County food-access profile · Alabama
Marion County, AL
Most of Marion County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 3.0%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 17.3%
- on SNAP
- 29K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
3.0% of Marion County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 317
- food-desert residents
- 4.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.2%
- 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).
By the USDA's measure, Marion County fares better than most: just 3.0% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 0 of the county's 8 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 933 people who live far from a supermarket, and 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 Marion County compares nationally
Food access in Marion County compares favorably nationally: its 3.0% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 7% of them (rank #2,918).
Marion County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 8 census tracts in Marion County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Marion County vs. other Alabama counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Alabama
- Marion 3
Marion County, AL
3 % 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 | 8 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 30,776 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 933 |
| Low-Access Share | 3.0%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 317 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 29,184 |
| Median Household Income | $50,088 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.2%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,841 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 17.3%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.2%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
About 17.3% of Marion County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 3.0% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
- 17.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,841 households here.
- 4.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $50,088 with a 16.2% 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 Marion County
below the national share
An estimated 933 residents, roughly 3.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 317 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 8 tracts (100.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
None of Marion County's tracts meet the USDA low-access threshold, so the county is not flagged for a food-access gap in the 2019 Atlas.
SNAP retailers in Marion County
Marion County has 31 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 11 locations (35% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 11
- dollar general 3271, hamilton
- dollar general 3646, winfield
- dollar general 8999, brilliant
- dollar general 13274, hackleburg
- dollar general 18259, hamilton
- dollar general 22048, guin
- dollar general 23295, winfield
- dollar general 24329, hamilton
- dollar general store 17375, bear creek
- dollar tree 5122, hamilton
- dollar tree 5630, winfield
Convenience Store · 10
- bear's den & deli llc, bear creek
- el amigo supermarket, hamilton
- hamilton chevron food mart 1, hamilton
- love's travel stop 814, hamilton
- m & s winfield inc, winfield
- mac minis mart, hamilton
- pilot travel center 1452, winfield
- sam's country deli, winfield
- san juan 316, hamilton
- stop and go, guin
Super Store · 3
- foodland 131, winfield
- walmart supercenter 362, winfield
- walmart supercenter 1100, hamilton
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 2
- gentrys produce, hamilton
- sandlin produce, guin
Supermarket · 2
- hamilton supervalu, hamilton
- hackleburg market, hackleburg
Farmers' Market · 1
- hamilton's local farmers market, hamilton
Large Grocery Store · 1
- webster's piggly wiggly, guin
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- david's hometown market, hamilton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Alabama
Compare Marion County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Marion 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 Marion County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Marion County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Marion County? ▼
Is Marion County a food desert? ▼
What share of Marion 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.