PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Texas

Lamar County, TX

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

31.3%
low-access pop.
6
food-desert tracts
12.5%
on SNAP
51K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 TX

The food-access picture

31.3% of Lamar County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

8
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents
7.1%
households, no vehicle
19.0%
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 Lamar County's low-access share at 31.3%, above the national share. 8 of the county's 12 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 15,575 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 7,077 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 Lamar County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lamar County's 31.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 72% of them and ranked #864 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lamar County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Lamar 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 Lamar County, TX USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 6 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (33.3%) 2 tracts limited (16.7%) 6 tracts severe / food desert (50.0%) Adequate 33% Limited 17% Severe 50% Food-access tier distribution: Lamar County, TX
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Lamar 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 Lamar County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)49,793
Low-Access Tracts8
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)6
Low-Access Population15,575
Low-Access Share31.3%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population7,077

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lamar County
IndicatorValue
Population50,669
Median Household Income$61,880
Poverty Rate19.0%above the national average
SNAP Households2,494
SNAP Participation Rate12.5%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.1%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.4%
SNAP participation in Lamar County 12.5%

About 12.5% of Lamar County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 31.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,494 households here.
  • 7.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 6 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 Lamar County

above the national share

6 of Lamar County's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 50.0% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 8.

An estimated 15,575 residents, roughly 31.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 7,077 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 4 tracts (33.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Lamar County

Lamar County has 62 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 29 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 29

  • blossom mart, blossom
  • blue mart, paris
  • casey's 4832, paris
  • cefco 1096, paris
  • cefco 1097, paris
  • cefco 1098, paris
  • cefco 1100, paris
  • cefco 1102, paris
  • circle k management ck 124, paris
  • country mart, paris
  • flowers bakery outlet 343, paris
  • jm grocery, paris
  • kim's convinience, paris
  • kima queen llc 32, deport
  • kwik chek 34, paris
  • kwik pick, paris
  • loop mart, paris
  • love's travel stop 678, paris
  • murphy usa 7914, paris
  • paris food mart, paris
  • paris mart, paris
  • paris travel plaza 1, paris
  • quick track #21, paris
  • quick track 25, paris
  • quick track 26, paris
  • quick track 27, paris
  • qwik cheque 2, powderly
  • rattlers, paris
  • store t 24 1, paris

Combination Grocery/Other · 22

  • braum's 105, paris
  • braum's 162, paris
  • cvs pharmacy inc 6944, paris
  • cvs/pharmacy 7490, paris
  • davids meat market, paris
  • dollar general 0358, paris
  • dollar general 8568, reno
  • dollar general 8952, paris
  • dollartree 10255, reno
  • dollar general 12218, paris
  • dollar general 12223, blossom
  • dollar general 18424, sumner
  • dollar general 21338, deport
  • dollar general 8902, arthur city
  • dollar tree 1091, paris
  • family dollar 12560, powderly
  • family dollar 12840, paris
  • family dollar 13652, blossom
  • family dollar 6445, paris
  • kelley produce, paris
  • kelley produce, reno
  • walgreens 07242, paris

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • lewis grocery, paris
  • panificadora el tamaulipeco, paris
  • stop and go #1, paris

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2

  • cobb's meat processing 1, sumner
  • on the block beef 2, paris

Super Store · 2

  • kroger 957, paris
  • walmart 148, paris

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 38, paris
  • brookshire food store 14, paris

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa muprhy's tx033, paris

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • kelley produce, powderly

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 Lamar County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →

Food access nationally, Texas in context

Lamar 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 Lamar County has low food access? ▼
31.3% of residents in Lamar 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 Lamar County? ▼
12.5% of households in Lamar County receive SNAP, covering 2,494 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Lamar County? ▼
The poverty rate in Lamar County, TX is 19.0%, with a median household income of $61,880 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Lamar County a food desert? ▼
6 of Lamar County's 12 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 Lamar County households lack a vehicle? ▼
7.1% of households in Lamar 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.