County food-access profile · Florida
Polk County, FL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Polk 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).
- 36.4%
- low-access pop.
- 31
- food-desert tracts
- 14.6%
- on SNAP
- 791K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
36.4% of Polk County residents live in a low-access area, and 31 of its 154 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 78
- low-access tracts
- 81K
- food-desert residents
- 5.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 14.5%
- 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 Polk County's low-access share at 36.4%, above the national share. 78 of the county's 154 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 219,319 people. 31 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 80,929 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 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 #539 most-affected nationwide.
Polk County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 154 census tracts in Polk County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Polk County vs. other Florida counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida
- Polk
Polk County, FL
36.4 % low-access
- Alachua 19.2
Alachua County, FL
19.2 % low-access
- Baker
Baker County, FL
55.6 % low-access
- Bay
Bay County, FL
31.5 % low-access
- Bradford 1.1
Bradford County, FL
1.1 % low-access
- Brevard
Brevard County, FL
41.8 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| 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% |
About 14.6% of Polk County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 36.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 14.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 42,205 households here.
- 5.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 31 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 Polk County
above the national share
31 of Polk County's 154 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 20.1% of all its tracts.
A further 47 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 78.
An estimated 219,319 residents, roughly 36.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 80,929 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 76 tracts (49.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Polk County
Polk County has 602 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 156 locations (26% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 156
- cvs pharmacy 3204, lakeland
- cvs pharmacy 3399, lakeland
- cvs pharmacy 4801, lakeland
- cvs pharmacy 511, haines city
- cvs pharmacy 6729, davenport
- cvs pharmacy 6853, davenport
- cvs pharmacy 0411, lake wales
- cvs pharmacy 163, lakeland
- cvs pharmacy 1750, davenport
- cvs pharmacy 176, winter haven
- cvs pharmacy 262, winter haven
- cvs pharmacy 304, lakeland
- cvs pharmacy 3127, auburndale
- cvs pharmacy 3632, lakeland
- cvs pharmacy 3670, winter haven
- cvs pharmacy 7917, winter haven
- chop-n-block, llc, frostproof
- dollar general 1322, auburndale
- dollar general 1375, haines city
- dollar general 1411, lakeland
- dollar general 14118, lake hamilton
- dollar general 1413, lakeland
- dollar general 14222, davenport
- dollar general 14398, lake wales
- dollar general 1529, winter haven
- dollar general 1541, lakeland
- dollar general 17840, babson park
- dollar general 18358, auburndale
- dollar general 18675, davenport
- dollar general 19074, kissimmee
- dollar general 19627, lake wales
- dollar general 24305, lakeland
- dollar general 3013, winter haven
- dollar general 4071, lakeland
- dollar general 6046, wahneta
- dollar general 6496, lakeland
- dollar general 6498, lakeland
- dollar general 6526, mulberry
- dollar general 7648, bartow
- dollar general 8264, winter haven
- dollar general 8721, lakeland
- dollar general 8752, lake alfred
- dollar tree 0168, lakeland
- dollar tree 4570, lakeland
- dollar tree 6581, fort meade
- dollartree 8102, dundee
- dollar general 11412, eagle lake
- dollar general 11616, frostproof
- dollar general 12030, lake wales
- dollar general 12530, lakeland
- dollar general 12555, loughman
- dollar general 1366, fort meade
- dollar general 14632, davenport
- dollar general 14695, winter haven
- dollar general 14938, winter haven
- dollar general 15014, poinciana
- dollar general 15192, lakeland
- dollar general 15485, auburndale
- dollar general 15773, winter haven
- dollar general 15968, kissimmee
- dollar general 16072, winter haven
- dollar general 16560, lakeland
- dollar general 16644, bartow
- dollar general 16646, lakeland
- dollar general 16956, bartow
- dollar general 17871, lakeland
- dollar general 19890, lake wales
- dollar general 19895, winter haven
- dollar general 20628, haines city
- dollar general 20631, lakeland
- dollar general 21283, haines city
- dollar general 22148, lakeland
- dollar general 22514, haines city
- dollar general 22594, dundee
- dollar general 30039, lakeland
- dollar general 30149, fort meade
- dollar general 30973, bartow
- dollar general 7487, winter haven
- dollar general store 16585, lake wales
- dollar general store 16603, frostproof
- dollar general store 16862, lakeland
- dollar tree 1805, haines city
- dollar tree 2167, lakeland
- dollar tree 316, winter haven
- dollar tree 3713, lake wales
- dollar tree 3955, davenport
- dollar tree 4332, bartow
- dollar tree 4339, lakeland
- dollar tree 5390, lakeland
- dollar tree 5756, winter haven
- dollar tree 5761, auburndale
- dollar tree 5992, lakeland
- dollar tree 6204, lakeland
- dollar tree 7548, lake alfred
- dollar tree 7849, eagle lake
- dollar tree 7934, lake wales
- dollar tree 8547, davenport
- family dollar 10163, winter haven
- family dollar 10169, winter haven
- family dollar 10744, kissimmee
- family dollar 10964, lake alfred
- family dollar 11474, poinciana
- family dollar 11715, haines city
- family dollar 1357, frostproof
- family dollar 4817, lake wales
- family dollar 8041, auburndale
- family dollar 9422, auburndale
- family dollar store 10277, mulberry
- family dollar store 10519, lakeland
- family dollar store 11074, davenport
- family dollar store 11086, lakeland
- family dollar store 11209, winter haven
- family dollar store 11230, winter haven
- family dollar store 11488, lakeland
- family dollar store 1364, winter haven
- family dollar store 2044, lakeland
- family dollar store 2808, bartow
- family dollar store 4225, lakeland
- family dollar store 4594, winter haven
- family dollar store 557, lake wales
- family dollar store 5930, lakeland
- family dollar store 597, haines city
- family dollar store 6035, davenport
- family dollar store 6157, winter haven
- family dollar store 6179, lakeland
- family dollar store 645, lakeland
- family dollar store 648, auburndale
- family dollar store 7670, lakeland
- family dollar store 8476, lakeland
- fruits orange blossom flea market, haines city
- gigi's oriental market, lakeland
- mega mercado, lakeland
- my nature's delight natural foods and herb shop, winter haven
- panaderia la fe mexican bakery, haines city
- tienday guatemaya, lakeland
- walgreen's 05657, lakeland
- walgreens 4399, lakeland
- walgreens 5854, lakeland
- walgreens 04005, winter haven
- walgreens 04023, auburndale
- walgreens 04380, lake wales
- walgreens 04708, haines city
- walgreens 06217, davenport
- walgreens 07219, champions gate
- walgreens 11104, davenport
- walgreens 11190, lake wales
- walgreens 13797, bartow
- walgreens 3093, lakeland
- walgreens 4700, lakeland
- walgreens 5212, lakeland
- walgreens 5327, lakeland
- walgreens 5328, winter haven
- walgreens 5855, lakeland
- walgreens 5979, lakeland
- walgreens 7806, winter haven
- walgreens 9573, lakeland
Convenience Store · 94
- 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
Showing 250 of 602 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Florida
Compare Polk County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →
Food access nationally, Florida in context
Polk County sits inside Florida (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 Polk County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Polk County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Polk County? ▼
Is Polk County a food desert? ▼
What share of Polk 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.