PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Florida

Nassau County, FL

Nassau County sits among the counties with the widest food-access gaps the USDA tracks, most residents here live well outside a comfortable walk or drive to a supermarket. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

44.0%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
6.9%
on SNAP
98K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 FL

The food-access picture

44.0% of Nassau County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

7
low-access tracts
9K
food-desert residents
3.0%
households, no vehicle
9.7%
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).

Nassau County carries one of the more serious food-access burdens the USDA Atlas tracks: its low-access share of 44.0% is well above the national share. 7 of the county's 12 census tracts fall into that category, areas where residents live far from a supermarket, covering about 32,237 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 8,891 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 Nassau County compares nationally

Nassau County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 44.0% low-access share outpaces 90% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #299 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Nassau County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Nassau County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Nassau County, FL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 6 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (41.7%) 6 tracts limited (50.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (8.3%) Adequate 42% Limited 50% Severe 8% Food-access tier distribution: Nassau County, FL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Nassau County vs. other Florida counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Nassau County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)73,314
Low-Access Tracts7
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population32,237
Low-Access Share44.0%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population8,891

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Nassau County
IndicatorValue
Population97,859
Median Household Income$89,804
Poverty Rate9.7%below the national average
SNAP Households2,714
SNAP Participation Rate6.9%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.0%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.8%
SNAP participation in Nassau County 6.9%

About 6.9% of Nassau County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 44.0% of residents are low-access, well above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 6.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,714 households here.
  • 3.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Nassau County

well above the national share

1 of Nassau County's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 8.3% of all its tracts.

A further 6 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 7.

An estimated 32,237 residents, roughly 44.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 8,891 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (41.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Nassau County

Nassau County has 70 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 37 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 37

  • 7-eleven 41622a, yulee
  • a1a gas mart, fernandina beach
  • circle k stores, inc. 2706781, yulee
  • circle k 2721262, hilliard
  • circle k 2726056, callahan
  • circle k 2726109, callahan
  • circle k 2726158, fernandina beach
  • circle k 2726284, fernandina beach
  • eastwood discount, hilliard
  • el rincon, fernandina beach
  • flash foods 274104, yulee
  • fast market 475, callahan
  • fast market 477, hilliard
  • fast market 478, yulee
  • fernandina shell, fernandina beach
  • flash foods llc 274097, fernandina
  • flash foods llc 274101, fernandina beach
  • flash foods llc 274120, fernandina beach
  • flash foods llc 274138, fernandina
  • flash foods llc 274143, fernandina beach
  • flash foods llc 274179, fernandina beach
  • flash foods llc 274186, yulee
  • g & a food store, yulee
  • gate service station 1214, yulee
  • hilliard discount beverage, hilliard
  • jack rabbit food mart, hilliard
  • jm island food store, fernandina beach
  • kangaroo 615, yulee
  • murphy usa 6953, yulee
  • racetrac 2406, yulee
  • raceway 6898, yulee
  • safari food store 10, yulee
  • speedway 6418, fernandina beach
  • star food mart, callahan
  • sunshine food mart 315, yulee
  • wawa store 5443, yulee
  • westgate plaza, yulee

Combination Grocery/Other · 17

  • cvs pharmacy 3235, fernandina beach
  • cvs pharmacy 3637, callahan
  • dollar general 1333, callahan
  • dollar general 18284, callahan
  • dollar general 4486, hilliard
  • dollar general 13628, yulee
  • dollar general 1958, fernandina beach
  • dollar general 19601, fernandina beach
  • dollar general 20355, bryceville
  • dollar general 22684, yulee
  • dollar tree 2804, fernandina beach
  • dollar tree 5002, yulee
  • family dollar store 3657, yulee
  • family dollar store 7720, hilliard
  • gourmet market and meats of fernandina, fernandina beach
  • walgreens 09786, callahan
  • walgreens 4449, fernandina beach

Supermarket · 8

  • aldi 74101, yulee
  • publix 0322, fernandina beach
  • publix 1406, yulee
  • publix super markets, inc. 1792, yulee
  • winn dixie 0142, hilliard
  • winn dixie 180, yulee
  • winn dixie 0084, fernandina beach
  • winn dixie 0151, callahan

Super Store · 4

  • harris teeter 034, fernandina beach
  • target store t-2155, yulee
  • walmart s/c 5037, yulee
  • walmart store 977, fernandina beach

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • hedges meat shoppe, yulee
  • hilliard meats, hilliard

Farmers' Market · 1

  • starrbrite llc, callahan

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • lofton creek seafood & more inc., yulee

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Florida

Alachua County
19.2% low-access · 9.2% SNAP
Baker County
55.6% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Bay County
31.5% low-access · 12.6% SNAP
Bradford County
1.1% low-access · 17.3% SNAP
Brevard County
41.8% low-access · 9.4% SNAP
Broward County
9.4% low-access · 13.2% SNAP

Compare Nassau County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →

Food access nationally, Florida in context

Nassau County sits inside Florida (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Nassau County has low food access? ▼
44.0% of residents in Nassau County, FL live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Nassau County? ▼
6.9% of households in Nassau County receive SNAP, covering 2,714 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Nassau County? ▼
The poverty rate in Nassau County, FL is 9.7%, with a median household income of $89,804 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Nassau County a food desert? ▼
1 of Nassau County's 12 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Nassau County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.0% of households in Nassau County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.