County food-access profile · Texas

Reeves County, TX

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

21.1%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
17.4%
on SNAP
13K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 TX

The food-access picture

21.1% of Reeves County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
991
food-desert residents
6.1%
households, no vehicle
16.8%
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 Reeves County's low-access share at 21.1%, above the national share. 3 of the county's 5 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 2,902 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 991 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 Reeves County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Reeves County's 21.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 49% of them and ranked #1,597 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Reeves County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 5 census tracts in Reeves 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 Reeves County, TX USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (40.0%) 1 tracts limited (20.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (40.0%) Adequate 40% Limited 20% Severe 40% Food-access tier distribution: Reeves County, TX
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Reeves County vs. other Texas counties

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

% 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 Reeves County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)13,783
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population2,902
Low-Access Share21.1%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population991

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Reeves County
IndicatorValue
Population12,664
Median Household Income$64,297
Poverty Rate16.8%above the national average
SNAP Households735
SNAP Participation Rate17.4%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.1%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population8.3%
SNAP participation in Reeves County 17.4%

About 17.4% of Reeves County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 21.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 17.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 735 households here.
  • 6.1% 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 Reeves County

above the national share

2 of Reeves County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 40.0% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 2,902 residents, roughly 21.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 991 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 2 tracts (40.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Reeves County

Reeves County has 26 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 17 locations (65% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 17

  • 7-eleven, inc. 42423, pecos
  • 7-eleven, inc. 42507, pecos
  • 7-eleven, inc. 42531, pecos
  • allsups 266, pecos
  • allsups 267, pecos
  • love's travel stop 492, pecos
  • pilot travel center 1134, orla
  • pilot travel center 1146, pecos
  • pilot travel center 736, pecos
  • uncle's 6387, orla
  • uncle's 6391, balmorhea
  • uncle's 6394, balmorhea
  • uncle's 6395, toyah
  • uncle's 6420, pecos
  • uncle's 6421, pecos
  • uncle's 6424, pecos
  • united express 663, pecos

Combination Grocery/Other · 5

  • dollar general 1735, pecos
  • dollartree 4, pecos
  • dollar general 21030, pecos
  • dollar general 25629, pecos
  • family dollar 2522, pecos

Supermarket · 2

  • la tienda thriftway, pecos
  • united supermarket 663, pecos

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • balmorhea grocery, balmorhea

Super Store · 1

  • walmart store 898, pecos

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Texas

Compare Reeves County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →

Food access nationally, Texas in context

Reeves County sits inside Texas (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 Reeves County has low food access?
21.1% of residents in Reeves County, TX 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 Reeves County?
17.4% of households in Reeves County receive SNAP, covering 735 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Reeves County?
The poverty rate in Reeves County, TX is 16.8%, with a median household income of $64,297 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Reeves County a food desert?
2 of Reeves County's 5 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 Reeves County households lack a vehicle?
6.1% of households in Reeves 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.