County food-access profile · Massachusetts
Plymouth County, MA
Plymouth 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.
- 41.6%
- low-access pop.
- 8
- food-desert tracts
- 12.7%
- on SNAP
- 535K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
41.6% of Plymouth County residents live in a low-access area, and 8 of its 100 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 61
- low-access tracts
- 24K
- food-desert residents
- 6.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 7.1%
- 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).
Plymouth County carries one of the more serious food-access burdens the USDA Atlas tracks: its low-access share of 41.6% is well above the national share. 61 of the county's 100 census tracts fall into that category, areas where residents live far from a supermarket, covering about 206,119 people. 8 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 23,782 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 Plymouth County compares nationally
Plymouth County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 41.6% low-access share outpaces 89% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #351 most-affected nationwide.
Plymouth County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 100 census tracts in Plymouth County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Plymouth County vs. other Massachusetts counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Massachusetts
- Plymouth
Plymouth County, MA
41.6 % low-access
- Barnstable
Barnstable County, MA
51 % low-access
- Berkshire
Berkshire County, MA
30.9 % low-access
- Bristol
Bristol County, MA
26.4 % low-access
- Dukes
Dukes County, MA
32.2 % low-access
- Essex
Essex County, MA
30.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 100 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 494,919 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 61 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 8 |
| Low-Access Population | 206,119 |
| Low-Access Share | 41.6%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 23,782 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 535,075 |
| Median Household Income | $114,201 |
| Poverty Rate | 7.1%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 25,764 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.7%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
About 12.7% of Plymouth County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 41.6% of residents are low-access, well above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 25,764 households here.
- 6.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 8 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 Plymouth County
well above the national share
8 of Plymouth County's 100 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 8.0% of all its tracts.
A further 53 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 61.
An estimated 206,119 residents, roughly 41.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 23,782 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 39 tracts (39.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Plymouth County
Plymouth County has 336 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 166 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 166
- 7 eleven 2464-32493, norwell
- 7 eleven 37459a, plymouth
- 7-eleven 30260-g, plymouth
- 7-eleven 15767c, rockland
- 7-eleven 32437e, abington
- 7-eleven 32564b 32564, east wareham
- 7-eleven 37387h, west bridgewater
- 7-eleven 37405h, marshfield
- 7-eleven 37413a, east wareham
- 7-eleven 37414h, plymouth
- 7-eleven 37424b, bridgewater
- 7-eleven 37439h, hanover
- 7-eleven 32438d 32438d, brockton
- 7-eleven 32448d, pembroke
- 7-eleven 32482e, plymouth
- 7-eleven 37404a, whitman
- 7-eleven 37406a 37406a, abington
- 7-eleven 37461b, brockton
- 7-eleven 37474c, scituate
- a. j.'s inc, hingham
- abington stop n gas, abington
- adam's village gas llc d/b/a saab energy main, brockton
- afz dba star food mart, brockton
- alina h corp, wareham
- alltown fresh 647, plymouth
- alprime energy - montello 115, brockton
- ameera inc. 37490, abington
- athena international, brockton
- atlantic hill market, hull
- bridge mart, bridgewater
- bridgewater state bears den, bridgewater
- brockton convenience store, brockton
- brockton food mart, brockton
- brockton mini mart, brockton
- cm petti market, brockton
- cumberland farms 2259, wareham
- cumberland farms 2296, plymouth
- cumberland farms 2312, bridgewater
- cumberland farms 2313, e wareham
- cumberland farms 3336, hull
- cumberland farms 3415, hull
- cumberland farms 6773, brockton
- cumberland farms 6786, hanover
- carver gas & convenience store, carver
- carver gas corp, carver
- circle k 4707517, bridgewater
- circle k 4707519, middleboro
- city stop, brockton
- colbea enterprises llc 66, plymouth
- colbea enterprises llc 67, pembroke
- colbea enterprises llc 76, brockton
- colbea enterprises llc 83, rochester
- colbea enterprises llc 86, lakeville
- corner market, west bridgewater
- corner store, plymouth
- country convenience 1, east bridgewater
- country food store, brockton
- cranberry plaza enterprise, llc 2655974, east wareham
- crescent variety, brockton
- crow point convenience, hingham
- cumberland farms 2318, bridgewater
- cumberland farms 2319, hanson
- cumberland farms 2323, brockton
- cumberland farms 2327, carver
- cumberland farms 2332, whitman
- cumberland farms 2339, halifax
- cumberland farms 2349, brockton
- cumberland farms 2353, west bridgewater
- cumberland farms 6729, kingston
- cumberland farms 6739, middleboro
- cumberland farms 6741, brockton
- cumberland farms 6744, middleboro
- cumberland farms, inc 2229, kingston
- cumberland farms, inc 2272, west wareham
- cumberland farms, inc 2299, east bridgewater
- cumberland farms, inc 2337, marion
- cumberland farms, inc 2365, east bridgewater
- cumberland farms, inc 2367, pembroke
- daves liquors & convenience, south carver
- ez mart, brockton
- eastside market, brockton
- energy north 2129, plymouth
- energy north 2130, plymouth
- energy north 2135, pembroke
- ez mart hingham, hingham
- ezmart, rockland
- gas depot, brockton
- geko, carver
- go gas, bridgewater
- golden mini market, brockton
- grab n go, brockton
- h & t variety, inc., rockland
- hansen market & liquor, hanson
- hi lo gas rt 18, east bridgewater
- hingham gas, hingham
- jay's market, whitman
- joes gas lakeville, lakeville
- joppa market, east bridgewater
- lakeville liquors and market, lakeville
- lindy's general store, hanover
- lindys general store, pembroke
- lucky mini mart, middleboro
- main street market, carver
- manomet general store, plymouth
- mattapoisett food and fuel, mattapoisett
- max food shop, brockton
- middleborough mart llc, middleboro
- mobil on the run 4418, rockland
- montello news, brockton
- my new corporation, plymouth
- nana convenience, brockton
- new england convenience 1, east wareham
- nouria 10 washington street 1178, duxbury
- nouria 133 north main street 1157, carver
- nouria 183 summer street 1180, kingston
- nouria 2416 cranberry highway 1160, wareham
- nouria 2501 cranberry highway 1161, wareham
- nouria 303 tremont street 1158, carver
- nouria 447 wareham street 1159, middleboro
- oak street convenience, brockton
- ocean market liqour inc, marshfield
- one stop food mart, east bridgewater
- onset village market, onset
- pearl street mart, brockton
- perkins market, brockton
- petro save group, inc., brockton
- plymouth food mart, plymouth
- quality fuel and mart, whitman
- quick pick food shop, hull
- rusty lantern market #0683 0683, brockton
- red apple food shop, brockton
- rfs store 123 inc 123, rockland
- richdale food shops 118 18, hingham
- richdale food shops 125, rockland
- richdale food shops 135, hingham
- route 18 superstore, abington
- route 6 fuel company, wareham
- speedy mart inc.,, west wareham
- safa fuel services inc., brockton
- sam's food store, brockton
- sam's food store, rockland
- sand hills general store, scituate
- shivam variety, brockton
- short stop market, brockton
- smart save variety, hull
- smart stop, brockton
- smart stop convenience, abington
- speedway 2414, brockton
- speedway 2453, brockton
- speedway 2454, brockton
- speedway 2464, hanson
- speedway 2467, kingston
- speedway 2470, marshfield
- speedway 2477, plymouth
- speedway 2488, wareham
- speedway 2494, brockton
- station liquors, rockland
- stop n save, middleborough
- stop n save, brockton
- sunoco mart, middleboro
- t stop market 1, hanson
- tedeschi food shop (330) 330, east bridgewater
- twin lake general store, halifax
- v&d variety store, brockton
- village general store, plymouth
- village market, middleboro
Combination Grocery/Other · 83
- brockton fish market, brockton
- cvs 1945, hanover
- cvs 1953, hingham
- cvs pharmacy 1006, brockton
- cvs pharmacy 1247, east wareham
- cvs pharmacy 1248, brockton
- cvs pharmacy 1249, hanson
- cvs pharmacy 1867, manomet
- cvs pharmacy 2138, plymouth
- cvs pharmacy 281, rockland
- cvs pharmacy 635, whitman
- cvs pharmacy 913, bridgewater
- cvs pharmacy 1007, brockton
- cvs pharmacy 10932, plymouth
- cvs pharmacy 1189, hingham
- cvs pharmacy 1250, brockton
- cvs pharmacy 1257, east bridgewater
- cvs pharmacy 1603, norwell
- cvs pharmacy 1803, west bridgewater
- cvs pharmacy 1854, scituate
- cvs pharmacy 1865, pembroke
- cvs pharmacy 1872, middleboro
- cvs pharmacy 2377, plymouth
- cvs pharmacy 2401, marshfield
- cvs pharmacy 518, wareham
- cvs pharmacy 5407, lakeville
- cvs pharmacy 634, kingston
- cvs pharmacy 861, brockton
- cvs pharmacy 937, carver
- dollar tree 2725, kingston
- dollar tree 3234, plymouth
- dollar tree 3462, brockton
- dollar tree 3645, carver
- dollartree 6401, west bridgewater
- dee's delux caribbean market, brockton
- dollar general 15352, carver
- dollar general 15503, east wareham
- dollar general 19114, brockton
- dollar general 31401, brockton
- dollar tree 4163, brockton
- dollar tree 4205, plymouth
- dollar tree 4449, east wareham
- dollar tree 4510, hanson
- dollar tree 4592, hanover
- dollar tree 4716, pembroke
- dollar tree 4793, brockton
- dollar tree 5550, plymouth
- dollar tree 7611, abington
- dollar tree 7662, lakeville
- dollar tree 7711, marshfield
- dollar tree 7854, wareham
- dollar tree 7936, rockland
- family dollar 12376, brockton
- family dollar 2067, brockton
- family dollar 3730, west bridgewater
- family dollar 3837, rockland
- family dollar 6646, whitman
- family dollar store 10275, brockton
- family dollar store 3991, brockton
- family dollar store 5062, brockton
- gv brazilian store, rockland
- ocean state job lot 210, kingston
- ocean state job lot 218, rockland
- ocean state job lot 219, east bridgewater
- ocean state job lot 221, marshfield
- ocean state job lot 222, middleboro
- ocean state job lot 251, east wareham
- ocean state job lot 256, brockton
- ocean state job lot 261, pembroke
- seaport seafood market, inc., brockton
- st. mary & st. george coptic orthodox church, inc., scituate
- top notch wellness center 1, brockton
- walgreens 02977, brockton
- walgreens 03758, brockton
- walgreens 07329, rockland
- walgreens 07734, plymouth
- walgreens 09477, marshfield
- walgreens 10272, whitman
- walgreens 10562, bridgewater
- walgreens 18183, wareham
- walgreens 18316, duxbury
- walgreens 19323, middleboro
- walgreens 19543, hingham
Bakery Specialty · 1
- la baguette divine bakery llc, brockton
Showing 250 of 336 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Massachusetts
Compare Plymouth County vs Barnstable County → · All Massachusetts counties →
Food access nationally, Massachusetts in context
Plymouth County sits inside Massachusetts (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 Plymouth County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Plymouth County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Plymouth County? ▼
Is Plymouth County a food desert? ▼
What share of Plymouth 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.