PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Idaho

Jerome County, ID

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Jerome 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).

24.6%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
7.6%
on SNAP
25K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 ID

The food-access picture

24.6% of Jerome County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
3.2%
households, no vehicle
12.6%
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 Jerome County's low-access share at 24.6%, above the national share. 2 of the county's 5 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 5,512 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,642 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 Jerome County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Jerome County's 24.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 58% of them and ranked #1,323 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Jerome County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 5 census tracts in Jerome 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 Jerome County, ID USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (60.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (40.0%) Adequate 60% Limited 0% Severe 40% Food-access tier distribution: Jerome County, ID
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Jerome County vs. other Idaho counties

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

% 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 Jerome County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)22,374
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population5,512
Low-Access Share24.6%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,642

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Jerome County
IndicatorValue
Population25,173
Median Household Income$71,724
Poverty Rate12.6%below the national average
SNAP Households626
SNAP Participation Rate7.6%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.2%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.8%
SNAP participation in Jerome County 7.6%

About 7.6% of Jerome County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 24.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 7.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 626 households here.
  • 3.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Jerome County

above the national share

2 of Jerome County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 40.0% of all its tracts.

An estimated 5,512 residents, roughly 24.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,642 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (60.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Jerome County

Jerome County has 18 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 11 locations (61% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 11

  • eden country store, eden
  • maverik, inc 252, jerome
  • maverik, inc 652, jerome
  • mr. gas #20 80249, jerome
  • oasis stop 'n go 11, jerome
  • oasis stop 'n go 22, jerome
  • oasis stop 'n go 5, jerome
  • pilot travel center 640, jerome
  • stinker store 62, jerome
  • stinker store 87, jerome
  • travelers oasis, eden

Combination Grocery/Other · 3

  • dollar tree 3175, jerome
  • family dollar 12968, hazelton
  • family dollar store 6776, jerome

Super Store · 2

  • ridley's family markets 8443, jerome
  • walmart 2831, jerome

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • scarrow butcher block llc, jerome

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • video mexico inc, jerome

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Idaho

Ada County
30.4% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Adams County
25.5% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Bannock County
34.7% low-access · 14.6% SNAP
Bear Lake County
25.9% low-access · 4.7% SNAP
Benewah County
23.3% low-access · 10.6% SNAP
Bingham County
32.3% low-access · 10.3% SNAP

Compare Jerome County vs Ada County → · All Idaho counties →

Food access nationally, Idaho in context

Jerome County sits inside Idaho (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 Jerome County has low food access? ▼
24.6% of residents in Jerome County, ID 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 Jerome County? ▼
7.6% of households in Jerome County receive SNAP, covering 626 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Jerome County? ▼
The poverty rate in Jerome County, ID is 12.6%, with a median household income of $71,724 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Jerome County a food desert? ▼
2 of Jerome County's 5 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 Jerome County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.2% of households in Jerome 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.