Signature · 8.8% SNAP (5th pct in AL)
Limestone County, AL
Limestone County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 17.1%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 8.8%
- on SNAP
- 111K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Limestone County, AL
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 17.1% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -5.0 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 8.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 19% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Lauderdale County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Limestone County ranks #1,936 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #38 of 66 counties in AL (17.1% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #1,936
- national by low-access %
- #38
- in AL
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 5K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 8.8% SNAP (5th pct in AL) (-3.3 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Limestone County compares nationally
Limestone County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.1% low-access share that beats 38% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,937).
Limestone County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
16 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Limestone County has 5 urban and 11 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Limestone County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Alabama, not a full county-board reprint
- Bullock
Bullock 68.5%
68.5 % low-access
- Monroe 18.6
Monroe 18.6%
18.6 % low-access
- Talladega 18.6
Talladega 18.6%
18.6 % low-access
- Sumter 18
Sumter 18%
18 % low-access
- Limestone 17.1
Limestone 17.1%
17.1 % low-access
- Lauderdale 17
Lauderdale 17%
17 % low-access
- DeKalb 0
DeKalb 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 16 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 82,782 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 14,117 |
| Low-Access Share | 17.1%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 5,320 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 111,233 |
| Median Household Income | $83,629 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.0%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 3,620 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.8%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.5%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.7% |
Thick SNAP store book in Limestone County
Limestone County has 87 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 38 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 38
- 4 square market inc, athens
- ankr food mart, athens
- b and k grocery, athens
- bob's quick mart, athens
- circle k 2704393, athens
- clements mini mart, athens
- elkmont bp, elkmont
- elm st chevron, athens
- exxon hwy 72, athens
- harvest convenience store inc, harvest
- hobbs street mini mart 1, athens
- k & s deli & grocery, elkmont
- la miscelanea party store llc, athens
- mapco express, inc 1107, athens`
- mapco express, inc. 5212, elkmont
- mart a inc, athens
- mini mart, athens
- murphy usa 5625, athens
- oakdale bp, athens
- oakdale food mart, athens
- omnamh4u, athens
- one stop shop, athens
- payless 3, madison
- quik mart 33, ardmore
- racetrac 2636, madison
- raceway 6712, athens
- sai chevron inc, madison
- sai guru 3 inc, madison
- shree varahi inc, athens
- sportsmans park, athens
- tab's market 2, athens
- tabs market 1, athens
- tanner chevron, athens
- tienda mexicana la bonita, athens
- tiger mart, ardmore
- uncle bud's mini mart 1, athens
- village food & gas, athens
- yunus isa inc, athens
Combination Grocery/Other · 34
- big lots 3271, athens
- cvs pharmacy 4815, athens
- dollar general 0964, athens
- dollar general 11238, tanner
- dollar general 14414, athens
- dollar general 19510, athens
- dollar general 2680, athens
- dollar general 5865, athens
- dollar general 9140, madison
- dollar general 9670, athens
- dollar general store 9671, harvest
- dollar general 10107, athens
- dollar general 11261, athens
- dollar general 16375, athens
- dollar general 18104, elkmont
- dollar general 20067, athens
- dollar general 20069, athens
- dollar general 20944, athens
- dollar general 21187, athens
- dollar general 21483, ardmore
- dollar general 22809, athens
- dollar general 23296, athens
- dollar general 30572, elkmont
- dollar general 31134, ardmore
- dollar general 5836, athens
- dollar general 6245, elkmont
- dollar general 7424, athens
- dollar general store 17686, athens
- dollar tree 10250, athens
- dollar tree 1368, athens
- family dollar 13647, tanner
- twice daily/white bison # 3103 3103, athens
- twice daily/white bison # 3114 3114, athens
- walgreens 10981, athens
Supermarket · 5
- aldi 70086 70086, athens
- fresh value athens 14, athens
- publix 1185, madison
- publix 1203, athens
- publix alabama, llc 1790, athens
Super Store · 3
- hometown grocery, athens
- hometown grocery - limestone, athens
- walmart super center 661, athens
Large Grocery Store · 2
- l & s food market, ardmore
- piggly wiggly 85, elkmont
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- el azteca supermercado y taqueria, athens
- tienda mexicana la fuente, athens
Small Grocery Store · 2
- mapou carribean store, athens
- market agustin, athens
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- marcial's fresh produce, elkmont
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Alabama
One of 66 counties in Alabama, 6 are shown here.
Compare Limestone County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Nationwide peers for Limestone County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Limestone County (8.8%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Alabama.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside AL (17.1% here).
- Boulder County, CO · 17.1% low-access
- Boulder County, CO · 17.1% low-access
- Marquette County, MI · 17.1% low-access
- Marquette County, MI · 17.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside AL (8.8% here).
- Denver County, CO · 8.8% SNAP
- Denver County, CO · 8.8% SNAP
- Fremont County, ID · 8.8% SNAP
- Fremont County, ID · 8.8% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Limestone County sits inside Alabama (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Limestone County, AL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 01083. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.