County food-access profile · Arkansas
Pulaski County, AR
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Pulaski 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).
- 33.0%
- low-access pop.
- 30
- food-desert tracts
- 10.0%
- on SNAP
- 400K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
33.0% of Pulaski County residents live in a low-access area, and 30 of its 95 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 58
- low-access tracts
- 49K
- food-desert residents
- 7.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.7%
- 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 Pulaski County's low-access share at 33.0%, above the national share. 58 of the county's 95 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 126,457 people. 30 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 49,304 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 Pulaski County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Pulaski County's 33.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 76% of them and ranked #739 most-affected nationwide.
Pulaski County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 95 census tracts in Pulaski County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Pulaski County vs. other Arkansas counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Arkansas
- Pulaski
Pulaski County, AR
33 % low-access
- Arkansas
Arkansas County, AR
47 % low-access
- Ashley
Ashley County, AR
21.8 % low-access
- Baxter 16.4
Baxter County, AR
16.4 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, AR
24.9 % low-access
- Boone
Boone County, AR
20.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 95 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 382,748 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 58 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 30 |
| Low-Access Population | 126,457 |
| Low-Access Share | 33.0%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 49,304 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 399,818 |
| Median Household Income | $62,873 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.7%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 17,233 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.0%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.0% |
About 10.0% of Pulaski County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 33.0% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 17,233 households here.
- 7.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 30 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 Pulaski County
above the national share
30 of Pulaski County's 95 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 31.6% of all its tracts.
A further 28 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 58.
An estimated 126,457 residents, roughly 33.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 49,304 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 37 tracts (38.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Pulaski County
Pulaski County has 320 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 161 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 161
- 12106 sardis express llc, mabelvale
- 12th street neighborhood mart, little rock
- 17th street grocery, north little rock
- 2511 hwy 161, north little rock
- 65th street shell, little rock
- a to z mini mart, little rock
- aj mini mart, jacksonville
- barrow mart, little rock
- baseline superstop, little rock
- baseline x road, little rock
- best superstop, north little rock
- big stop n go, little rock
- blue sky food mart llc, little rock
- broadway food store, little rock
- broadway one stop, north little rock
- bucks jr country store, jacksonville
- casey's 4680, maumelle
- camp c-stop, north little rock
- cana one stop 0, north little rock
- chicot exxon inc, little rock
- chicot food mart inc, little rock
- circle k 2709961, little rock
- circle k 302, little rock
- circle k 303, north little rock
- circle k 304, north little rock
- circle k 305, little rock
- circle k 306, north little rock
- circle k 307, sherwood
- circle k 308, sherwood
- circle k 313, north little rock
- circle k 319, little rock
- circle k 322, little rock
- circle k 323, little rock
- circle k ck 315, little rock
- circle k ck 320, north little rock
- circle k store 2709954, little rock
- circle k store 2709955, north little rock
- circle k store 2709956, little rock
- circle k store 2709957, north little rock
- circle k store 2709958, sherwood
- circle k store 2709960, little rock
- circle k store 2709966, alexander
- circle k store 2709967, cabot
- circle k store 2709969, little rock
- circle k store 2709971, little rock
- circle k store 2709981, hensley
- circle k store 2709984, maumelle
- circle k store 2709988, sherwood
- cj foodmart, jacksonville
- cloud little 1, little rock
- come n get it single, sherwood
- community mart llc no, north little rock
- crackerbox 2741787, north little rock
- crackerbox 2741795, north little rock
- crackerbox 2741796, little rock
- crackerbox 2741798, little rock
- crystal exxon, north little rock
- d & j one stop llc, north littlerock
- double bees exxon, little rock
- doublebee's 144, little rock
- ec's quickstop & shop, sherwood
- express market, little rock
- express mini market, little rock
- exxon, north little rock
- exxon one stop, north little rock
- fast mart 1, little rock
- fast mart inc 2, little rock
- first street gas & convenience llc, jacksonville
- flash market, jacksonville
- flowers bakery outlet 358, sherwood
- garner gas & grocery, little rock
- gas express llc 318, little rock
- gas express llc ck #316, north little rock
- gas express llc dba circle k 301, little rock
- gas max, little rock
- geyer springs food & gas, little rock
- gs food mart, north little rock
- h and o food mart, little rock
- humphrey’s grocery store ii llc, little rock
- j grace mart, little rock
- j's da neighborhood grocery 1, north little rock
- jones variety & grocery, little rock
- jacksonville food mart, jacksonville
- jacksonville stop & shop llc, jacksonville
- jb discount tobacco, little rock
- jmt one stop, inc., north little rock
- junction station, jacksonville
- kw food mart, little rock
- kwick pantry, little rock
- lee's fair park grocery, little rock
- locust food mart, north little rock
- love's travel stop 457, little rock
- love's travel stops & country stores inc 236, north little rock
- luke's mart, little rock
- m & m store inc, north little rock
- macarthur station, north little rock
- mapco 7531, sherwood
- mapco express 7501, sherwood
- mapco mart 7328, north little rock
- mapco mart 7518, little rock
- mapco mart 7519, north little rock
- mapco mart 7534, little rock
- markham one stop, little rock
- marshall mart llc, jacksonville
- maumelle mobil llc, north little rock
- maverik 5210, north little rock
- maverik 5220, little rock
- maverik 5222, sherwood
- maverik 5223, north little rock
- maverik 5224, north little rock
- maverik 5250, north little rock
- maverik 5308, little rock
- maverik 5325, jacksonville
- mccain shell, north little rock
- mini super la perla, little rock
- morgan c-stop, inc 1, maumelle
- murphy express 8754, little rock
- murphy express 8765, little rock
- murphy express 8797, north little rock
- murphy express 8842, little rock
- murphy usa 7031, north little rock
- murphy usa 7465, sherwood
- murphy usa 7466, maumelle
- neighborhood shell, little rock
- ok mart, jacksonville
- one stop, little rock
- our community market, little rock
- petro n. littlerock 326, north little rock
- phillips 66 south bend, jacksonville
- pic n go, little rock
- pike plaza superstop #45, north little rock
- pilot travel center 332, north little rock
- pinnacle express, roland
- protho junction superstop, north little rock
- quick food mart, little rock
- quiktrip 7210, north little rock
- quiktrip 7211, little rock
- remount food mart, north little rock
- rj grocery, north little rock
- rodney parham superstop, little rock
- roosevelt shell, little rock
- rose city junction, north little rock
- rose one food llc 0, little rock
- sherwood street llc, little rock
- singh dehal corporation - super s mart, north little rock
- sky road gas, little rock
- skyline food mart llc, little rock
- star energy ent llc-university ave fd mart-raceway, little rock
- stop & go, north little rock
- super foods vape & tobacco, little rock
- superstop, little rock
- superstop 66 615, north little rock
- superstop main street, north little rock
- taqueria guadalajara, north little rock
- twins deli and grill n / a, north little rock
- victory express mart, jacksonville
- wawa mart, little rock
- west 12th street market, little rock
- white oak one stop, maumelle
- wildwood c-stop,inc, sherwood
- zayns snack and gas llc, jacksonville
Combination Grocery/Other · 86
- cvs pharmacy 10430, sherwood
- cvs pharmacy 10779, little rock
- cvs pharmacy 10975, north little rock
- dollar general 0513, little rock
- dollar general 10694, n little rock
- dollar general 1254, jacksonville
- dollar general 13767, north little rock
- dollar general 13861, sherwood
- dollar general 1429, north little rock
- dollar general 19339, mabelvale
- dollar general 2769, jacksonville
- dollar general 6747, maumelle
- dollar general 7081, sherwood
- dollar general 7284, jacksonville
- dollar general 7690, sherwood
- dollartree 10196, little rock
- dollartree 9206, little rock
- dollartree 9527, little rock
- dollar general 11727, little rock
- dollar general 12344, little rock
- dollar general 12782, jacksonville
- dollar general 12853, maumelle
- dollar general 12953, north little rock
- dollar general 13012, little rock
- dollar general 13088, little rock
- dollar general 13202, north little rock
- dollar general 13271, little rock
- dollar general 13644, jacksonville
- dollar general 14698, alexander
- dollar general 15018, little rock
- dollar general 15080, little rock
- dollar general 15285, little rock
- dollar general 15557, little rock
- dollar general 1837, little rock
- dollar general 20537, little rock
- dollar general 20656, north little rock
- dollar general 21402, north little rock
- dollar general 21552, roland
- dollar general 22974, north little rock
- dollar general 23697, jacksonville
- dollar general 25114, little rock
- dollar general 2542, sherwood
- dollar general 25468, little rock
- dollar general 25947, little rock
- dollar general 4156, north little rock
- dollar general 6755, little rock
- dollar general 6819, little rock
- dollar general store 16417, little rock
- dollar tree 1575, sherwood
- dollar tree 2813, little rock
- dollar tree 3215, little rock
- dollar tree 374, north little rock
- dollar tree 4018, north little rock
- dollar tree 446, little rock
- dollar tree 553, jacksonville
- dollar tree 5967, north little rock
- dollar tree 6121, little rock
- dollar tree 6332, little rock
- dollar tree 867, little rock
- dollar treet 21774, little rock
- floyd's meat & seafood, sherwood
- family dollar 10531, north little rock
- family dollar 11390, little rock
- family dollar 13308, little rock
- family dollar 1478, little rock
- family dollar 1921, north little rock
- family dollar 3632, little rock
- family dollar 6314, north little rock
- family dollar 741, north little rock
- family dollar 8936, little rock
- family dollar store 10170, north little rock
- family dollar store 1314, little rock
- family dollar store 5598, jacksonville
- family dollar store 7191, little rock
- oriental food market, jacksonville
- walgreens 04017, sherwood
- walgreens 10364, little rock
- walgreens 5730, little rock
- walgreens 5993, little rock
- walgreens 7284, little rock
- walgreens 02364, jacksonville
- walgreens 11933, little rock
- walgreens 12418, maumelle
- walgreens 12738, little rock
- walgreens 15791, little rock
- walgreens 3416, n little rock
Farmers' Market · 3
- arkansas local food network (alfn), little rock
- central farms, north little rock
- university district development corporation, little rock
Showing 250 of 320 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Arkansas
Compare Pulaski County vs Arkansas County → · All Arkansas counties →
Food access nationally, Arkansas in context
Pulaski County sits inside Arkansas (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 Pulaski County has low food access? ▼
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What is the poverty rate in Pulaski County? ▼
Is Pulaski County a food desert? ▼
What share of Pulaski 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.