County food-access profile · Alabama
Lee County, AL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lee 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).
- 33.6%
- low-access pop.
- 10
- food-desert tracts
- 10.0%
- on SNAP
- 181K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
33.6% of Lee County residents live in a low-access area, and 10 of its 27 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 18
- low-access tracts
- 16K
- food-desert residents
- 4.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 18.9%
- 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 Lee County's low-access share at 33.6%, above the national share. 18 of the county's 27 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 47,076 people. 10 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 15,524 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 Lee County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lee County's 33.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 78% of them and ranked #702 most-affected nationwide.
Lee County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 27 census tracts in Lee County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lee County vs. other Alabama counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Alabama
- Lee
Lee County, AL
33.6 % low-access
- Autauga
Autauga County, AL
33.9 % low-access
- Baldwin
Baldwin County, AL
25.1 % low-access
- Barbour
Barbour County, AL
20.5 % low-access
- Bibb 1.6
Bibb County, AL
1.6 % low-access
- Blount 6.8
Blount County, AL
6.8 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 27 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 140,247 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 18 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 10 |
| Low-Access Population | 47,076 |
| Low-Access Share | 33.6%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 15,524 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 181,134 |
| Median Household Income | $65,824 |
| Poverty Rate | 18.9%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 6,949 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.0%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.1% |
About 10.0% of Lee County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 33.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 6,949 households here.
- 4.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 10 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 Lee County
above the national share
10 of Lee County's 27 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 37.0% of all its tracts.
A further 8 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 18.
An estimated 47,076 residents, roughly 33.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 15,524 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 9 tracts (33.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lee County
Lee County has 125 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 53 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 53
- 2nd avenue food mart, opelika
- 4th street station, opelika
- big dad grocery, opelika
- circle k 1659, auburn
- circle k 2701555, auburn
- circle k 2706698, opelika
- circle k 2723663, opelika
- circle k 6690, opelika
- circle k 6703, auburn
- circle k 708, opelika
- circle k ke 707, auburn
- circle k store 2709304, auburn
- circle k store 2709308, auburn
- corner market, auburn
- crossroads bp llc, phenix city
- delta express mart, phenix city
- fiesta supermarket 1, opelika
- grubmart 22, auburn
- grubmart 24, auburn
- gateway food mart, opelika
- goal post, auburn
- grub mart 20, opelika
- grubmart 28, opelika
- jk food mart, opelika
- joes grocery, opelika
- k & h management, auburn
- love's travel stop 774, smiths station
- mapco express, inc. 5183, auburn
- miller grocery, auburn
- mini mart food store, opelika
- mr sunnys food & gas, opelika
- murphy usa 7794, opelika
- murphy usa 7940, auburn
- neighborhood market, opelika
- panther quick mart 1, smiths station
- quick stop, opelika
- quiktrip 7172, opelika
- quiktrip 7183, opelika
- racetrac 2628, opelika
- racetrac 2683, auburn
- raceway 6713, opelika
- salem get n go, salem
- stop n shop, auburn
- store 109, phenix city
- terry's get-n-go, inc., smiths station
- terrys 280 mararthon llc, smiths station
- the quick, auburn
- the store 2, valley
- the store 4 marathon 1, opelika
- tienda latina grocery store llc 1, opelika
- tiger food mart, auburn
- tiger pride food mart, auburn
- young oil 27, opelika
Combination Grocery/Other · 38
- cvs 10208, auburn
- cvs pharmacy 1777, auburn
- cvs pharmacy 1824, phenix city
- cvs pharmacy 2402, auburn
- cvs pharmacy 4949, opelika
- dollar general 13945, auburn
- dollar general 14520, auburn
- dollar general 15353, opelika
- dollar general 1601, opelika
- dollar general 18638, opelika
- dollar general 19043, opelika
- dollar general 8665, auburn
- dollar general 9240, opelika
- dollar general 9910, smiths station
- dollar general store 9600, opelika
- dollartree 8721, phenix city
- dollartree 9397, opelika
- dollar general 10320, cusseta
- dollar general 10352, opelika
- dollar general 12740, opelika
- dollar general 15879, auburn
- dollar general 16260, phenix city
- dollar general 16750, auburn
- dollar general 20427, auburn
- dollar general 23445, salem
- dollar general 25153, phenix city
- dollar general 30938, salem
- dollar general 31014, salem
- dollar general 6519, opelika
- dollar general 8231, smiths station
- dollar general 9253, smiths station
- dollar tree 0281, opelika
- dollar tree 6339, auburn
- dollar tree 7114, opelika
- family dollar 13880, opelika
- family dollar store 320, opelika
- walgreens 10947, opelika
- walgreens 9397, auburn
Super Store · 11
- kroger 260, auburn
- kroger store 631, opelika
- piggly wiggly 443, opelika
- sam's club 4989, auburn
- target store t-1499, opelika
- target store t3421, auburn
- wright's market, opelika
- walmart neighborhood market 4673, auburn
- walmart neighborhood market 5062, auburn
- walmart s/c 356, auburn
- walmart supercenter 355, opelika
Supermarket · 10
- aldi 76046, opelika
- aldi 76197, auburn
- asian supermarket, opelika
- publix 1086, phenix city
- publix 1294, auburn
- publix 1355, auburn
- publix alabama, llc 1822, auburn
- renfroe's market 713, smiths station
- terry's grocery, smiths station
- winn-dixie 0437, opelika
Small Grocery Store · 6
- la gaudlapana supermarket, auburn
- market opelika, opelika
- tienda el paraiso # 2 llc 1, opelika
- tienda la chapina llc 1, opelika
- tienda ramirez grocery store 1, opelika
- tienda vicente llc, opelika
Farmers' Market · 2
- o grows opelika farmers' market, opelika
- rising gardens community market, auburn
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- parkway farmers market inc, opelika
Large Grocery Store · 1
- the country market 368, salem
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- the steak factory, opelika
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- mi poblanita supermarket, opelika
Seafood Specialty · 1
- creekstand catfish farm, salem
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Alabama
Compare Lee County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Lee County sits inside Alabama (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 Lee County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lee County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lee County? ▼
Is Lee County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lee 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.