Signature · 54 LILA tracts (33.1% of tracts)
Jefferson County, AL
Jefferson County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 54 LILA tracts (33.1% of the book) alongside 34.4% low-access.
- 34.4%
- low-access pop.
- 54
- food-desert tracts
- 14.2%
- on SNAP
- 668K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Jefferson County, AL
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 34.4% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +12.3 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 54 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 7.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 33% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Shelby County (+ 0.0 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Jefferson County sits in the upper national band (34.4%, #637 of 3,079) with 54 LILA tracts.
- #637
- national by low-access %
- #10
- in AL
- 94
- low-access tracts
- 83K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 54 LILA tracts (33.1% of tracts) .
How Jefferson County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Jefferson County's 34.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 79% of them and ranked #637 most-affected nationwide.
Jefferson County's elevated USDA tier split
163 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 54 LILA.
Jefferson County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (143 urban, 20 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 20 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Jefferson County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Alabama, not a full county-board reprint
- Bullock
Bullock 68.5%
68.5 % low-access
- Madison
Madison 34.8%
34.8 % low-access
- Jefferson
Jefferson 34.4%
34.4 % low-access
- Shelby
Shelby 34.4%
34.4 % low-access
- Autauga
Autauga 33.9%
33.9 % low-access
- Lee
Lee 33.6%
33.6 % low-access
- DeKalb 0
DeKalb 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 163 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 658,466 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 94 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 54 |
| Low-Access Population | 226,577 |
| Low-Access Share | 34.4%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 82,879 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 667,755 |
| Median Household Income | $66,388 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.7%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 38,255 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.2%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.1% |
Thick SNAP store book in Jefferson County
Jefferson County has 532 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 12 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 234 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
36 towns share the 532 authorized stores; Birmingham holds 51% of them. 14 of the 36 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Irondale, Mccalla, Mount Olive, Vestavia, Adger, Graysville and 8 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 271 | 51 |
| Bessemer | 72 | 11 |
| Hoover | 18 | 11 |
| Pinson | 17 | 4 |
| Gardendale | 16 | 4 |
| Trussville | 12 | 4 |
| Fultondale | 11 | 4 |
| Hueytown | 11 | 5 |
| Warrior | 11 | 1 |
| Homewood | 9 | 6 |
Top 10 of 36 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 234
- 10th avenue deli, birmingham
- 1239 llc, mc calla
- 1st avenue food mart, birmingham
- 40th street grocery, birmingham
- 77th street food mart, birmingham
- 9th avenue chevron, bessemer
- 9th avenue market, bessemer
- a & m convenience store, birmingham
- am & pm express, birmingham
- az food mart, center point
- academy chevron, bessemer
- adamsville jet pep, adamsville
- airport mini mart, birmingham
- ajs discount store, birmingham
- arkadelphia shell, birmingham
- b&j food mart, trussville
- bama gas/centerpoint bd&g, birmingham
- birmingport grocery, mulga
- bp food mart, bessemer
- babapashupatinath inc., adamsville
- bessemer fuel stop 3, bessemer
- bessemer marathon, bessemer
- bessemer quick stop llc, bessemer
- bessemer shell, bessemer
- bessemer stop & go, bessemer
- bham airport mart, birmingham
- big boy convenience store llc, birmingham
- big rock, birmingham
- brothers food mart llc, birmingham
- buckeye grocery inc, trussville
- bush boulevard citgo 0, birmingham
- c p food mart (centerpoint food mart), birmingham
- central park chevron, birmingham
- chevron food mart, birmingham
- circle k 2704892, bessemer
- circle k 2704894, mccalla
- circle k stores 2706733, birmingham
- circle k 2709070, bessemer
- carson mart llc, birmingham
- carson village convenient store, birmingham
- carson's corner convenience store, birmingham
- chalkville chevron, birmingham
- chalkville moutain marathon, birmingham
- chalkville shell llc, birmingham
- cherry ave citgo, birmingham
- chevron bankhead food mart/deli, birmingham
- circle k 2323827, trussville
- circle k 2701611, birmingham
- circle k 2706732, birmingham
- circle k 2723672, birmingham
- circle k 2723680, birmingham
- circle k 2723799, bessemer
- circle k 2723802, birmingham
- circle k 2723803, pinson
- circle k 2723805, irondale
- circle k 2723810, birmingham
- circle k 2723812, birmingham
- circle k 2723813, hoover
- circle k 2723817, birmingham
- circle k 2723818, birmingham
- circle k 2723819, homewood
- circle k 2723821, birmingham
- circle k 2723828, birmingham
- circle k 2723833, bessemer
- circle k 2723834, midfield
- circle k 2723835, birmingham
- circle k 2723836, graysville
- circle k store 2709337, birmingham
- citgo food mart, dolomite
- clay chevron, pinson
- clay shell 6, pinson
- clay texaco, birmingham
- crosston grocery #1, pinson
- discount grocery, birmingham
- east lake shell, birmingham
- eastlake chevron, birmingham
- elmwood shell, birmingham
- ensley food mart, birmingham
- ensley place food mart, birmingham
- ensley quick mart, birmingham
- esthers foodmart, bessemer
- exxon food mart, birmingham
- f m store inc - huffman chevron, birmingham
- fairfield fuel, fairfield
- fairfield shell, fairfield
- fares, inc., birmingham
- farr hardware & food store, bessemer
- fieldstown shell, gardendale
- fifth avenue citgo, birmingham
- finley chevron, birmingham
- finley shell, birmingham
- five mile citgo, birmingham
- flowers bakery outlet 115, birmingham
- flowers bakery outlet 117, bessemer
- flowers bakery outlet 123, birmingham
- food mart chevron, birmingham
- g stop n go 0, birmingham
- g-store, birmingham
- gasland shop, birmingham
- georgia road market, birmingham
- golden star food mart llc, center point
- golf course chevron, birmingham
- graymont food mart, birmingham
- greensprings supermarket llc, birmingham
- hari food mart, bessemer
- hayden travel center 15 15, warrior
- highway 11 food mart/chevron, birmingham
- holiday food, bessemer
- homewood fuel, birmingham
- homewood shell, birmingham
- hoods qwik mart, birmingham
- hueytown shell #14, bessemer
- ians market 82, birmingham
- irondale bp, irondale
- irondale chevron, irondale
- janoob, inc., birmingham
- jaz & jenn llc, gardendale
- jefferson avenue food mart, llc, birmingham
- jimmy food mart, birmingham
- k & d stop & shop, birmingham
- kps foodmart, birmingham
- kawambui llc n/a, birmingham
- kent kwik 929, birmingham
- kent kwik 933, irondale
- kimbrel grocery, adger
- korner food mart, center point
- kwik mart 1, pleasant grove
- lusco food store, birmingham
- la estrellita, birmingham
- lakeside shell, birmingham
- lomb ave quick stop, birmingham
- m&k one stop, adamsville
- mani's stop, birmingham
- mason quik stop, birmingham
- mcadory quick stop, mccalla
- medcenter chevron, birmingham
- messer airport shell, birmingham
- midfield foodmart llc, birmingham
- midfield shell, birmingham
- millennium mini mart, birmingham
- mmm food mart, birmingham
- moon food mart, bessemer
- morgan road shell, bessemer
- morris quick mart, morris
- morris shell 4, morris
- mosley mart, adamsville
- mt. olive 3340 inc, mount olive
- murphy express 8626, fultondale
- murphy express 8660, birmingham
- murphy express 8851, hueytown
- murphy usa 7380, fairfield
- murphy usa 7542, bessemer
- murphy usa 7555, leeds
- murphy usa 7796, gardendale
- murphy usa 7818, birmingham
- n and s food mart, birmingham
- n&a food mart llc, birmingham
- ns crossing llc, birmingham
- nawf side package and convenience store llc, bessemer
- new pantry, bessemer
- north birmingham marathon, birmingham
- norwood chevron, birmingham
- norwood marathon, birmingham
- norwood shell, birmingham
- omar's discount market, birmingham
- oxmoor marathon, birmingham
- p4l foodmart, birmingham
- parkers chevron, birmingham
- parkway marathon, birmingham
- patton chapel one stop, birmingham
- pike road discount market, birmingham
- pilot travel center 601, mccalla
- pilot travel center 602, birmingham
- pinson valley marathon, birmingham
- pitt stop 0, birmingham
- pleasant grove chevron, pleasant grove
- quick mart shell, gardendale
- r & r one stop, bessemer
- r.k. quick stop inc, pinson
- race course bp, birmingham
- racetrac 2517, gardendale
- raceway 6816, bessemer
- raceway 6823, hueytown
- raceway 6870, birmingham
- raceway 997, fultondale
- raceway quickstop, bessemer
- rainbow quick stop, bessemer
- ratani food mart, bessemer
- red rock, bessemer
- reem food mart llc, fultondale
- rickwood chevron, birmingham
- rnk investements llc, fultondale
- rogers quick stop, pinson
- smart food mart, birmingham
- sa food mart, birmingham
- sai food mart, birmingham
- savanahs chalkville store, birmingham
- savannah's food mart, birmingham
- save more & grill, bessemer
- shell, birmingham
- shop n go, birmingham
- sky food mart llc, birmingham
- smart boy inc, birmingham
- southside market, birmingham
- southside market, birmingham
- speedway llc 38849, birmingham
- spur grocery, birmingham
- stadium food mart, bessemer
- star food mart #8 8, bessemer
- stop & shop, birmingham
- stop n shop # 1, pinson
- store 1321, irondale
- summit shell 1, birmingham
- sunoco fairfield, fairfield
- sunoco forestdale blvd, birmingham
- triple s foods stores, inc, birmingham
- ta express birmingham, birmingham
- texaco, birmingham
- the three brothers quick stop, fairfield
- thurd avenue bp, birmingham
- tip top, birmingham
- trussville chevron, trussville
- trussville raceway 6822, birmingham
- valley mart, birmingham
- valley shell, birmingham
- vinesville convenience store, birmingham
- vineyard food market, birmingham
- virginia mines food mart, bessemer
- warrior discount store, warrior
- warrior one stop exxon, warrior
- wayne's grocery & package store, inc., warrior
- wilson grocery, birmingham
- wood lawn chevron, birmingham
- zn mart, bessemer
Combination Grocery/Other · 155 (16 shown)
- cvs pharmacy 2505, mountain brk
- cvs pharmacy 2662, birmingham
- cvs pharmacy 4830, bessemer
- cvs pharmacy 4832, birmingham
- cvs pharmacy 4833, gardendale
- cvs pharmacy 4851, vestavia
- cvs pharmacy 4874, vestavia
- cvs pharmacy 4891, trussville
- cvs pharmacy 4904, birmingham
- cvs pharmacy 4913, birmingham
- cvs pharmacy 4916, pleasant grove
- cvs pharmacy 4936, irondale
- cvs pharmacy 7215, mccalla
- cvs pharmacy 4825, birmingham
- cvs pharmacy 4828, hueytown
- cvs pharmacy 4829, homewood
Showing 250 of 532 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Alabama
One of 66 counties in Alabama, 6 are shown here.
Compare Jefferson County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Counties near Jefferson County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Jefferson County, both outside Alabama so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside AL (34.4% here).
- Crawford County, AR · 34.4% low-access
- Del Norte County, CA · 34.4% low-access
- Hernando County, FL · 34.4% low-access
- Glynn County, GA · 34.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside AL (14.2% here).
- Sacramento County, CA · 14.2% SNAP
- Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT · 14.2% SNAP
- Iroquois County, IL · 14.2% SNAP
- McDonough County, IL · 14.2% 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.
Alabama among East South Central states
Alabama ranks 3rd of 4 East South Central states by population-weighted low-access (24.5%). Jefferson County, at 34.4%, runs 9.9 pts above the Alabama rate.
- Tennessee 27.2%
- Mississippi 26.4%
- Alabama 24.5%
- Kentucky 19.8%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Jefferson County, AL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 01073. 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.