuna
- papa murphy's of humboldt, llc ca047, eureka
- papa murphy's of humboldt, llc ca020, mckinleyville
Large Grocery Store · 1
- myrtle ave market & deli 1, eureka
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in California
Compare Humboldt County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Food access nationally, California in context
Humboldt County sits inside California (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 Humboldt County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Humboldt County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Humboldt County? ▼
Is Humboldt County a food desert? ▼
What share of Humboldt 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.