County food-access profile · California
Kings County, CA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Kings 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).
- 33.0%
- low-access pop.
- 5
- food-desert tracts
- 20.0%
- on SNAP
- 153K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
33.0% of Kings County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 27 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 11
- low-access tracts
- 10K
- food-desert residents
- 5.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.0%
- 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 Kings County's low-access share at 33.0%, above the national share. 11 of the county's 27 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 50,528 people. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 10,438 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 Kings County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Kings County's 33.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 76% of them and ranked #739 most-affected nationwide.
Kings County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 27 census tracts in Kings County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Kings County vs. other California counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in California
- Kings
Kings County, CA
33 % low-access
- Alameda 8.1
Alameda County, CA
8.1 % low-access
- Alpine
Alpine County, CA
57 % low-access
- Amador 0.2
Amador County, CA
0.2 % low-access
- Butte 19.1
Butte County, CA
19.1 % low-access
- Calaveras 14.7
Calaveras County, CA
14.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 27 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 152,982 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 11 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 5 |
| Low-Access Population | 50,528 |
| Low-Access Share | 33.0%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 10,438 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 153,298 |
| Median Household Income | $70,995 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.0%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 8,805 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 20.0%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.8%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 8.9% |
About 20.0% of Kings County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 33.0% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 20.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 8,805 households here.
- 5.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 5 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 Kings County
above the national share
5 of Kings County's 27 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 18.5% of all its tracts.
A further 6 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 11.
An estimated 50,528 residents, roughly 33.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 10,438 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 16 tracts (59.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Kings County
Kings County has 121 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 64 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 64
- 7 eleven 2367-26170e 26170e, hanford
- 7 eleven 35068b, lemoore
- 7-eleven 2368-16373c, lemoore
- 76 kettleman city, kettleman city
- 98 super discount, hanford
- adolfo's liquor, lemoore
- all star mini mart, armona
- amigos mini mart, avenal
- buford star mart 2, armona
- bangars plaza, hanford
- c.a plaza inc, hanford
- castle mart 1, hanford
- chevron 1545, kettleman city
- chevron lemoore, lemoore
- circle k 01028, hanford
- circle k 2721178, avenal
- day & night market #101 101, lemoore
- dmv plaza market, hanford
- eagle feather trading post 2, avenal
- el ranchero liquor 2, hanford
- fast & friendly market, armona
- family market, hanford
- fastrip food store 654, lemoore
- garcia's supermarket 2, corcoran
- gills truck stop, hanford
- grangeville liquor, hanford
- hanco77, hanford
- hanford liquor & food mart, hanford
- hla hla inc, kettleman city
- irwin corner store, hanford
- j & a market, corcoran
- jackpot, hanford
- jacks gas #4, inc., hanford
- k and h liquor food and gas, lemoore
- kettleman city market, kettleman city
- kwik break deli mart, lemoore
- lemoore arco ampm 47031 ampm, lemoore
- lemoore crossings, lemoore
- lemoore mobil, lemoore
- liquor king, hanford
- mark market and smoke shoo, hanford
- maverik, inc 762, lemoore
- mercado latino, avenal
- n & m market, corcoran
- napoles bakery, corcoran
- omar mini mart, lemoore
- quick & ez, lemoore
- quick shop market sole, hanford
- rices liquor, avenal
- robin's mini mart, hanford
- rs liquor, corcoran
- shell food mart, hanford
- sierra liquor & deli, hanford
- skyline mini mart, avenal
- south side market, corcoran
- square deal market, corcoran
- star mart #7, hanford
- star mart 12, hanford
- stop-n-shop, hanford
- stratford mini mart, stratford
- superway market, corcoran
- t & a mobile mart, hanford
- take 10 deli mart, corcoran
- tri-mart, hanford
Combination Grocery/Other · 17
- cvs pharmacy 9828, hanford
- cvs pharmacy 9893, hanford
- dollar general 13577, corcoran
- dollar general 18498, lemoore
- dollar general 19053, lemoore
- dollartree 8203, hanford
- dollar general 17882, armona
- dollar general 23443, avenal
- dollar tree 1246, hanford
- dollar tree 2195, lemoore
- dollar tree 6397, hanford
- dollar tree 7445, corcoran
- family dollar 9197, avenal
- family dollar 9214, corcoran
- jc meat company, corcoran
- walgreens 11612, lemoore
- walgreens 5411, hanford
Medium Grocery Store · 10
- asian variety store, llc, lemoore
- baby's nutrition 4, hanford
- el rancho carniceria, lemoore
- first step market 15, corcoran
- grullense market, hanford
- la morenita market, corcoran
- los amigos market inc, corcoran
- royal food, armona
- t&t market, avenal
- w & z market inc, hanford
Supermarket · 10
- aldi 79198, hanford
- el rey supermercado inc, hanford
- grocery outlet of hanford, hanford
- grocery outlet of lemoore 415, lemoore
- jalisco meat market - hanford, hanford
- lemoore food center, lemoore
- save mart 36, hanford
- save mart 73, lemoore
- saveco 15, hanford
- state foods supermarket, avenal
Super Store · 8
- cost less food company #4-hanford, hanford
- cost less food company #5-corcora, corcoran
- costco wholesale 1244, hanford
- foods co 520, hanford
- saveco #14, lemoore
- smart & final 828, hanford
- target store t-1906, hanford
- walmart 1645, hanford
Large Grocery Store · 5
- amigo market, avenal
- la mision market, corcoran
- la cima market, corcoran
- las espuelas 3, lemoore
- mercado y carniceria del valle, hanford
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- lemoore food locker, lemoore
- westside lockers 2, hanford
Small Grocery Store · 2
- sol del valle prime meat, hanford
- supermercado leon, lemoore
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy pizza take n bake ca128, hanford
Farmers' Market · 1
- thursday night market place 601, hanford
Military Commissary · 1
- lemoore commissary 1517, lemoore
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in California
Compare Kings County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Food access nationally, California in context
Kings County sits inside California (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 Kings County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Kings County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Kings County? ▼
Is Kings County a food desert? ▼
What share of Kings 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.