County food-access profile · Florida
Leon County, FL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Leon 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).
- 32.3%
- low-access pop.
- 13
- food-desert tracts
- 11.7%
- on SNAP
- 298K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
32.3% of Leon County residents live in a low-access area, and 13 of its 68 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 33
- low-access tracts
- 26K
- food-desert residents
- 7.1%
- households, no vehicle
- 18.7%
- 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 Leon County's low-access share at 32.3%, above the national share. 33 of the county's 68 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 88,981 people. 13 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 25,892 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 Leon County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Leon County's 32.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 75% of them and ranked #795 most-affected nationwide.
Leon County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 68 census tracts in Leon County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Leon County vs. other Florida counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida
- Leon
Leon County, FL
32.3 % low-access
- Alachua 19.2
Alachua County, FL
19.2 % low-access
- Baker
Baker County, FL
55.6 % low-access
- Bay
Bay County, FL
31.5 % low-access
- Bradford 1.1
Bradford County, FL
1.1 % low-access
- Brevard
Brevard County, FL
41.8 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 68 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 275,487 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 33 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 13 |
| Low-Access Population | 88,981 |
| Low-Access Share | 32.3%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 25,892 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 297,542 |
| Median Household Income | $66,287 |
| Poverty Rate | 18.7%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 14,294 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.7%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.1%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 6.3% |
About 11.7% of Leon County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 32.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 11.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 14,294 households here.
- 7.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 13 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 Leon County
above the national share
13 of Leon County's 68 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 19.1% of all its tracts.
A further 20 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 33.
An estimated 88,981 residents, roughly 32.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 25,892 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 35 tracts (51.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Leon County
Leon County has 221 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 110 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 110
- 24/7, tallahassee
- akp food mart, tallahassee
- alen fay foodmart, tallahassee
- ami 65 foodmart, tallahassee
- ami 70 food mart 70, tallahassee
- ami 76 foodmart, tallahassee
- ami 95 food mart, tallahassee
- ami 96 food mart, tallahassee
- ami 97 food mart, tallahassee
- bradfordville susie q's foods, tallahassee
- bryant's neigborhood marketplace, tallahassee
- circle k 2705074, tallahassee
- circle k 2705165, tallahassee
- circle k 2705166, tallahassee
- circle k 2705168, tallahassee
- circle k 2705169, tallahassee
- circle k 2705170, tallahassee
- circle k 2705171, tallahassee
- circle k 2705172, tallahassee
- circle k 2705173, tallahassee
- circle k 2705174, tallahassee
- circle k 2705175, tallahassee
- circle k 2705176, tallahassee
- circle k 2705177, tallahassee
- circle k 2705178, tallahassee
- circle k 2705180, tallahassee
- circle k 2705986, tallahassee
- circle k 2705987, tallahassee
- circle k 2705988, tallahassee
- circle k 2705989, tallahassee
- circle k 2705990, tallahassee
- circle k 2705991, tallahassee
- capital circle chevron, tallahassee
- circle k 2721442, tallahassee
- circle k 2723890, tallahassee
- circle k 2723900, tallahassee
- circle k 2723907, tallahassee
- commonwealth shell 1002, tallahassee
- country corner shell, tallahassee
- fair price food store, tallahassee
- fastlane mart, tallahassee
- florida state university, tallahassee
- florida state university 19281, tallahassee
- flowers bakery outlet 94, tallahassee
- four point station, tallahassee
- fred george chevron 4015, tallahassee
- freebirds emporium, tallahassee
- friendly food mart, tallahassee
- gaines street shell 1005, tallahassee
- gate service station 1194, tallahassee
- gate service station 1210, tallahassee
- harry's market, tallahassee
- hwy 20 food mart llc, tallahassee
- king food store, tallahassee
- king food store, tallahassee
- lake talquin store, tallahassee
- lakeshore shell 1010, tallahassee
- mahan petro, tallahassee
- marathon, tallahassee
- marks 9 food & gas, tallahassee
- maxwell's grocery, tallahassee
- mckenzie markets 11, tallahassee
- mckenzie oil company 14, tallahassee
- miccosukee market, tallahassee
- monroe chevron, tallahassee
- murphy express 8670, tallahassee
- murphy usa 6913, tallahassee
- murphy usa 7785, tallahassee
- northside shell, tallahassee
- onmark food store, tallahassee
- pan food stores 1, tallahassee
- pan food stores 2, tallahassee
- pat's supermarket, tallahassee
- quick n save, tallahassee
- racetrac 2508, palm coast
- ram food & gas, tallahassee
- san marcos shell 1013, tallahassee
- saveway food store, tallahassee
- seminole shell, tallahassee
- south city food mart, tallahassee
- speed's grocery, tallahassee
- speedy mart, tallahassee
- st augustine food mart, tallahassee
- sunstop 518, tallahassee
- sunstop 526, tallahassee
- sunstop 527, tallahassee
- sunstop 590, tallahassee
- sunstop 592, tallahassee
- sunstop urban market 584, tallahassee
- sunoco, tallahassee
- sunoco, tallahassee
- sunoco, tallahassee
- sunoco 13, tallahassee
- tallahassee express, tallahassee
- tennessee chevron # 5899 inc, tallahassee
- tharpe st chevron 380 inc, tallahassee
- the spot #1, tallahassee
- time saver, tallahassee
- time saver, tallahassee
- tom thumb 900164, tallahassee
- tony mart, tallahassee
- tony's corner, tallahassee
- usa grocers, tallahassee
- victory food mart, tallahassee
- vineyard shell 1009, tallahassee
- wawa store 5431, tallahassee
- wawa store 5440, tallahassee
- wawa store 5445, tallahassee
- wawa store 5447, tallahassee
- westwood shell 1008, tallahassee
Combination Grocery/Other · 58
- cvs 10482, tallahassee
- cvs pharmacy 1256, tallahassee
- cvs pharmacy 3910, tallahassee
- cvs pharmacy 7958, tallahassee
- cvs pharmacy 4024, tallahassee
- cvs pharmacy 4469, tallahassee
- cvs pharmacy 4478, tallahassee
- cvs pharmacy 4639, tallahassee
- cvs pharmacy 5025, tallahassee
- cvs pharmacy 710, tallahassee
- cvs pharmacy 7895, tallahassee
- dollar general 10983, tallahassee
- dollar general 4734, tallahassee
- dollar general 7396, tallahassee
- dollar general 7722, tallahassee
- dollar general 8485, tallahassee
- dollar general 8729, tallahassee
- dollar general 8996, tallahassee
- dollar general 9280, tallahassee
- dollartree 2222, tallahassee
- dollar general 11663, tallahassee
- dollar general 11990, tallahassee
- dollar general 12395, tallahassee
- dollar general 12718, tallahassee
- dollar general 12943, tallahassee
- dollar general 14317, tallahassee
- dollar general 16814, tallahassee
- dollar general 21572, tallahassee
- dollar general 22735, tallahassee
- dollar general 22953, tallahassee
- dollar general 23381, tallahassee
- dollar general 30437, tallahassee
- dollar tree 0350, tallahassee
- dollar tree 0429, tallahassee
- dollar tree 1135, tallahassee
- dollar tree 4128, tallahassee
- dollar tree 5205, tallahassee
- dollar tree 5678, tallahassee
- dollar tree 7079, tallahassee
- dollar tree 7465, tallahassee
- dollar tree 7520, tallahassee
- family dollar 4030, tallahassee
- family dollar store 10781, tallahassee
- family dollar store 2118, tallahassee
- family dollar store 525, tallahassee
- family dollar store 5267, tallahassee
- family dollar store 5560, tallahassee
- family dollar store 8484, tallahassee
- nisub international foods, tallahassee
- nihao seafood market, tallahassee
- walgreen 02074, tallahassee
- walgreens 11537, tallahassee
- walgreens 07583, tallahassee
- walgreens 10717, tallahassee
- walgreens 10901, tallahassee
- walgreens 1902, tallahassee
- walgreens 4091, tallahassee
- walgreens 4311, tallahassee
Supermarket · 21
- aldi 74190, tallahassee
- aldi 74195, tallahassee
- capital seafood market, tallahassee
- community co-op market, tallahassee
- food giant 652, tallahassee
- publix 0610, tallahassee
- publix 0782, tallahassee
- publix 0852, tallahassee
- publix 0857, tallahassee
- publix 0887, tallahassee
- publix 1051, tallahassee
- publix 533, tallahassee
- publix 1306, tallahassee
- publix 1401, tallahassee
- publix 1427, tallahassee
- publix super markets 1573, tallahassee
- publix super markets, inc. 1656, tallahassee
- publix super markets, inc. 1836, tallahassee
- the fresh market 047, tallahassee
- trader joe's 763, tallahassee
- winn-dixie 0086, tallahassee
Super Store · 13
- costco wholesale 1026, tallahassee
- fresh for less no 1 inc, tallahassee
- piggly wiggly 292, tallahassee
- sam's club 8120, tallahassee
- target store t-1973, tallahassee
- target store 844, tallahassee
- target t3273, tallahassee
- walmart 1077, tallahassee
- walmart s/c 1223, tallahassee
- walmart supercenter 1408, tallahassee
- walmart supercenter 4427, tallahassee
- walmart supercenter 4520, tallahassee
- whole foods market 10478, tallahassee
Medium Grocery Store · 7
- apna agora international grocery llc, tallahassee
- butcher sam meat market, tallahassee
- my neighborhood meats market, tallahassee
- revel's meats, tallahassee
- rajdhani, tallahassee
- southern growers, tallahassee
- star's meat market 1, tallahassee
Small Grocery Store · 4
- chez blums international llc, tallahassee
- little india grocery, tallahassee
- pier seafood & grocery, tallahassee
- the discount grocery store, tallahassee
Seafood Specialty · 3
- ck crabhouse, tallahassee
- southern seafood marketing, incorporated, tallahassee
- spears seafood inc, tallahassee
Farmers' Market · 2
- frenchtown heritage market place, tallahassee
- southside farmers market, tallahassee
Large Grocery Store · 2
- lynns oriental market, tallahassee
- silver lake grocery, tallahassee
Food Buying Co-op · 1
- red hills online market, tallahassee
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Florida
Compare Leon County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →
Food access nationally, Florida in context
Leon County sits inside Florida (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 Leon County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Leon County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Leon County? ▼
Is Leon County a food desert? ▼
What share of Leon 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.