County food-access profile · Arizona
Pima County, AZ
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Pima 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).
- 28.6%
- low-access pop.
- 29
- food-desert tracts
- 12.1%
- on SNAP
- 1.1M
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
28.6% of Pima County residents live in a low-access area, and 29 of its 241 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 105
- low-access tracts
- 88K
- food-desert residents
- 7.1%
- households, no vehicle
- 14.3%
- 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 Pima County's low-access share at 28.6%, above the national share. 105 of the county's 241 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 280,814 people. 29 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 87,525 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 Pima County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Pima County's 28.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 67% of them and ranked #1,034 most-affected nationwide.
Pima County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 241 census tracts in Pima County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Pima County vs. other Arizona counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Arizona
- Pima
Pima County, AZ
28.6 % 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 | 241 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 980,263 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 105 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 29 |
| Low-Access Population | 280,814 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.6%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 87,525 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,060,490 |
| Median Household Income | $70,315 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.3%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 53,119 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.1%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.1%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.8% |
About 12.1% of Pima County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 28.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 53,119 households here.
- 7.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 29 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 Pima County
above the national share
29 of Pima County's 241 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 12.0% of all its tracts.
A further 76 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 105.
An estimated 280,814 residents, roughly 28.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 87,525 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 136 tracts (56.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Pima County
Pima County has 596 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 138 locations (23% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 138
- ada imports market llc, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 10006, oro valley
- cvs pharmacy 10184, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 10742, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 7841, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 7855, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 7859, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 7867, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 7876, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 8420, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 9211, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 9254, green valley
- cvs pharmacy 9272, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 9273, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 9274, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 9277, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 9302, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 9336, tucson
- cvs pharmacy 9374, tucson
- cvspharmacy 10307, tucson
- dollar general 13710, tucson
- dollar general 14055, tucson
- dollar general 14104, tucson
- dollar general 14192, tucson
- dollar general 14416, tucson
- dollar general 18866, tucson
- dollartree 10131, tucson
- dollartree 10238, tucson
- dollartree 10484, tucson
- dollartree 10492, tucson
- dollartree 10516, tucson
- dollartree 9695, tucson
- dollartree 9833, tucson
- dollartree plus 9008, tucson
- del rancho carniceria & tacos, tucson
- destiny african market llc, tucson
- dollar general 10369, ajo
- dollar general 12366, tucson
- dollar general 14667, marana
- dollar general 14756, tucson
- dollar general 14937, tucson
- dollar general 14973, tucson
- dollar general 17583, tucson
- dollar general 19372, amado
- dollar general 20680, marana
- dollar general 20744, tucson
- dollar general 22864, tucson
- dollar general 30375, marana
- dollar general 31423, tucson
- dollar tree 2631, tucson
- dollar tree 2634, tucson
- dollar tree 2635, tucson
- dollar tree 2644, tucson
- dollar tree 2952, tucson
- dollar tree 2973, tucson
- dollar tree 3229, tucson
- dollar tree 3468, tucson
- dollar tree 4013, tucson
- dollar tree 4161, oro valley
- dollar tree 4345, tucson
- dollar tree 5346, tucson
- dollar tree 5470, tucson
- dollar tree 5745, tucson
- dollar tree 5878, tucson
- dollar tree 6461, tucson
- dollar tree 6481, sahuarita
- dollar tree 6544, tucson
- dollar tree 6700, tucson
- dollar tree 7766, tucson
- dollar tree 8625, tucson
- dollartree 8860, tucson
- family dollar 10887, tucson
- family dollar 13846, tucson
- family dollar 7696, marana
- family dollar 7994, tucson
- family dollar store 10188, tucson
- family dollar store 4662, tucson
- family dollar store 4903, tucson
- family dollar store 5088, tucson
- family dollar store 5343, tucson
- family dollar store 5793, tucson
- family dollar store 5829, tucson
- family dollar store 6053, tucson
- family dollar store 6302, tucson
- family dollar store 6521, ajo
- family dollar store 7243, tucson
- family dollar store 7362, tucson
- family dollar store 7499, tucson
- family dollar store 880, tucson
- india dukaan, tucson
- indian food & gifts, tucson
- islas meat market, tucson
- mcgary's discount groceries, tucson
- otto african market & beauty, tucson
- sandyi oriental market, tucson
- sonora market, tucson
- sun oriental market, tucson
- tortilleria dona esperanza, tucson
- tucson csa, tucson
- walgreens 02372, tucson
- walgreens 03097, tucson
- walgreens 03249, tucson
- walgreens 03447, tucson
- walgreens 03463, tucson
- walgreens 03630, tucson
- walgreens 04045, tucson
- walgreens 04102, tucson
- walgreens 04103, oro valley
- walgreens 04266, tucson
- walgreens 05156, tucson
- walgreens 05312, green valley
- walgreens 05892, tucson
- walgreens 06245, tucson
- walgreens 06411, oro valley
- walgreens 06645, tucson
- walgreens 07104, tucson
- walgreens 07209, tucson
- walgreens 07232, tucson
- walgreens 09186, green valley
- walgreens 09952, marana
- walgreens 09953, tucson
- walgreens 10684, vail
- walgreens 10879, tucson
- walgreens 11183, tucson
- walgreens 13822, tucson
- walgreens 15363, tucson
- walgreens 15502, tucson
- walgreens 2232, green valley
- walgreens 3007, tucson
- walgreens 3377, tucson
- walgreens 3837, tucson
- walgreens 5209, tucson
- walgreens 5532, tucson
- walgreens 6244, tucson
- walgreens 6571, tucson
- walgreens 6766, tucson
- walgreens 6953, tucson
- walgreens 7041, tucson
Convenience Store · 102
- 5th st chevron, tucson
- 7 eleven 13035c, tucson
- 7- eleven 23347d, tucson
- 7-eleven #21043b, tucson
- 7-eleven 17766d, tucson
- 7-eleven 17403e, tucson
- 7-eleven 17426d, tucson
- 7-eleven 20196c, tucson
- 7-eleven 21814c, tucson
- 7-eleven 23823c, tucson
- 7-eleven 27143c, tucson
- 7-eleven store 18981d, tucson
- 7-eleven 13048a, tucson
- 7-eleven 24418d, tucson
- 7-eleven 46258a, tucson
- amado mini market, amado
- apache shell, tucson
- arco am/pm 82297, tucson
- arco am/pm 82504, tucson
- arco am/pm 82508, tucson
- arco ampm 42422, tucson
- arco ampm 42440, tucson
- arco ampm 42441, tucson
- arco am/pm 42500 42500, tucson
- arcoampm 42331, tucson
- arizona market, tucson
- beverage store, tucson
- circle k 2703493, tucson
- circle k 2709539, marana
- circle k 2709554, tucson
- chevron, tucson
- chevron, tucson
- chevron 22nd craycroft llc, tucson
- chevron food mart 1, tucson
- chihuahua market, tucson
- circle k 2700166, tucson
- circle k 2700228, ajo
- circle k 2700483, tucson
- circle k 2700517, tucson
- circle k 2700580, tucson
- circle k 2700581, tucson
- circle k 2700592, tucson
- circle k 2700719, tucson
- circle k 2700779, green valley
- circle k 2700785, tucson
- circle k 2700805, tucson
- circle k 2700809, tucson
- circle k 2700811, tucson
- circle k 2700843, tucson
- circle k 2701140, tucson
- circle k 2701422, tucson
- circle k 2701449, tucson
- circle k 2701520, tucson
- circle k 2701557, tucson
- circle k 2701581, tucson
- circle k 2701583, tucson
- circle k 2701606, tucson
- circle k 2701631, tucson
- circle k 2701632, tucson
- circle k 2701633, tucson
- circle k 2701634, tucson
- circle k 2701635, tucson
- circle k 2701737, tucson
- circle k 2701773, tucson
- circle k 2701789, tucson
- circle k 2701793, tucson
- circle k 2701796, tucson
- circle k 2701798, tucson
- circle k 2701832, tucson
- circle k 2701848, tucson
- circle k 2701850, tucson
- circle k 2701933, tucson
- circle k 2701944, tucson
- circle k 2701946, tucson
- circle k 2701953, tucson
- circle k 2701957, tucson
- circle k 2701985, tucson
- circle k 2702902, tucson
- circle k 2702907, tucson
- circle k 2702912, tucson
- circle k 2702915, tucson
- circle k 2702917, tucson
- circle k 2702936, tucson
- circle k 2702939, tucson
- circle k 2702944, tucson
- circle k 2702948, tucson
- circle k 2703386, tucson
- circle k 2703387, tucson
- circle k 2703391, tucson
- circle k 2703394, marana
- circle k 2703400, tucson
- circle k 2703401, tucson
- circle k 2703404, tucson
- circle k 2703406, tucson
- circle k 2703415, tucson
- circle k 2703424, tucson
- circle k 2703439, tucson
- circle k 2703458, tucson
- circle k 2703482, green valley
- circle k 2703483, tucson
- circle k 2703484, tucson
- circle k 2703494, tucson
Bakery Specialty · 10
- bimbo bakeries 9144, tucson
- papa murphy's az032, green valley
- papa murphy's az068, tucson
- papa murphy's az082, tucson
- papa murphy's pizza az022, tucson
- papa murphy's pizza az031, tucson
- papa murphy's pizza az038, tucson
- papa murphy's pizza az041, tucson
- papa murphy's pizza az083, tucson
- tortilleria dona esperanza, tucson
Showing 250 of 596 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Arizona
Compare Pima County vs Apache County → · All Arizona counties →
Food access nationally, Arizona in context
Pima 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 Pima County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Pima County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Pima County? ▼
Is Pima County a food desert? ▼
What share of Pima 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.