PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Florida

Putnam County, FL

Putnam 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.

13.4%
low-access pop.
5
food-desert tracts
22.7%
on SNAP
75K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 FL

The food-access picture

13.4% of Putnam County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 16 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

5
low-access tracts
5K
food-desert residents
6.8%
households, no vehicle
23.4%
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).

Putnam County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 13.4% per the USDA Atlas. 5 of the county's 16 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 9,954 residents who live far from a supermarket. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 4,984 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 Putnam County compares nationally

Putnam County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 13.4% low-access share that beats 28% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,249).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Putnam County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 16 census tracts in Putnam County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Putnam County, FL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 11 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 5 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 16 tracts evaluated. 11 tracts adequate (68.8%) 5 tracts severe / food desert (31.3%) Adequate 69% Limited 0% Severe 31% Food-access tier distribution: Putnam County, FL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Putnam County vs. other Florida counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Putnam County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts16
Atlas Population (2010 basis)74,364
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)5
Low-Access Population9,954
Low-Access Share13.4%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,984

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Putnam County
IndicatorValue
Population75,164
Median Household Income$47,934
Poverty Rate23.4%well above the national average
SNAP Households7,110
SNAP Participation Rate22.7%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.8%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.8%
SNAP participation in Putnam County 22.7%

About 22.7% of Putnam County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 13.4% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 22.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 7,110 households here.
  • 6.8% 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 Putnam County

near the national share

5 of Putnam County's 16 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 31.3% of all its tracts.

An estimated 9,954 residents, roughly 13.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 4,984 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 11 tracts (68.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Putnam County

Putnam County has 90 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 46 locations (51% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 46

  • aagora food mart, palatka
  • ami 89 llc, crescent city
  • chevron express, palatka
  • circle k 2721420, interlachen
  • circle k 2722006, hawthorne
  • circle k 2722109, palatka
  • circle k 2722117, east palatka
  • circle k 2722235, palatka
  • circle k 2722426, crescent city
  • circle k 2722428, palatka
  • circle k 2722577, florahome
  • circle k 2722643, palatka
  • circle k 2722777, pomona park
  • circle k 2726009, melrose
  • circle k 2726272, san mateo
  • circle k 2726289, san mateo
  • circle k 2726537, palatka
  • crescent city food mart, crescent city
  • fast track foods 313, interlachen
  • fast track foods 325, interlachen
  • food mart, melrose
  • greattreat #5, interlachen
  • hall's superette, palatka
  • hawthorne food store, hawthorne
  • in and out 1, crescent city
  • jas foods, palatka
  • kangaroo 599, welaka
  • kangaroo 600, palatka
  • lake como food mart, pomona park
  • lakeview food, interlachen
  • lucky lime, hawthorne
  • lucky way food mart, east palatka
  • m&s palatka food mart, palatka
  • murphy usa 6818, palatka
  • palatka food mart, palatka
  • palatka mobil, palatka
  • race trac 2486, palatka
  • reid foodmart, palatka
  • sahir food mart, palatka
  • satsuma express, satsuma
  • summit st express, crescent city
  • sunoco 2572 2572, palatka
  • sunoco food mart, palatka
  • t & k discount, interlachen
  • tommys food store 2, palatka
  • wawa store 5434, palatka

Combination Grocery/Other · 31

  • cvs pharmacy 3519, east palatka
  • cvs pharmacy 3663, interlachen
  • cvs pharmacy 4422, palatka
  • dollar general 11189, palatka
  • dollar general 13897, pomona park
  • dollar general 13901, palatka
  • dollar general 14073, palatka
  • dollar general 14096, hawthorne
  • dollar general 4696, crescent city
  • dollar general 9892, east palatka
  • dollar general 12048, florahome
  • dollar general 12076, san mateo
  • dollar general 12292, crescent city
  • dollar general 12991, satsuma
  • dollar general 1391, interlachen
  • dollar general 14649, palatka
  • dollar general 15493, welaka
  • dollar general 16344, melrose
  • dollar general 16993, crescent city
  • dollar general 23060, palatka
  • dollar general 24609, interlachen
  • dollar general 25422, crescent city
  • dollar general 7728, palatka
  • dollar tree 1562, palatka
  • family dollar 9244, palatka
  • family dollar store 1016, east palatka
  • family dollar store 10965, melrose
  • family dollar store 1283, crescent city
  • family dollar store 7638, interlachen
  • walgreen 04734, palatka
  • welaka fish & crab, welaka

Supermarket · 7

  • east palatka markets inc. 5523, east palatka
  • interlachen markets inc. 5524, interlachen
  • publix 0727, palatka
  • save a lot 61230, crescent city
  • save a lot 61232, palatka
  • winn dixie 0163, palatka
  • winn dixie 196, crescent city

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • east palatka fruit market, east palatka
  • family market, palatka
  • tierra blanca mexican store, crescent city

Super Store · 2

  • walmart supercenter 551, palatka
  • winn dixie store 1654, melrose

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • cypress point store, palatka

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Florida

Alachua County
19.2% low-access · 9.2% SNAP
Baker County
55.6% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Bay County
31.5% low-access · 12.6% SNAP
Bradford County
1.1% low-access · 17.3% SNAP
Brevard County
41.8% low-access · 9.4% SNAP
Broward County
9.4% low-access · 13.2% SNAP

Compare Putnam County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →

Food access nationally, Florida in context

Putnam County sits inside Florida (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Putnam County has low food access? ▼
13.4% of residents in Putnam County, FL live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Putnam County? ▼
22.7% of households in Putnam County receive SNAP, covering 7,110 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Putnam County? ▼
The poverty rate in Putnam County, FL is 23.4%, with a median household income of $47,934 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Putnam County a food desert? ▼
5 of Putnam County's 16 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Putnam County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.8% of households in Putnam County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.