County food-access profile · Alabama
Marshall County, AL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Marshall 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).
- 22.3%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 12.4%
- on SNAP
- 100K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
22.3% of Marshall County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 18 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 8
- low-access tracts
- 9K
- food-desert residents
- 4.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.6%
- 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 Marshall County's low-access share at 22.3%, above the national share. 8 of the county's 18 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 20,718 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 9,331 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 Marshall County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Marshall County's 22.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 52% of them and ranked #1,503 most-affected nationwide.
Marshall County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 18 census tracts in Marshall County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Marshall County vs. other Alabama counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Alabama
- Marshall
Marshall County, AL
22.3 % 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 | 18 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 93,019 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 8 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 20,718 |
| Low-Access Share | 22.3%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 9,331 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 99,748 |
| Median Household Income | $62,571 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.6%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 4,512 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.4%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.4%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.1% |
About 12.4% of Marshall County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 22.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,512 households here.
- 4.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 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 Marshall County
above the national share
6 of Marshall County's 18 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 33.3% of all its tracts.
A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 8.
An estimated 20,718 residents, roughly 22.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 9,331 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 10 tracts (55.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Marshall County
Marshall County has 119 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 49 locations (41% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 49
- alder springs grocery, albertville
- albertville chevron, albertville
- albertville raceway 6886, albertville
- boaz food mart, boaz
- boaz grocery, boaz
- bp food mart # 2, albertville
- bp food mart #1, albertville
- broad street market & deli, albertville
- cheers corner, albertville
- circle k 2723654, boaz
- circle k store 2709327, guntersville
- costa mesa 2 inc, albertville
- country cooler 0, albertville
- downtown mini marrt, boaz
- don's convenience store, arab
- double bridges grocery, boaz
- el paisano panaderia 1, albertville
- el quetzal, albertville
- fonzy 7-11 grocery & beverage, albertville
- grant food mart, grant
- grant food mart, grant
- hi-tech express, arab
- jay shivay llc, guntersville
- jet pep #8, arab
- lakeside superstop, guntersville
- lakeview tackle & grocery, guntersville
- mapco express, inc. 5148, albertville
- murphy usa 5786, guntersville
- murphy usa 6884, boaz
- murphy usa 7795, arab
- on the way express, arab
- pier 69, guntersville
- premprachi inc, horton
- raceway 915, guntersville
- rite value, guntersville
- rj brother inc, albertville
- s & k 2 stop, albertville
- scant city food mart, arab
- shiloh farms food store, boaz
- snack n fuel 107, albertville
- stop super fuelcity, arab
- the rock store, albertville
- three way grocery 1, albertville
- tienda el eden, boaz
- town creek fillin station, guntersville
- union grove food town, union grove
- v & s jet pep, arab
- wavaho food mart, guntersville
- brindlee mountain food mart, union grove
Combination Grocery/Other · 38
- cvs pharmacy 4941, arab
- cvs pharmacy 4968, guntersville
- cvs pharmacy 4910, albertville
- dollar general 0545, albertville
- dollar general 1578, albertville
- dollar general 2508, guntersville
- dollar general 2602, arab
- dollar general 3301, guntersville
- dollar general 4136, grant
- dollar general 8789, horton
- dollar general 9408, boaz
- dollartree 8553, albertville
- dollar general 13445, guntersville
- dollar general 15729, albertville
- dollar general 15890, albertville
- dollar general 19789, albertville
- dollar general 20894, albertville
- dollar general 22116, guntersville
- dollar general 23211, union grove
- dollar general 24095, albertville
- dollar general 24230, albertville
- dollar general 24320, new hope
- dollar general 25469, arab
- dollar general 30443, guntersville
- dollar general 30725, arab
- dollar general 30982, guntersville
- dollar general 6379, guntersville
- dollar tree 2551, boaz
- dollar tree 2914, guntersville
- dollar tree 3019, arab
- dollar tree 7911, guntersville
- family dollar 13196, grant
- family dollar 2721, albertville
- family dollar 544, boaz
- tienda coataneca market llc 1, albertville
- walgreens 10965, boaz
- walgreens 11279, albertville
- walgreens 12911, guntersville
Supermarket · 10
- aldi 85, guntersville
- boaz foodland, boaz
- food city 501, albertville
- food valu, douglas
- la orquidea, albertville
- piggly wiggly 552, albertville
- piggly wiggly 553, boaz
- piggly wiggly 554, guntersville
- publix 1462, guntersville
- warehouse discount 816, arab
Super Store · 7
- albertville foodland, albertville
- arab foodland 115, arab
- foodland 52, guntersville
- grant foodland, grant
- walmart 681, guntersville
- walmart s/c 306, arab
- walmart store 298, boaz
Medium Grocery Store · 5
- empresas la poblano, albertville
- fast fixin foods, boaz
- g & a salvage groceries plus, albertville
- guelaguetza bakery 2, albertville
- mi palmar supermarket llc, boaz
Small Grocery Store · 5
- bryant's grocery, albertville
- la bonita mexican store llc, boaz
- tienda el paraiso 1, albertville
- tienda tuchito 1, albertville
- tienda velasquez, albertville
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- arab meat market, arab
- arab meat market, arab
- high rock farm market, albertville
Farmers' Market · 1
- city of albertville farmers market, albertville
Large Grocery Store · 1
- super mercado la popular inc, albertville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Alabama
Compare Marshall County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Marshall 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 Marshall County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Marshall County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Marshall County? ▼
Is Marshall County a food desert? ▼
What share of Marshall 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.