PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Alabama

Jackson County, AL

Jackson 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.

10.6%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
12.3%
on SNAP
53K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AL

The food-access picture

10.6% of Jackson County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
4.9%
households, no vehicle
17.3%
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).

Jackson County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 10.6% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 11 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 5,641 residents who live far from a supermarket. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,859 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 Jackson County compares nationally

Jackson County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.6% low-access share that beats 22% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,446).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Jackson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in Jackson County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Jackson County, AL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (63.6%) 1 tracts limited (9.1%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (27.3%) Adequate 64% Limited 9% Severe 27% Food-access tier distribution: Jackson County, AL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Jackson County vs. other Alabama counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Alabama

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Jackson County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)53,227
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population5,641
Low-Access Share10.6%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,859

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Jackson County
IndicatorValue
Population53,053
Median Household Income$51,908
Poverty Rate17.3%above the national average
SNAP Households2,690
SNAP Participation Rate12.3%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.9%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.2%
SNAP participation in Jackson County 12.3%

About 12.3% of Jackson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 10.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,690 households here.
  • 4.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 3 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 Jackson County

near the national share

3 of Jackson County's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 27.3% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 5,641 residents, roughly 10.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,859 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (63.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Jackson County

Jackson County has 59 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 24 locations (41% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 24

  • crocker farms fresh market, bryant
  • cvs pharmacy 6013, scottsboro
  • dollar general 11203, pisgah
  • dollar general 14041, woodville
  • dollar general 2453, bridgeport
  • dollar general 2686, scottsboro
  • dollar general 4084, scottsboro
  • dollar general 7982, section
  • dollar general 8068, stevenson
  • dollar general 9106, scottsboro
  • dollar general 16676, dutton
  • dollar general 20565, hollywood
  • dollar general 20941, scottsboro
  • dollar general 21455, scottsboro
  • dollar general 30573, stevenson
  • dollar general 30977, scottsboro
  • dollar general 31298, pisgah
  • dollar general 6134, bryant
  • dollar general store 17936, flat rock
  • dollar tree 6175, scottsboro
  • family dollar 12688, bridgeport
  • family dollar 298, scottsboro
  • family dollar store 3309, stevenson
  • the banana box, scottsboro

Convenience Store · 21

  • bp foodmart, bridgeport
  • bryant food mart, bryant
  • circle k 2723686, scottsboro
  • expressway, scottsboro
  • flat rock grocery, flat rock
  • jaykalima corporation, scottsboro
  • la tapatia store, stevenson
  • log cabin store, woodville
  • mapco express, inc. 5150, stevenson
  • marathon food mart, scottsboro
  • mjfuels, scottsboro
  • reed's grocery, dutton
  • raceway 986, scottsboro
  • rosalie food mart, pisgah
  • sunshine food mart 240, scottsboro
  • scottsboro foodmart, scottsboro
  • scottsboro pit stop, scottsboro
  • skyline mart - 1, scottsboro
  • sunrise food mart #2, scottsboro
  • sunshine food mart, stevenson
  • sunshine food mart, scottsboro

Supermarket · 5

  • houchens iga 7, bridgeport
  • piggly wiggly 555, scottsboro
  • publix alabama, llc 1830, scottsboro
  • section foodland, section
  • stevenson foodland 360, stevenson

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • hometown meat market llc, scottsboro
  • p & w wholesale grocery outlet, scottsboro
  • tienda guatemex, scottsboro

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • antigua supermarket, scottsboro
  • dobbins super market inc, bryant

Super Store · 2

  • scottsboro foodland 365, scottsboro
  • walmart supercenter 0712, scottsboro

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • thompson farms, dutton

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • stop to save supermarket 99, scottsboro

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Alabama

Autauga County
33.9% low-access · 9.2% SNAP
Baldwin County
25.1% low-access · 6.7% SNAP
Barbour County
20.5% low-access · 21.3% SNAP
Bibb County
1.6% low-access · 20.7% SNAP
Blount County
6.8% low-access · 12.3% SNAP
Bullock County
68.5% low-access · 34.0% SNAP

Compare Jackson County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →

Food access nationally, Alabama in context

Jackson County sits inside Alabama (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Jackson County has low food access? ▼
10.6% of residents in Jackson County, AL live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Jackson County? ▼
12.3% of households in Jackson County receive SNAP, covering 2,690 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Jackson County? ▼
The poverty rate in Jackson County, AL is 17.3%, with a median household income of $51,908 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Jackson County a food desert? ▼
3 of Jackson County's 11 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Jackson County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.9% of households in Jackson County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.