Signature · 8.2% SNAP (11th pct in WA)
King County, WA
King 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.
- 16.7%
- low-access pop.
- 22
- food-desert tracts
- 8.2%
- on SNAP
- 2.3M
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County King County, WA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-MODERATE 16.7% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -5.4 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 22 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 8.2% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 11.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 6% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Grays Harbor County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, King County ranks #1,971 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #26 of 38 counties in WA (16.7% low-access; 22 food-desert tracts).
- #1,971
- national by low-access %
- #26
- in WA
- 135
- low-access tracts
- 47K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 8.2% SNAP (11th pct in WA) (-3.9 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How King County compares nationally
King County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.7% low-access share that beats 37% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,973).
King County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
397 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 22 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, King County has 375 urban and 22 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
King County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Washington, not a full county-board reprint
- Douglas
Douglas 55.5%
55.5 % low-access
- Chelan 18.1
Chelan 18.1%
18.1 % low-access
- King 16.7
King 16.7%
16.7 % low-access
- Grays Harbor 16.7
Grays Harbor 16.7%
16.7 % low-access
- Spokane 16.7
Spokane 16.7%
16.7 % low-access
- Lewis 16.2
Lewis 16.2%
16.2 % low-access
- San Juan 0
San Juan 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 397 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 1,931,249 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 135 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 22 |
| Low-Access Population | 323,094 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.7%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 47,436 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,287,171 |
| Median Household Income | $124,746 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.6%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 77,601 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.2%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 11.2%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.8% |
Thick SNAP store book in King County
King County has 1,168 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 151 locations (13% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 151
- 8m grocery, seattle
- abc herb & grocery 02, seattle
- abas store, seatac
- al-madina inc, renton
- all india spice, auburn
- altha's louisiana cajun seasoning & spices, kent
- amazon go ibf2, bellevue
- amazon go ise1, seattle
- amazon go ise6, seattle
- amazon go ise9, seattle
- anh shenh, seattle
- apna bazar, kent
- aria food and bakery 1, kirkland
- ashanti african market and hair braiding, federal way
- asian food center seattle llc, seattle
- b & e meats and seafood, inc., seattle
- bert's red apple market, seattle
- ballinger village thriftway 040193, shoreline
- bao an herbs & grocery company, seattle
- bilaal mini market, seattle
- burien grocery outlet, burien
- carpinito brothers, kent
- cvs 10331, seattle
- cvs 10373, burien
- cvs 10387, seattle
- cvs 10619, bellevue
- cvs pharmacy 10285, renton
- cvs pharmacy 10659, federal way
- cvs pharmacy 10794, seattle
- cvs pharmacy 11076, seattle
- cvs pharmacy 11632, seattle
- cvs pharmacy 11646, seattle
- cvs pharmacy 11647, seattle
- cvs pharmacy 11648, seattle
- cvs pharmacy 11649, seattle
- cvs pharmacy 11651, mercer island
- cvs pharmacy 11664, newcastle
- cvs pharmacy 11665, bellevue
- cvs pharmacy 11668, renton
- cvs pharmacy 11679, seattle
- cvs pharmacy 11680, sammamish
- cvs pharmacy 11681, kirkland
- cvs pharmacy 11684, kenmore
- cvs pharmacy 11686, bellevue
- cvs pharmacy 11687, burien
- cvs pharmacy 11689, redmond
- cvs pharmacy 11690, bellevue
- city cafe and grocery, seattle
- clara african store 1, federal way
- dollartree 5255, kent
- dollartree 8506, snoqualmie
- dollartree 9285, auburn
- dollar tree 2487, federal way
- dollar tree 2921, kent
- dollar tree 3197, auburn
- dollar tree 3655, covington
- dollar tree 3894, burien
- dollar tree 4208, kenmore
- dollar tree 4423, tukwila
- dollar tree 4494, seattle
- dollar tree 4567, seattle
- dollar tree 4600, renton
- dollar tree 4876, seattle
- dollar tree 5276, woodinville
- dollar tree 6112, des moines
- dollar tree 6400, seattle
- dollar tree 7045, enumclaw
- dollar tree 7063, kirkland
- dollar tree 7194, kent
- dollar tree 7340, renton
- dollar tree 7396, kirkland
- dollar tree 7457, kent
- dollar tree 7562, issaquah
- dollar tree 7848, renton
- dollar tree 7906, burien
- dollar tree 7965, auburn
- dollar tree 8349, redmond
- duanes garden patch, seattle
- dukem market, burien
- dukem market llc #2, seatac
- el mercado latino, auburn
- fasika grocery, seattle
- food plus inc, seattle
- gray african varieties market plus, kent
- h mart uw, seattle
- ilyas african market 2, seattle
- india food mart, black diamond
- jebena market, seattle
- kandahar market, federal way
- kebena market, seattle
- khang hoa duong and grocery, seattle
- krishna supermarket, issaquah
- la tipica oaxaquena, seattle
- leschi food mart inc, seattle
- m2m mart, seattle
- marketime foods, seattle
- mana grocery, seatac
- mana grocery kent llc 1, kent
- micronesian market, burien
- muna market, seatac
- nazreth market, seattle
- pike place market creamery, seattle
- roba's african store n/a, seattle
- sharif grocery & halal inc, seattle
- sami family store, seattle
- seattle chinese herbs, seattle
- sheger arada, tukwila
- southgate mart, bellevue
- southwest deli & grocery, seattle
- the souk n/a, seattle
- uwajimaya, seattle
- west seattle thriftway #603, seattle
- walgreens 03604, seattle
- walgreens 03632, seattle
- walgreens 03662, bellevue
- walgreens 03733, mercer island
- walgreens 03788, shoreline
- walgreens 03840, burien
- walgreens 04156, kirkland
- walgreens 04157, seattle
- walgreens 04627, renton
- walgreens 04898, seattle
- walgreens 05950, seattle
- walgreens 06194, seattle
- walgreens 06258, kirkland
- walgreens 06304, kent
- walgreens 06357, issaquah
- walgreens 06389, seattle
- walgreens 06590, seattle
- walgreens 06901, federal way
- walgreens 07136, enumclaw
- walgreens 07355, renton
- walgreens 07480, auburn
- walgreens 07594, auburn
- walgreens 07700, federal way
- walgreens 07908, covington
- walgreens 09373, shoreline
- walgreens 09423, des moines
- walgreens 10553, bellevue
- walgreens 10995, tukwila
- walgreens 11856, seattle
- walgreens 12497, renton
- walgreens 13087, seattle
- walgreens 13770, woodinville
- walgreens 15203, maple valley
- walgreens 21452, seattle
- walgreens 6890, seattle
- waynes fruits & vegetables, burien
- wooltari - seattle, federal way
- yakima fruit market and nursery, bothell
- yong feng shang dian, seattle
Convenience Store · 68
- 212th chevron 205191, kent
- 24 east hill market, kent
- 24/7 convenience store 1, seattle
- 24/7 grocery, seattle
- 2nd ave grocery, seattle
- 365 mart 12702, seattle
- 405 express mart, renton
- 5 mile lakeside grocery, auburn
- 56th street market, seattle
- 7 eleven 26055b, seattle
- 7 eleven 35056 a, renton
- 7 eleven 35532b 35532, seattle
- 7 eleven 38806a, kent
- 7-eleven #20188e 20188, kent
- 7-eleven 14360 a, seattle
- 7-eleven 14436e, seattle
- 7-eleven 14438 g, seattle
- 7-eleven 14443 d, tukwila
- 7-eleven 14463 e, seattle
- 7-eleven 17355 e, bellevue
- 7-eleven 17463c, federal way
- 7-eleven 22866 c, tukwila
- 7-eleven 22984, auburn
- 7-eleven 23228 c, federal way
- 7-eleven 24404b, seattle
- 7-eleven 25525 d, seattle
- 7-eleven 26818 f, seatac
- 7-eleven 27284 b, federal way
- 7-eleven 27311 c, kent
- 7-eleven, des moines
- 7-eleven #14354d, shoreline
- 7-eleven #16365f, seattle
- 7-eleven #16547c, seattle
- 7-eleven #19042a, seattle
- 7-eleven #23931g, seattle
- 7-eleven #27742b, seatac
- 7-eleven #38700a, auburn
- 7-eleven 14355a, seattle
- 7-eleven 14392b 14392b, seattle
- 7-eleven 14402 d, redmond
- 7-eleven 14439a, auburn
- 7-eleven 14481 e, auburn
- 7-eleven 19911d, kirkland
- 7-eleven 20249d, auburn
- 7-eleven 21833c, woodinville
- 7-eleven 22625d, shoreline
- 7-eleven 23109d, seattle
- 7-eleven 2360-19338d, redmond
- 7-eleven 2360-29078b, seattle
- 7-eleven 26268d, federal way
- 7-eleven 27219c, auburn
- 7-eleven 27304b 27304b, kirkland
- 7-eleven 27901 g, seattle
- 7-eleven 34144b, kent
- 7-eleven 34475a, seattle
- 7-eleven 34636b, renton
- 7-eleven 35675b, kent
- 7-eleven 37134a, seattle
- 7-eleven 37558a, bellevue
- 7-eleven 39637, kent
- 7-eleven 39638a, renton
- 7-eleven 39639a, kent
- 7-eleven 42048h, federal way
- 7-eleven store 17257b, shoreline
- 7-eleven store 35334 a, auburn
- 7-eleven store 39836a, auburn
- 7-eleven, seatac
- 7-eleven #14368b, seattle
Bakery Specialty · 31
- franz bakery outlet 9024, seattle
- franz bakery outlet 9025, tukwila
- franz bakery outlet 9026, seattle
- naanwa bakery, bellevue
- papa murphys wa-047, auburn
- papa murphys wa-052, kent
- papa murphy's pizza wa-120, covington
- papa murphy's pizza wa019, kent
- papa murphy's pizza wa051, federal way
- papa murphy's pizza wa080, maple valley
- papa murphy's pizza wa085, des moines
- papa murphy's pizza wa099, renton
- papa murphy's pizza wa103, woodinville
- papa murphy's pizza wa123, renton
- papa murphy's pizza wa139, kirkland
- papa murphy's pizza wa168, auburn
- papa murphy's pizza wa170, enumclaw
- papa murphy's pizza wa196, federal way
- papa murphy's take 'n' bake pizza wa204, kirkland
- papa murphy's take and bake pizza wa028, renton
- papa murphy's wa-016, sammamish
- papa murphy's wa-048, issaquah
- papa murphy's wa-049, bellevue
- papa murphy's wa-110, burien
- papa murphy's wa-111, lake forest park
- papa murphy's wa-145, seattle
- papa murphy's wa-156, newcastle
- papa murphy's wa-158, seattle
- papa murphy's wa-172, duvall
- papa murphy's wa-186, redmond
- papa murphys take and bake pizza wa157, north bend
Showing 250 of 1,168 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 Washington
One of 38 counties in Washington, 6 are shown here.
Compare King County vs Adams County → · All Washington counties →
Nationwide peers for King County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for King County (8.2%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Washington.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside WA (16.7% here).
- Columbia County, NY · 16.7% low-access
- Columbia County, NY · 16.7% low-access
- Latah County, ID · 16.7% low-access
- Latah County, ID · 16.7% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WA (8.2% here).
- Green County, WI · 8.2% SNAP
- Green County, WI · 8.2% SNAP
- Outagamie County, WI · 8.2% SNAP
- Outagamie County, WI · 8.2% 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.
Food access nationally, Washington in context
King County sits inside Washington (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
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 King County, WA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 53033. 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.