Signature · 28.7% SNAP (100th pct in CA)
Imperial County, CA
Imperial County stands out on SNAP (28.7%, +16.6 pts vs U.S.) with 17.6% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 17.6%
- low-access pop.
- 9
- food-desert tracts
- 28.7%
- on SNAP
- 180K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Imperial County, CA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 17.6% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -4.5 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 9 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 28.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.1% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 29% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Trinity County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Imperial County ranks #1,900 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #30 of 58 counties in CA (17.6% low-access; 9 food-desert tracts).
- #1,900
- national by low-access %
- #30
- in CA
- 13
- low-access tracts
- 13K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 28.7% SNAP (100th pct in CA) (+16.6 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Imperial County compares nationally
Imperial County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.6% low-access share that beats 39% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,907).
Imperial County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
31 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 9 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Imperial County has 20 urban and 11 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Imperial County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in California, not a full county-board reprint
- Sierra
Sierra 88.2%
88.2 % low-access
- San Luis Obis… 18.6
San Luis Obis… 18.6%
18.6 % low-access
- San Benito 17.9
San Benito 17.9%
17.9 % low-access
- Imperial 17.6
Imperial 17.6%
17.6 % low-access
- Trinity 17.6
Trinity 17.6%
17.6 % low-access
- Sacramento 16.8
Sacramento 16.8%
16.8 % low-access
- Amador 0.2
Amador 0.2%
0.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 31 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 174,528 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 13 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 9 |
| Low-Access Population | 30,789 |
| Low-Access Share | 17.6%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 13,349 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 180,202 |
| Median Household Income | $57,681 |
| Poverty Rate | 19.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 14,225 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 28.7%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.1%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.0% |
Thick SNAP store book in Imperial County
Imperial County has 136 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 66 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 66
- 5 brothers fuel stop, calexico
- 7-eleven store 21028b, el centro
- 7-eleven 21836j, el centro
- 7-eleven 22906d, holtville
- 7-eleven 23229, brawley
- 7-eleven 24811k, el centro
- 7-eleven 26684m, el centro
- 7-eleven 32300k, calexico
- 7-eleven 36027a, calexico
- 7-eleven 46679, calexico
- 7-eleven, inc. 23409j, calexico
- 7-eleven 34656b, calexico
- 76 market, el centro
- arco am/pm, calexico
- arco am pm, brawley
- arco ampm, heber
- arco ampm 42316, imperial
- aten express, imperial
- borderview arco, calexico
- brawley fuel and food #2, brawley
- brawley fuel and food 565, brawley
- brawley liquor, brawley
- circle a food store, brawley
- calexico fuel and food, calexico
- calipatria queen market inc, calipatria
- chevron 6844, el centro
- circle k #9506 2709506, el centro
- circle k #9508 2709508, calipatria
- circle k 2721391, heber
- circle k el centro, el centro
- circle k gas station, calexico
- circle k stores 2709283, brawley
- el centro arco am pm, el centro
- el centro convenience, el centro
- el centro fuel and food, el centro
- el centro fuel and food #2 570, el centro
- fillco mini mart, brawley
- h&m fuel inc, imperial
- imperial valley arco am pm, el centro
- javier's liquor, brawley
- johnnys liquor, westmorland
- keys bargain, imperial
- love's travel stop 749, westmorland
- maverik, inc 729, el centro
- niland soco mini mart, niland
- ocotillo chevron 1, ocotillo
- partyland & loveland, brawley
- patriot gas, el centro
- pilot travel center 1132, brawley
- prime fuel & mini mart, brawley
- rocket #1443 1443, heber
- san luis market, thermal
- shell #6847 6847, holtville
- shell 59042, el centro
- shell 6845, el centro
- speedway 4346, calexico
- speedway 5150, calexico
- super 99 & party store, el centro
- the c b stop, inc., calexico
- the chow, niland
- union food market, holtville
- wake liqour 2, el centro
- wake market, el centro
- western liquor, brawley
- westmorland truck stop, westmorland
- whitteds liquor 0101459, brawley
Combination Grocery/Other · 20
- cvs pharmacy 10931, el centro
- cvs/pharmacy 11141, calexico
- dollartree 10641, calexico
- dollar general 20942, calexico
- dollar general 21428, holtville
- dollar general 21879, thermal
- dollar general 23460, brawley
- dollar general 25442, westmorland
- dollar general store 17010, calipatria
- dollar tree 2850, calexico
- dollar tree 3061, brawley
- dollar tree 3748, el centro
- dollar tree 3752, el centro
- family dollar 10238, brawley
- family dollar 12116, calexico
- family dollar 9258, el centro
- family dollar 9291, salton city
- family dollar store 10434, holtville
- mayo's candy shop, el centro
- walgreens 06856, el centro
Medium Grocery Store · 18
- antonio meat market 1, el centro
- california mayoreo y menudeo, calexico
- el sol market, imperial
- el sol market, west morland
- el sol market, el centro
- el sol market, el centro
- el sol market # 2, brawley
- euclid market, el centro
- garcia market, brawley
- kennedy's market 1, heber
- la colmena produce & meat, brawley
- los compadres market, el centro
- mother earth nutrition, brawley
- mother earth nutrition, calexico
- pico's golden market, el centro
- seeley market, seeley
- the new college view market, brawley
- yeyas market, niland
Super Store · 12
- cardenas 23, el centro
- cardenas 34, calexico
- costco wholesale 121, el centro
- dollar general market 14455, el centro
- food 4 less 774, el centro
- food 4 less 781, calexico
- grocery outlet of el centro 486, el centro
- smart & final 798, el centro
- target store t-1816, el centro
- walmart 1555, el centro
- walmart 1859, calexico
- walmart 5335, brawley
Supermarket · 12
- aldi 79075, calexico
- aldi 79081, el centro
- calexico market inc, calexico
- california super market, calexico
- del sol, holtville
- el sol meat market, inc., calexico
- el sol meat market inc., calexico
- grocery outlet 502, brawley
- mother's nutritional center mnc 249, brawley
- mother's nutritional center mnc 250, calexico
- vons 1767, brawley
- vons 2406, el centro
Small Grocery Store · 4
- brawley meat market, brawley
- lorenzo's gas station & mini mart, thermal
- tonys market, calexico
- west shores market, thermal
Large Grocery Store · 3
- california market, calexico
- kennedys karne, el centro
- state foods supermarket, calipatria
Military Commissary · 1
- el centro commissary 1908, el centro
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in California
One of 57 counties in California, 6 are shown here.
Compare Imperial County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Nationwide peers for Imperial County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Imperial County (28.7%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside California.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside CA (17.6% here).
- Garfield County, CO · 17.6% low-access
- Garfield County, CO · 17.6% low-access
- Rio Grande County, CO · 17.6% low-access
- Rio Grande County, CO · 17.6% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside CA (28.7% here).
- Maverick County, TX · 28.7% SNAP
- Maverick County, TX · 28.7% SNAP
- Alamosa County, CO · 28.6% SNAP
- Hamilton County, FL · 28.6% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, California in context
Imperial County sits inside California (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Imperial County, CA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 06025. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.