PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Texas

Jim Wells County, TX

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

21.2%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
24.0%
on SNAP
39K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 TX

The food-access picture

21.2% of Jim Wells County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

5
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
6.9%
households, no vehicle
24.7%
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 Jim Wells County's low-access share at 21.2%, above the national share. 5 of the county's 7 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 8,660 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,946 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 Jim Wells County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Jim Wells County's 21.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 49% of them and ranked #1,587 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Jim Wells County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 7 census tracts in Jim Wells 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 Jim Wells County, TX USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (28.6%) 1 tracts limited (14.3%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (57.1%) Adequate 29% Limited 14% Severe 57% Food-access tier distribution: Jim Wells County, TX
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Jim Wells County vs. other Texas counties

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

% 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 Jim Wells County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)40,838
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population8,660
Low-Access Share21.2%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,946

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Jim Wells County
IndicatorValue
Population38,850
Median Household Income$51,896
Poverty Rate24.7%well above the national average
SNAP Households3,190
SNAP Participation Rate24.0%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.9%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.0%
SNAP participation in Jim Wells County 24.0%

About 24.0% of Jim Wells County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 21.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 24.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,190 households here.
  • 6.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Jim Wells County

above the national share

4 of Jim Wells County's 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 57.1% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 5.

An estimated 8,660 residents, roughly 21.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,946 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 2 tracts (28.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Jim Wells County

Jim Wells County has 48 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 26 locations (54% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 26

  • 7-eleven 42620h, premont
  • alice food mart, alice
  • circle k 1867, alice
  • circle k 2706972, alice
  • circle k 2706977, alice
  • circle k 2709056, premont
  • el mesquite country store, alice
  • green acres mart, alice
  • kwik pantry alice, alice
  • lagarto convenience store 00001, sandia
  • micha's stop n go, alice
  • mikes quick bites and more, sandia
  • murphy usa 7826, alice
  • neighborhood mart, alice
  • oriental enterprises inc, san diego
  • prime stop, alice
  • silver star food store, alice
  • stripes 40816, alice
  • stripes 40819, orange grove
  • speedy mart, alice
  • stripes 42626h, alice
  • times market 777, alice
  • tex best travel center 519, alice
  • tex best travel center 524, alice
  • texas corner store, alice
  • yu mi's, alice

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • dollar general 10488, orange grove
  • dollar general 18663, alice
  • dollar general 3143, alice
  • dollar general 3200, alice
  • dollar general 17708, sandia
  • dollar general 23304, alice
  • dollar general 25570, alice
  • dollar general 9916, premont
  • dollar tree 2910, alice
  • family dollar 11699, alice
  • family dollar 12809, premont
  • family dollar 13107, sandia
  • family dollar 2145, alice
  • walgreens 10231, alice

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • alice meat market 1, alice
  • mario's grocery & market, inc., alice

Supermarket · 2

  • heb 223, alice
  • lowes 110, orange grove

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • west's model market, premont

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • dan's processing center, alice

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • alice cash & carry wholesale, alice

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 791, alice

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Texas

Anderson County
43.8% low-access · 18.0% SNAP
Andrews County
26.8% low-access · 13.0% SNAP
Angelina County
26.0% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Aransas County
31.7% low-access · 8.6% SNAP
Archer County
18.3% low-access · 6.5% SNAP
Armstrong County
99.7% low-access · 3.4% SNAP

Compare Jim Wells County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →

Food access nationally, Texas in context

Jim Wells County sits inside Texas (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 Jim Wells County has low food access? ▼
21.2% of residents in Jim Wells County, TX 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 Jim Wells County? ▼
24.0% of households in Jim Wells County receive SNAP, covering 3,190 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Jim Wells County? ▼
The poverty rate in Jim Wells County, TX is 24.7%, with a median household income of $51,896 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Jim Wells County a food desert? ▼
4 of Jim Wells County's 7 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 Jim Wells County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.9% of households in Jim Wells 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.