County food-access profile · Arizona
Maricopa County, AZ
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Maricopa 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).
- 20.8%
- low-access pop.
- 97
- food-desert tracts
- 8.6%
- on SNAP
- 4.6M
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
20.8% of Maricopa County residents live in a low-access area, and 97 of its 913 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 346
- low-access tracts
- 210K
- food-desert residents
- 5.1%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.0%
- 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 Maricopa County's low-access share at 20.8%, above the national share. 346 of the county's 913 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 794,948 people. 97 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 210,290 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 Maricopa County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Maricopa County's 20.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 48% of them and ranked #1,622 most-affected nationwide.
Maricopa County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 913 census tracts in Maricopa County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Maricopa County vs. other Arizona counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Arizona
- Maricopa 20.8
Maricopa County, AZ
20.8 % low-access
- Apache
Apache County, AZ
54.7 % low-access
- Cochise
Cochise County, AZ
43.9 % low-access
- Coconino
Coconino County, AZ
32.5 % low-access
- Gila
Gila County, AZ
28.2 % low-access
- Graham
Graham County, AZ
39.6 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 913 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 3,817,117 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 346 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 97 |
| Low-Access Population | 794,948 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.8%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 210,290 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 4,559,748 |
| Median Household Income | $89,300 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.0%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 148,499 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.6%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.1%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.6% |
About 8.6% of Maricopa County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 20.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 8.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 148,499 households here.
- 5.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 97 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 Maricopa County
above the national share
97 of Maricopa County's 913 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 10.6% of all its tracts.
A further 249 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 346.
An estimated 794,948 residents, roughly 20.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 210,290 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 567 tracts (62.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Maricopa County
Maricopa County has 2,093 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 226 locations (11% of the total), followed by bakery specialty.
Combination Grocery/Other · 226
- african international fresh food llc, phoenix
- ako international markets, tempe
- america market place llc, scottsdale
- american discount foods, mesa
- arizona restaurant wholesale, mesa
- bati bites, phoenix
- benchris african & carribean market, glendale
- bengal mart, glendale
- butcher & farmer market, buckeye
- carniceria el camino, phoenix
- cvs 10529, scottsdale
- cvs 10616, mesa
- cvs pharmacy #10229 10229, avondale
- cvs pharmacy 10007, scottsdale
- cvs pharmacy 10150, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 10615, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 10920, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 10928, tempe
- cvs pharmacy 11478, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 17, glendale
- cvs pharmacy 1716, buckeye
- cvs pharmacy 1719, queen creek
- cvs pharmacy 1720, queen creek
- cvs pharmacy 1743, surprise
- cvs pharmacy 1744, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 193, chandler
- cvs pharmacy 2372, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 2963, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 3143, chandler
- cvs pharmacy 3264, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 3268, gilbert
- cvs pharmacy 3272, gilbert
- cvs pharmacy 33, tempe
- cvs pharmacy 3383, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 3436, mesa
- cvs pharmacy 3491, sun lakes
- cvs pharmacy 3500, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 3625, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 3745, peoria
- cvs pharmacy 3749, goodyear
- cvs pharmacy 3967, chandler
- cvs pharmacy 4795, mesa
- cvs pharmacy 5026, mesa
- cvs pharmacy 5029, mesa
- cvs pharmacy 5038, chandler
- cvs pharmacy 52, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 5303, mesa
- cvs pharmacy 5315, chandler
- cvs pharmacy 5530, surprise
- cvs pharmacy 5778, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 5779, mesa
- cvs pharmacy 5791, litchfield park
- cvs pharmacy 5812, mesa
- cvs pharmacy 5814, mesa
- cvs pharmacy 5849, chandler
- cvs pharmacy 5891, gilbert
- cvs pharmacy 5892, laveen
- cvs pharmacy 5950, tempe
- cvs pharmacy 6718, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 69, peoria
- cvs pharmacy 7, sun city
- cvs pharmacy 7075, chandler
- cvs pharmacy 7115, peoria
- cvs pharmacy 7116, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 7262, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 7263, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 7839, scottsdale
- cvs pharmacy 7845, scottsdale
- cvs pharmacy 7849, chandler
- cvs pharmacy 7852, cave creek
- cvs pharmacy 7860, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 7862, scottsdale
- cvs pharmacy 8365, gilbert
- cvs pharmacy 8366, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 8914, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 8952, peoria
- cvs pharmacy 8983, glendale
- cvs pharmacy 9202, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 9205, tempe
- cvs pharmacy 9210, scottsdale
- cvs pharmacy 9213, mesa
- cvs pharmacy 9217, sun city
- cvs pharmacy 9218, mesa
- cvs pharmacy 9222, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 9225, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 9230, sun city west
- cvs pharmacy 9237, peoria
- cvs pharmacy 9245, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 9252, scottsdale
- cvs pharmacy 9256, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 9264, scottsdale
- cvs pharmacy 9270, wickenburg
- cvs pharmacy 9279, fountain hills
- cvs pharmacy 9283, chandler
- cvs pharmacy 9290, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 9294, peoria
- cvs pharmacy 9297, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 9306, surprise
- cvs pharmacy 9314, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 9328, scottsdale
- cvs pharmacy 9339, phoenix
- cvs pharmacy 9340, anthem
- cvs pharmacy 9347, phoenix
- carniceria mexico llc, phoenix
- carniceria mr. muuu, phoenix
- dollar general 13511, phoenix
- dollar general 14141, phoenix
- dollar general 14142, phoenix
- dollar general 14375, phoenix
- dollar general 14509, mesa
- dollar general 18390, wittmann
- dollar general 6624, glendale
- dollar general 6743, buckeye
- dollartree 10001, mesa
- dollartree 10063, glendale
- dollartree 10173, tempe
- dollartree 10268, avondale
- dollartree 10328, phoenix
- dollartree 10381, laveen
- dollartree 10391, phoenix
- dollartree 10397, gilbert
- dollartree 10407, glendale
- dollartree 10415, phoenix
- dollartree 10433, glendale
- dollartree 10436, scottsdale
- dollartree 10487, phoenix
- dollartree 10500, glendale
- dollartree 10501, surprise
- dollartree 10515, tempe
- dollartree 10517, peoria
- dollartree 10709, anthem
- dollartree 11009, mesa
- dollartree 11064, scottsdale
- dollartree 4366, queen creek
- dollartree 6917, mesa
- dollartree 8206, tempe
- dollartree 8423, el mirage
- dollartree 8687, mesa
- dollartree 9537, phoenix
- dollartree 9839, phoenix
- dollartree 9861, phoenix
- dollartree 9891, scottsdale
- dollartree plus 8983, mesa
- dollartree plus 9131, chandler
- dollar general 10200, chandler
- dollar general 10257, sun city
- dollar general 10837, phoenix
- dollar general 10996, phoenix
- dollar general 11185, gila bend
- dollar general 12457, mesa
- dollar general 13380, mesa
- dollar general 19349, surprise
- dollar general 19421, phoenix
- dollar general 19475, buckeye
- dollar general 19476, phoenix
- dollar general 19504, phoenix
- dollar general 19554, glendale
- dollar general 19997, buckeye
- dollar general 20071, phoenix
- dollar general 22512, surprise
- dollar general 25371, phoenix
- dollar general 6937, wickenburg
- dollar general 7345, avondale
- dollar general 9887, phoenix
- dollar general store 17324, mesa
- dollar general store 17377, tonopah
- dollar tree 2607, scottsdale
- dollar tree 2616, phoenix
- dollar tree 2617, mesa
- dollar tree 2619, phoenix
- dollar tree 2621, mesa
- dollar tree 2622, phoenix
- dollar tree 2623, phoenix
- dollar tree 2625, chandler
- dollar tree 2632, mesa
- dollar tree 2633, mesa
- dollar tree 2643, phoenix
- dollar tree 2650, tempe
- dollar tree 2651, scottsdale
- dollar tree 2655, peoria
- dollar tree 2680, avondale
- dollar tree 2687, tempe
- dollar tree 2845, fountain hills
- dollar tree 2950, mesa
- dollar tree 2970, phoenix
- dollar tree 2974, goodyear
- dollar tree 2975, glendale
- dollar tree 2992, phoenix
- dollar tree 3143, sun city
- dollar tree 3465, phoenix
- dollar tree 3467, peoria
- dollar tree 3538, laveen
- dollar tree 3591, tolleson
- dollar tree 3605, phoenix
- dollar tree 3639, scottsdale
- dollar tree 3656, gilbert
- dollar tree 3684, phoenix
- dollar tree 3703, gilbert
- dollar tree 3723, phoenix
- dollar tree 3805, glendale
- dollar tree 3931, mesa
- dollar tree 3952, phoenix
- dollar tree 4011, gilbert
- dollar tree 4258, chandler
- dollar tree 4343, phoenix
- dollar tree 4352, chandler
- dollar tree 4471, glendale
- dollar tree 4480, phoenix
- dollar tree 4606, buckeye
- dollar tree 4669, peoria
- dollar tree 4709, glendale
- dollar tree 5005, phoenix
- dollar tree 5048, goodyear
- dollar tree 5120, glendale
- dollar tree 5300, mesa
- dollar tree 5466, mesa
- dollar tree 5474, phoenix
- dollar tree 5564, anthem
- dollar tree 5567, mesa
- dollar tree 5581, surprise
- dollar tree 5696, mesa
- dollar tree 5783, chandler
- dollar tree 5815, sun city
- dollar tree 5942, phoenix
- dollar tree 5964, phoenix
- dollar tree 6250, chandler
Bakery Specialty · 24
- bimbo bakeries 9141, phoenix
- bimbo bakeries 9145, sun city
- kabul bakery & foods market, phoenix
- papa murphy's az002, surprise
- papa murphy's az008, avondale
- papa murphy's az011, phoenix
- papa murphy's az026, mesa
- papa murphy's az034, goodyear
- papa murphy's az035, fountain hills
- papa murphy's az042, mesa
- papa murphy's az047, peoria
- papa murphy's az049, mesa
- papa murphy's az058, queen creek
- papa murphy's az071, chandler
- papa murphy's az080, peoria
- papa murphy's az089, mesa
- papa murphy's az097, mesa
- papa murphy's az098, sun city
- papa murphy's pizza az003, gilbert
- papa murphy's pizza az004, chandler
- papa murphy's pizza az010, cave creek
- papa murphy's pizza az067, scottsdale
- papa murphys az052, peoria
- papa murphys az081, mesa
Showing 250 of 2,093 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Arizona
Compare Maricopa County vs Apache County → · All Arizona counties →
Food access nationally, Arizona in context
Maricopa County sits inside Arizona (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 Maricopa County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Maricopa County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Maricopa County? ▼
Is Maricopa County a food desert? ▼
What share of Maricopa 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.