Signature · 36.4% low-access (83rd pct)
Polk County, FL
Polk County sits in the upper national band on low-access (36.4%, +14.3 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 36.4%
- low-access pop.
- 31
- food-desert tracts
- 14.6%
- on SNAP
- 791K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Polk County, FL
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 36.4% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +14.3 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 31 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.6% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 20% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Lee County (+ 0.6 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Polk County sits in the upper national band (36.4%, #538 of 3,079) with 31 LILA tracts.
- #538
- national by low-access %
- #21
- in FL
- 78
- low-access tracts
- 81K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 36.4% low-access (83rd pct) (+14.3 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Polk County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Polk County's 36.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 83% of them and ranked #538 most-affected nationwide.
Polk County's elevated USDA tier split
154 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 31 LILA.
Polk County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (112 urban, 42 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 42 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Polk County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Florida, not a full county-board reprint
- Glades
Glades 56.2%
56.2 % low-access
- Martin
Martin 37.9%
37.9 % low-access
- Lee
Lee 37%
37 % low-access
- Polk
Polk 36.4%
36.4 % low-access
- Osceola
Osceola 35.3%
35.3 % low-access
- Clay
Clay 34.7%
34.7 % low-access
- Gilchrist 0.1
Gilchrist 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 154 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 602,095 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 78 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 31 |
| Low-Access Population | 219,319 |
| Low-Access Share | 36.4%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 80,929 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 790,694 |
| Median Household Income | $65,978 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.5%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 42,205 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.6%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.4%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.0% |
Thick SNAP store book in Polk County
Polk County has 602 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 306 locations (51% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
33 towns share the 602 authorized stores; Lakeland holds 35% of them. 18 of the 33 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Kissimmee, Eagle Lake, Lake Hamilton, Alturas, Champions Gate, Poinciana and 12 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | 213 | 41 |
| Winter Haven | 103 | 23 |
| Davenport | 46 | 10 |
| Lake Wales | 45 | 8 |
| Haines City | 37 | 11 |
| Auburndale | 35 | 8 |
| Bartow | 28 | 4 |
| Mulberry | 16 | 3 |
| Fort Meade | 11 | 1 |
| Frostproof | 11 | 1 |
Top 10 of 33 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 306 (250 shown)
- 24 in & out, lakeland
- 27 discount beverage, haines city
- 3 brothers of winter haven llc, winter haven
- 511, winter haven
- 7 days convenience store, winter haven
- 7 stars discount, davenport
- 7- eleven 38118a, lakeland
- 7-eleven 32610a, mulberry
- 7-eleven 32710-a, lakeland
- 7-eleven 33249-a, champions gate
- 7-eleven 32665 a, winter haven
- 7-eleven 32689h, lakeland
- 7-eleven 32753-a, lakeland
- 7-eleven 32775b, lakeland
- 7-eleven 33060p, winter haven
- 7-eleven 38298a, davenport
- 7-eleven 41750h, lakeland
- 7-eleven 41788, davenport
- 7-eleven 42013a, lakeland
- 7-eleven 42058h, lakeland
- 7-eleven store #32788b 32788b, winter haven
- 7-eleven store 38313b, lakeland
- 7-eleven store 41186h, kissimmee
- 7-eleven, inc. 16188l, davenport
- 7-eleven #38538a, davenport
- 7-eleven #38831a, lake alfred
- 7-eleven #40341a #40341a, lakeland
- 7-eleven 32855a, lakeland
- 7-eleven 35052a, lakeland
- 7-eleven 38193b, davenport
- 7-eleven 38205a, kissimmee
- 7-eleven 38232a, bartow
- 7-eleven 38684a, lake wales
- 7-eleven 38842b, lakeland
- 7-eleven 40343a, lakeland
- 7-eleven store 32974b, lakeland
- 7-eleven store 38724b, haines city
- 7eleven 21260, davenport
- a&b discount beverages, winter haven
- a-1 discount beverage, auburndale
- a-1 discount beverage, auburndale
- ap mini mart, mulberry
- aj & is affiliates, plant city
- aladdin market, lakeland
- allen's discount n/a, eloise
- angel food mart, mulberry
- ariana food mart, lakeland
- auburndale sunoco, auburndale
- bp, lakeland
- bp food shop, winter haven
- bp food mart, lakeland
- baba's, lakeland
- beacon shell, lakeland
- best value foods, mulberry
- beverage castle, winter haven
- beverage castle keg to go, lake alfred
- black bay trading 128, lakeland
- bodega market, lakeland
- bridgers truck stop, auburndale
- broadway food mart, lakeland
- bullard citgo, lake wales
- c mart, lakeland
- circle k 2700279, lakeland
- circle k 2704878, lakeland
- circle k 2704879, winter haven
- circle k 2704883, davenport
- circle k 2707004, lakeland
- circle k 2707008, fort meade
- circle k 2707015, bartow
- circle k 2707020, lakeland
- circle k 2707087, lakeland
- circle k 2707167, lakeland
- circle k 2707321, alturas
- circle k 2707334, lakeland
- circle k 2707347, lakeland
- circle k 2707487, winter haven
- circle k 2707509, lakeland
- circle k 2707546, lakeland
- circle k 2707553, lakeland
- circle k 2707554, lakeland
- circle k 2707560, polk city
- circle k 2707568, lakland
- circle k 2707569, winter haven
- circle k 2708521, auburndale
- circle k 2708703, winter haven
- carlton shell, lake wales
- cash mart, winter haven
- cash mart, winter haven
- cash mart 1, lake wales
- center food mart n/a, dundee
- chevron, winter haven
- chevron, lakeland
- chevron 482, lakeland
- chevron dailymart, winter haven
- chevron food mart, lakeland
- chevron smoke and vape, auburndale
- circle k 2654401, dundee
- circle k 2655688, lakeland
- circle k 2722125, davenport
- circle k 2722209, davenport
- circle k 2726547, haines city
- circle k 6617, lakeland
- circle k 6993, lake wales
- circle k 7018, davenport
- circle k 7033, lakeland
- circle k 7222, lakeland
- circle k 7239, haines city
- circle k 9829, lakeland
- citgo express, winter haven
- citgo food express, haines city
- citgo food mart, lake alfred
- citgo food mart, lakeland
- citgo food mart, lake wales
- citgo store 11, lakeland
- city food mart, haines city
- combee discount beverages, lakeland
- combee food mart marathon, lakeland
- combee rd convenience store, lakeland
- combee shell, lakeland
- combee xpress, lakeland
- connersville bait & tackle, bartow
- coub's spot, lakeland
- courtneys one stop, fort meade
- davenport chevron u-haul, davenport
- daybreak market fuel 22, davenport
- discount and deli, auburndale
- dundee chevron, winter haven
- dundee super star, dundee
- express food mart, auburndale
- ez way drive thru, winter haven
- ezfood, davenport
- edgewood sunoco, lakeland
- everest food and beverage, lakeland
- express food mart, winter haven
- express food mart & gas, winter haven
- express food mart & gas ii, winter haven
- express mart 2, lakeland
- exprezo #115, polk city
- ez food, lake hamilton
- fc petroleum inc. 42289a, davenport
- first stop, winter haven
- family discount supermarket, haines city
- fast stop, lakeland
- flowers bakery outlet 50000755, lakeland
- foresunoco, lakeland
- fowler's grocery, fort meade
- galloway shell, lakeland
- gate service station 1218, lake wales
- gold star, lakeland
- grab n go, winter haven
- grove park chevron, lakeland
- health food center of winter haven, winter haven
- hc pharmacy, haines city
- highland food mart, lakeland
- hilltop food market no, lakeland
- inwood discount beverage, winter haven
- j k food 5, winter haven
- jj food store, bartow
- jmj food mart ii inc, mulberry
- jani marathon, lake wales
- jk food 4, lake wales
- k-ville citgo, auburndale
- kk food mart, lakeland
- karmayogi inc, lakeland
- kathleen food mart, lakeland
- kathleen shell, lakeland
- kirks country store, lake wales
- kwik stop food store, lakeland
- la botana, lake wales
- la gordas fruit stand, fort meade
- lake hamilton kangaroo, lake hamilton
- lake mini mart, lake wales
- lake morton market and deli, lakeland
- lake wales food mart, lake wales
- lakeland citgo, lakeland
- lakeland griffin marathon, lakeland
- lakeland shell #228, lakeland
- lee country store, alturas
- lily's groceries, haines city
- lincoln super stop 1, lakeland
- linda citgo, frostproof
- linderson food mart, lakeland
- little c store, auburndale
- love' travel stops & country stores, inc 228, auburndale
- love's travel stop 627, davenport
- love's travel stop 674, lake wales
- lucky food mart, lakeland
- m & j food store, lakeland
- mac's discount food & beverage inc. 1, fort meade
- main food mart, bartow
- marathon, winter haven
- marathon gas station, lakeland
- medulla bp, lakeland
- metro food mart, bartow
- mi tierra, winter haven
- modern country store, davenport
- mulberry convenience store, mulberry
- mulberry food and pharmacy, mulberry
- mulberry food store, mulberry
- mulberry gas and food, mulberry
- murphy express 8694, mulberry
- murphy usa 5729, lake wales
- murphy usa 6547, lakeland
- murphy usa 7072, auburndale
- murphy usa 7282, winter haven
- murphy usa 8680, winter haven
- nick & moes, lakeland
- nick's food mart, lakeland
- northside sunoco, lakeland
- ohm food mart, lakeland
- one stop food store, haines city
- prima's store, mulberry
- panou deli & groceries llc, winter haven
- pick n pay, lake wales
- pilot travel center 1128, bartow
- pilot travel center 471, haines city
- pipkin road one stop, lakeland
- plaza food and fuel, bartow
- polk city food mart, polk city
- presco homeland, homeland
- primetime food store, polkcity
- qp food store, winter haven
- quick mart, frostproof
- quick shop, dundee
- quick stop, lakeland
- quickmart bartow, bartow
- race trac 170, south eagle lake
- race trac 2300, auburndale
- race trac 283, davenport
- race trac 575, lakeland
- race trac 668, lake wales
- race trac 671, lakeland
- race trac 681, bartow
- race trac 82, lake wales
- race trak 2316, winter haven
- racetrac 2338, davenport
- racetrac 2343, haines city
- racetrac 2379, lakeland
- racetrac 2411, lakeland
- racetrac 2560 2560, daveport
- racetrac 2637, winter haven
- racetrac 2675, bartow
- racetrac 2679, bartow
- raj food mart, auburndale
- reed's grocery, winter haven
- reynolds food mart, lakeland
- rifle range food mart, winter haven
- rightway food, davenport
- rightway foods, highland city
- s & m food shop, bartow
Showing 250 of 602 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Florida
One of 66 counties in Florida, 6 are shown here.
Compare Polk County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →
Counties near Polk County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Polk County, both outside Florida so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside FL (36.4% here).
- Bartholomew County, IN · 36.4% low-access
- Kenton County, KY · 36.4% low-access
- Richland County, OH · 36.4% low-access
- Santa Cruz County, AZ · 36.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside FL (14.6% here).
- Bannock County, ID · 14.6% SNAP
- Blackford County, IN · 14.6% SNAP
- Greene County, AR · 14.6% SNAP
- Gila County, AZ · 14.6% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Florida among South Atlantic states
Florida ranks 4th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (25.1%). Polk County, at 36.4%, runs 11.3 pts above the Florida rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Polk County, FL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 12105. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.