County food-access profile · Florida
Liberty County, FL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Liberty 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).
- 25.9%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 26.7%
- on SNAP
- 8K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
25.9% of Liberty County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 842
- food-desert residents
- 8.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 17.5%
- 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 Liberty County's low-access share at 25.9%, above the national share. 1 of the county's 2 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 2,168 people. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 Liberty County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Liberty County's 25.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 61% of them and ranked #1,225 most-affected nationwide.
Liberty County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 2 census tracts in Liberty County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Liberty County vs. other Florida counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida
- Liberty
Liberty County, FL
25.9 % 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 | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 8,365 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,168 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.9%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 842 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 7,687 |
| Median Household Income | $58,671 |
| Poverty Rate | 17.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 684 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 26.7%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.7%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 20.3% |
About 26.7% of Liberty County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 25.9% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 26.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 684 households here.
- 8.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $58,671 with a 17.5% poverty rate.
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 Liberty County
above the national share
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 1.
An estimated 2,168 residents, roughly 25.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 842 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 1 tract (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Liberty County
Liberty County has 9 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 3 locations (33% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 3
- dollar general 18372, hosford
- dollar general 8513, bristol
- dollar general 30564, bristol
Convenience Store · 3
- bennys of liberty county, bristol
- express lane 792, bristol
- sumatra grocery 1 stop, llc, bristol
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- bear creek ranch country store, hosford
Small Grocery Store · 1
- 20 to 1 bristol, bristol
Super Store · 1
- piggly wiggly 218, bristol
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Florida
Compare Liberty County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →
Food access nationally, Florida in context
Liberty 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 Liberty County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Liberty County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Liberty County? ▼
Is Liberty County a food desert? ▼
What share of Liberty 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.