County food-access profile · Rhode Island
Providence County, RI
Providence County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 15.9%
- low-access pop.
- 5
- food-desert tracts
- 17.8%
- on SNAP
- 665K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
15.9% of Providence County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 141 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 38
- low-access tracts
- 20K
- food-desert residents
- 11.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 13.4%
- 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).
Providence County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 15.9% per the USDA Atlas. 38 of the county's 141 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 99,856 residents who live far from a supermarket. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 20,441 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 Providence County compares nationally
Providence County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.9% low-access share that beats 35% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,046).
Providence County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 141 census tracts in Providence County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Providence County vs. other Rhode Island counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Rhode Island
- Providence 15.9
Providence County, RI
15.9 % low-access
- Bristol
Bristol County, RI
56 % low-access
- Kent
Kent County, RI
32.2 % low-access
- Newport
Newport County, RI
33.5 % low-access
- Washington
Washington County, RI
31.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 141 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 626,667 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 38 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 5 |
| Low-Access Population | 99,856 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 20,441 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 664,854 |
| Median Household Income | $78,787 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.4%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 46,094 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 17.8%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 11.5%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.2% |
About 17.8% of Providence County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 15.9% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 17.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 46,094 households here.
- 11.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 5 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 Providence County
near the national share
5 of Providence County's 141 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 3.5% of all its tracts.
A further 33 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 38.
An estimated 99,856 residents, roughly 15.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 20,441 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 103 tracts (73.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Providence County
Providence County has 619 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 142 locations (23% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 142
- aj pharmacy 2, north providence
- alia market, providence
- cvs 326, north smithfield
- cvs pharmacy #37 0037, cumberland
- cvs pharmacy 1042, pawtucket
- cvs pharmacy 1294, providence
- cvs pharmacy 2021, cranston
- cvs pharmacy 2048, chepachet
- cvs pharmacy 212, cranston
- cvs pharmacy 2234, pawtucket
- cvs pharmacy 2347, east providence
- cvs pharmacy 2417, providence
- cvs pharmacy 247, riverside
- cvs pharmacy 269, east providence
- cvs pharmacy 330, greenville
- cvs pharmacy 351, north providence
- cvs pharmacy 469, cranston
- cvs pharmacy 4796, providence
- cvs pharmacy 494, johnston
- cvs pharmacy 590, woonsocket
- cvs pharmacy 670, pawtucket
- cvs pharmacy 728, cumberland
- cvs pharmacy 729, providence
- cvs pharmacy 856, providence
- cvs pharmacy 994, providence
- cvs pharmacy 02474, woonsocket
- cvs pharmacy 1075, pascoag
- cvs pharmacy 1414, cranston
- cvs pharmacy 2049, providence
- cvs pharmacy 2238, johnston
- cvs pharmacy 2506, cumberland
- cvs pharmacy 5868, cranston
- cvs pharmacy 7387, rumford
- cvs pharmacy 76, johnston
- cvs pharmacy 827, providence
- cvs/pharmacy 4096, central falls
- dollar general 18251, cranston
- dollar general 19286, providence
- dollar tree 1599, cranston
- dollar tree 1733, providence
- dollar tree 2358, east providence
- dollar tree 2370, pawtucket
- dollar tree 3579, lincoln
- dollar tree 3700, cumberland
- diggers catch seafood, east providence
- dollar general 15772, cranston
- dollar general 19284, central falls
- dollar general 19285, pawtucket
- dollar general 19288, rumford
- dollar general 20315, east providence
- dollar general 20362, johnston
- dollar general 22027, cranston
- dollar general 30670, providence
- dollar general 30962, woonsocket
- dollar general store 15533, woonsocket
- dollar general store 16122, north providence
- dollar tree 1794, cranston
- dollar tree 1963, woonsocket
- dollar tree 4432, greenville
- dollar tree 4523, woonsocket
- dollar tree 4632, north providence
- dollar tree 4792, cranston
- dollar tree 4965, pawtucket
- dollar tree 5459, cumberland
- dollar tree 5569, pawtucket
- dollar tree 5804, cranston
- dollar tree 7082, north providence
- dollar tree 7804, cranston
- dollar tree 7857, woonsocket
- dollar tree 7899, pawtucket
- dollar tree 8576, cranston
- dollar tree 8587, riverside
- dollar tree 8620, east providence
- dollar tree deal$ 3981, johnston
- donelans dba dinos park n shop 016, chepachet
- family dollar 10008, north scituate
- family dollar 11705, providence
- family dollar 11732, providence
- family dollar 11780, providence
- family dollar 11962, pawtucket
- family dollar 11977, providence
- family dollar 12096, pawtucket
- family dollar 12225, cranston
- family dollar 12418, cranston
- family dollar 12469, providence
- family dollar 12614, woonsocket
- family dollar 12645, pawtucket
- family dollar 2190, providence
- family dollar 2687, east providence
- family dollar 2868, providence
- family dollar 3901, cranston
- family dollar 5073, woonsocket
- family dollar 6864, providence
- family dollar 6933, pawtucket
- family dollar 7972, central falls
- family dollar 8177, providence
- family dollar 8208, chepachet
- family dollar 8896, providence
- family dollar store 9082, providence
- gorma market, pawtucket
- gustoso meat market, providence
- harvest kitchen, providence
- la pulperia 504, providence
- maya bakery, providence
- millicent african market 1, pawtucket
- njeyen njie african hair beauty supply, pawtucket
- ocean pride seafood of cranston, cranston
- ocean state job lot 102, lincoln
- ocean state job lot 113, woonsocket
- ocean state job lot 117, woonsocket
- ocean state job lot 120, cranston
- ocean state job lot 121, johnston
- ocean state job lot 122, pawtucket
- ocean state job lot 125, cranston
- sayfs enterprises inc-sayfs convenience&smoke shop, pawtucket
- sunnyhill farm/dba ambe corp, johnston
- the butcher brothers corp, woonsocket
- tienda el paisano llc, johnston
- v mart llc, providence
- walgreens 04145, providence
- walgreens 03204, providence
- walgreens 03719, johnston
- walgreens 03737, north providence
- walgreens 10099, providence
- walgreens 10256, providence
- walgreens 10476, johnston
- walgreens 11147, providence
- walgreens 13987, pawtucket
- walgreens 15538, providence
- walgreens 17519, rumford
- walgreens 18378, providence
- walgreens 19165, slatersville
- walgreens 19263, cumberland
- walgreens 19343, north scituate
- walgreens 19761, north providence
- walgreens 19849, e providence
- walgreens 19900, providence
- walgreens 19985, north providence
- walgreens 3468, pawtucket
- walgreens 3898, woonsocket
- walgreens 3899, johnston
- wright's dairy farm, inc., north smithfield
Convenience Store · 101
- 147 market & deli, pawtucket
- 1815 smith st geko, north providence
- 280, llc, providence
- 5 star general store, pawtucket
- 7 eleven - 33406a, providence
- 7 eleven 33426a, providence
- 7-eleven 32614a, smithfield
- 7-eleven 33397-a, providence
- 7-eleven 29112, providence
- 7-eleven 33338 c, providence
- 7-eleven 33413k, providence
- 7-eleven 41821h, pawtucket
- 7-eleven store 35008a, central falls
- 7-eleven store # 40271a 40271a, lincoln
- 7-eleven store #33614d 33614d, cranston
- 7-eleven store 33080b, cranston
- 71 milk store llc, providence
- a & p llc dba q-mart, pawtucket
- a & s convenience & deli, pawtucket
- a little bit of everything, pawtucket
- a to z store, east providence
- a z mini mart corp, providence
- a&b convenience, providence
- academy market, providence
- aj pharmacy, providence
- al aseel mini mart, pawtucket
- al-mall daily mart, cranston
- al-mall mini mart, cranston
- all choices 1, woonsocket
- ama's variety & mini mart, pawtucket
- american dream mini mart, rumford
- aminia llc, cranston
- annapurna llc, greenville
- arm market, providence
- asb convenience store, central falls
- atwells market, providence
- az mart llc, north providence
- bd mart, cranston
- bd mart, johnston
- best way, cumberland
- bestway, cumberland
- bestway, cumberland
- bestway, cranston
- bestway gas, pawtucket
- bismillah enterprises inc - sams food store, cranston
- bk house of cigars, pawtucket
- bodega on smith, providence
- brazilian family marker ri, east providence
- broad mart llc, providence
- broad street and fuel, cumberland
- broadway mart, east providence
- bueno grocery, woonsocket
- cumberland farms 1120, woonsocket
- cumberland farms 1206, lincoln
- cumberland farms 1210, providence
- cumberland farms 1214, central falls
- cumberland farms 1224, north providence
- cumberland farms 1227, riverside
- cumberland farms 1249, cranston
- cumberland farms 1251, smithfield
- cumberland farms 1256, n providence
- cumberland farms 1265, pawtucket
- cumberland farms 1275, cumberland
- cumberland farms 1279, cranston
- cumberland farms 1280, providence
- cumberland farms 1282, johnston
- capital farms store, central falls
- capital gulf, providence
- central mart, central falls
- central mart and deli, pawtucket
- chepachet gas & market 465, chepachet
- chopmist xtra mart 10082, north scituate
- citgo gas, cranston
- city star, woonsocket
- city star market, woonsocket
- claudio's meat market llc, providence
- colbea enterprises llc 14, cranston
- colbea enterprises llc 16, cranston
- colbea enterprises llc 17, pawtucket
- colbea enterprises llc 18, cranston
- colbea enterprises llc 20, smithfield
- colbea enterprises llc 23, johnston
- colbea enterprises llc 24, cranston
- colbea enterprises llc 25, north providence
- colbea enterprises llc 26, providence
- colbea enterprises llc 29, johnston
- colbea enterprises llc 31, lincoln
- colbea enterprises llc 33, providence
- colbea enterprises llc 36, smithfield
- colbea enterprises llc 37, woonsocket
- colbea enterprises llc 38, north providence
- colbea enterprises llc 42, providence
- colbea enterprises llc 44, east providence
- colbea enterprises llc 60, johnston
- colbea enterprises, llc. 21, north scituate
- college convenience mart, providence
- convenience on atwells, providence
- convenience plus, johnston
- country farms, pascoag
- ct gas, north smithfield
- cumberland farms 1274, north smithfield
Bakery Specialty · 7
- borrellis bakery, providence
- caprichos antioquenos panaderia, pawtucket
- d palmieri's bakery, johnston
- lasalle bakery inc, providence
- silver star bakery, providence
- the bread boss, johnston
- xelapan bakery, central falls
Showing 250 of 619 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Rhode Island
Compare Providence County vs Bristol County → · All Rhode Island counties →
Food access nationally, Rhode Island in context
Providence County sits inside Rhode Island (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 Providence County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Providence County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Providence County? ▼
Is Providence County a food desert? ▼
What share of Providence 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.