PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Alabama

Randolph County, AL

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Randolph 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).

29.3%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
18.8%
on SNAP
23K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AL

The food-access picture

29.3% of Randolph County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
4.4%
households, no vehicle
19.9%
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 Randolph County's low-access share at 29.3%, above the national share. 4 of the county's 6 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 6,719 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,021 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 Randolph County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Randolph County's 29.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 69% of them and ranked #978 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Randolph County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 6 census tracts in Randolph 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 Randolph County, AL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (33.3%) 2 tracts limited (33.3%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (33.3%) Adequate 33% Limited 33% Severe 33% Food-access tier distribution: Randolph County, AL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Randolph County vs. other Alabama counties

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

% 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 Randolph County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)22,913
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population6,719
Low-Access Share29.3%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,021

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Randolph County
IndicatorValue
Population22,510
Median Household Income$52,338
Poverty Rate19.9%above the national average
SNAP Households1,741
SNAP Participation Rate18.8%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.4%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.4%
SNAP participation in Randolph County 18.8%

About 18.8% of Randolph County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 29.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 18.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,741 households here.
  • 4.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Randolph County

above the national share

2 of Randolph County's 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 33.3% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 6,719 residents, roughly 29.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,021 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 2 tracts (33.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Randolph County

Randolph County has 27 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 14 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 14

  • allen's food marts inc 76, wedowee
  • b's grocery, woodland
  • country corner, newell
  • express mart 1, roanoke
  • j.s.grocery, roanoke
  • jopada, newell
  • lake wedowee bait and tackle, wedowee
  • mad indian quickie mart, lineville
  • main street food mart, wedowee
  • murphy usa 7814, roanoke
  • patel food mart #2, roanoke
  • patel food mart#1, roanoke
  • spartlin's grocerry, woodland
  • stephens station, wadley

Combination Grocery/Other · 9

  • clark bros. quality meats, roanoke
  • dollar general 0505, wedowee
  • dollar general 3962, roanoke
  • dollar general 9135, wadley
  • dollar general 20763, wedowee
  • dollar general 23996, woodland
  • dollar general 24350, roanoke
  • dollar tree 6605, roanoke
  • family dollar 13172, woodland

Super Store · 2

  • w m grocery, wedowee
  • walmart supercenter 863, roanoke

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • perryland foods, wedowee

Supermarket · 1

  • wm grocery roanoke 218, roanoke

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Alabama

Autauga County
33.9% low-access · 9.2% SNAP
Baldwin County
25.1% low-access · 6.7% SNAP
Barbour County
20.5% low-access · 21.3% SNAP
Bibb County
1.6% low-access · 20.7% SNAP
Blount County
6.8% low-access · 12.3% SNAP
Bullock County
68.5% low-access · 34.0% SNAP

Compare Randolph County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →

Food access nationally, Alabama in context

Randolph County sits inside Alabama (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 Randolph County has low food access? ▼
29.3% of residents in Randolph County, AL 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 Randolph County? ▼
18.8% of households in Randolph County receive SNAP, covering 1,741 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Randolph County? ▼
The poverty rate in Randolph County, AL is 19.9%, with a median household income of $52,338 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Randolph County a food desert? ▼
2 of Randolph County's 6 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 Randolph County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.4% of households in Randolph 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.