County food-access profile · Alabama
Jefferson County, AL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Jefferson County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 34.4%
- low-access pop.
- 54
- food-desert tracts
- 14.2%
- on SNAP
- 668K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
34.4% of Jefferson County residents live in a low-access area, and 54 of its 163 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 94
- low-access tracts
- 83K
- food-desert residents
- 7.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 15.7%
- 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).
USDA data puts Jefferson County's low-access share at 34.4%, above the national share. 94 of the county's 163 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 226,577 people. 54 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 82,879 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 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 #646 most-affected nationwide.
Jefferson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 163 census tracts in Jefferson County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Jefferson County vs. other Alabama counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Alabama
- Jefferson
Jefferson County, AL
34.4 % low-access
- Autauga
Autauga County, AL
33.9 % low-access
- Baldwin
Baldwin County, AL
25.1 % low-access
- Barbour
Barbour County, AL
20.5 % low-access
- Bibb 1.6
Bibb County, AL
1.6 % low-access
- Blount 6.8
Blount County, AL
6.8 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| 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 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| 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% |
About 14.2% of Jefferson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 34.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 14.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 38,255 households here.
- 7.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 54 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 Jefferson County
above the national share
54 of Jefferson County's 163 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 33.1% of all its tracts.
A further 40 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 94.
An estimated 226,577 residents, roughly 34.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 82,879 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 69 tracts (42.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Jefferson County
Jefferson County has 532 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 155 locations (29% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 155
- 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
- cvs pharmacy 4843, warrior
- cvs pharmacy 4871, birmingham
- cvs pharmacy 4873, birmingham
- cvs pharmacy 4882, fultondale
- cvs pharmacy 4889, hoover
- cvs pharmacy 4926, pinson
- cvs pharmacy 4948, birmingham
- citizen expresss pharmacy, birmingham
- dollar general 10255, mount olive
- dollar general 13847, birmingham
- dollar general 14177, birmingham
- dollar general 14237, bessemer
- dollar general 1642, warrior
- dollar general 18436, quinton
- dollar general 18723, bessemer
- dollar general 19386, adger
- dollar general 19397, bessemer
- dollar general 2834, graysville
- dollar general 2853, pinson
- dollar general 3289, bessemer
- dollar general 4110, birmingham
- dollar general 6559, gardendale
- dollar general 6682, hueytown
- dollar general 7036, sumiton
- dollar general 7355, bessemer
- dollar general 8036, pleasant grove
- dollar general 8252, hueytown
- dollar general 8266, birmingham
- dollar general 9390, irondale
- dollartree 10438, bessemer
- dollartree 10454, hoover
- dollartree 8557, fultondale
- dollartree 9310, birmingham
- dollar general 10114, leeds
- dollar general 10172, birmingham
- dollar general 10250, birmingham
- dollar general 11610, trafford
- dollar general 11753, birmingham
- dollar general 11814, birmingham
- dollar general 11942, bessemer
- dollar general 11948, birmingham
- dollar general 12094, birmingham
- dollar general 12126, bessemer
- dollar general 12990, warrior
- dollar general 13214, birmingham
- dollar general 13356, birmingham
- dollar general 13376, gardendale
- dollar general 13744, pinson
- dollar general 14881, mulga
- dollar general 15003, trafford
- dollar general 15005, mccalla
- dollar general 15423, birmingham
- dollar general 16796, birmingham
- dollar general 16897, hueytown
- dollar general 17572, birmingham
- dollar general 20032, pleasant grove
- dollar general 20228, pinson
- dollar general 21559, dora
- dollar general 21618, trussville
- dollar general 22129, birmingham
- dollar general 22249, bessemer
- dollar general 22283, bessemer
- dollar general 24902, mount olive
- dollar general 25598, adamsville
- dollar general 30424, vestavia hills
- dollar general 30584, bessemer
- dollar general 30633, birmingham
- dollar general 31099, pinson
- dollar general 3118, birmingham
- dollar general 4301, birmingham
- dollar general 4647, gardendale
- dollar general 5811, warrior
- dollar general 7101, fultondale
- dollar general 9861, bessemer
- dollar general store 16437, bessemer
- dollar general store 17542, gardendale
- dollar tree 0160, homewood
- dollar tree 0465, birmingham
- dollar tree 0720, birmingham
- dollar tree 0728, birmingham
- dollar tree 1130, birmingham
- dollar tree 1323, center point
- dollar tree 1332, birmingham
- dollar tree 2395, trussville
- dollar tree 2464, gardendale
- dollar tree 2784, bessemer
- dollar tree 2898, birmingham
- dollar tree 3382, birmingham
- dollar tree 4038, vestavia hills
- dollar tree 4302, hoover
- dollar tree 564, bessemer
- dollar tree 6692, bessemer
- dollar tree 724, fairfield
- dollar tree 7983, pleasant grove
- falcon 2 food mart llc, birmingham
- family dollar 13380, warrior
- family dollar 2082, birmingham
- family dollar 2618, birmingham
- family dollar 415, tarrant
- family dollar 4150, birmingham
- family dollar 615, birmingham
- family dollar 622, fairfield
- family dollar 6698, birmingham
- family dollar 7275, birmingham
- family dollar 8171, birmingham
- family dollar 865, birmingham
- family dollar 8695, birmingham
- family dollar 8791, birmingham
- family dollar 8978, birmingham
- family dollar 9278, birmingham
- family dollar 9394, birmingham
- family dollar store 10109, bessemer
- family dollar store 10696, bessemer
- family dollar store 11205, hoover
- family dollar store 7423, birmingham
- family dollar store 8154, birmingham
- hometown supermarket, birmingham
- jan jua spice world, birmingham
- maxway 639, birmingham
- mi pueblo greensprings, birmingham
- rose's express 661, irondale
- rose's express 670, adamsville
- roses express 625, birmingham
- walgreens 05073, forestdale
- walgreens 06977, birmingham
- walgreens 07245, birmingham
- walgreens 10333, birmingham
- walgreens 10504, trussville
- walgreens 12056, birmingham
- walgreens 13937, hoover
- walgreens 15144, birmingham
- walgreens 19797, pinson
- walgreens 5072, birmingham
- walgreens 6033, bessemer
- walgreens 6034, birmingham
- walgreens 6035, birmingham
- walgreens 6488, gardendale
- walgreens 6955, bessemer
- walgreens 9701, vestavia
Convenience Store · 95
- 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
Showing 250 of 532 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Alabama
Compare Jefferson County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Jefferson County sits inside Alabama (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 Jefferson County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Jefferson County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Jefferson County? ▼
Is Jefferson County a food desert? ▼
What share of Jefferson 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.