County food-access profile · New York
Rensselaer County, NY
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Rensselaer 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).
- 23.6%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 10.9%
- on SNAP
- 160K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
23.6% of Rensselaer County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 42 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 17
- low-access tracts
- 7K
- food-desert residents
- 9.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.8%
- 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 Rensselaer County's low-access share at 23.6%, above the national share. 17 of the county's 42 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 37,663 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 6,531 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 Rensselaer County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Rensselaer County's 23.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 56% of them and ranked #1,393 most-affected nationwide.
Rensselaer County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 42 census tracts in Rensselaer County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Rensselaer County vs. other New York counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New York
- Rensselaer
Rensselaer County, NY
23.6 % low-access
- Albany
Albany County, NY
31.4 % low-access
- Allegany 3.9
Allegany County, NY
3.9 % low-access
- Bronx 0.6
Bronx County, NY
0.6 % low-access
- Broome
Broome County, NY
16.4 % low-access
- Cattaraugus 7.9
Cattaraugus County, NY
7.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 42 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 159,429 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 17 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 37,663 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.6%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 6,531 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 160,332 |
| Median Household Income | $87,915 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.8%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 7,264 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.9%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.8%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.4% |
About 10.9% of Rensselaer County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 23.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 7,264 households here.
- 9.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 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 Rensselaer County
above the national share
6 of Rensselaer County's 42 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.3% of all its tracts.
A further 11 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 17.
An estimated 37,663 residents, roughly 23.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 6,531 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 25 tracts (59.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County has 143 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 90 locations (63% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 90
- 230 petro corp, stephentown
- 309 food land inc, troy
- 34 st deli & grocery inc, troy
- 4 corner convenience inc, troy
- 773 brothers market inc, troy
- american food and deli, troy
- attiya petroleum inc, troy
- brunswick fuel & food mart inc, cropseyville
- cumberland farms 1524, rensselaer
- cumberland farms 1585, troy
- cumberland farms 1602, nassau
- cumberland farms 1619, stephentown
- cumberland farms 1659, hoosick falls
- city deli mart, troy
- collar city deli and grocery inc, troy
- country farm minimart, east nassau
- cumberland farms 1534, troy
- cumberland farms 1703, troy
- cumberland farms, inc 1521, sand lake
- cumberland farms, inc 1595, castleton
- d b mart 1, troy
- food circus, troy
- fourth street market, troy
- fat albert's deli & grocery, troy
- gas america, east greenbush
- glen ave deli inc, troy
- happy valley mart inc, troy
- i love ny deli & groceries inc, troy
- jefferson deli mart inc, troy
- lebeau's grocery and deli, troy
- lb empire deli & grocery inc, troy
- metro 50, rensselaer
- mike mart inc, troy
- mohalk inc - mohawk pharmacy, troy
- nite owl news, troy
- olompia deli grocery, troy
- omar-soror llc, troy
- one stop convenient llc, troy
- pawling deli & convenience llc, troy
- perfect mart inc, troy
- pilot travel center 146, castleton on hudson
- pittstown grocery, johnsonville
- qudrat inc 1, troy
- quick shop deli grocery, troy
- rensselaer one stop corp - sunoco, rensselaer
- rensselaer valuemart, rensselaer
- river store inc, troy
- south troy deli & grocery, troy
- stewart's shop 131, troy
- stewart's shop 134, troy
- stewart's shop 184, troy
- stewart's shop 212, troy
- stewart's shop 219, hoosick falls
- stewart's shop 243, n hoosick
- stewart's shop 244, troy
- stewart's shop 262, rensselaer
- stewart's shop 356, troy
- sammy's deli & market inc, troy
- sheba grocery & deli inc, troy
- shree pramukh inc, troy
- speedway 7709, troy
- speedway 7711, castleton on hudson
- speedway 7891, troy
- steven market, rensselaer
- stewart's shops 139, troy
- stewart's shops 154, castleton on hudson
- stewart's shops 158, nassau
- stewart's shops 166, berlin
- stewart's shops 219, hoosick falls
- stewart's shops 354, castleton on hudson
- stewart's shops 456, troy
- stewart's shops 494, rensselaer
- stewart's shops 496, castleton on hudson
- stewarts shop 115, troy
- stewarts shop 214, rensselaer
- stewarts shop 287, cropseyville
- stewarts shop 294, wynantskill
- stewarts shop 318, schaghticoke
- stewarts shop 338, west sand lake
- stewarts shop 346, hoosick
- stewarts shop 352, east greenbush
- stewarts shop 368, troy
- stewarts shop 414, rensselaer
- tiktok mart inc, troy
- titanic market, troy
- troy five star food market inc - gulf, troy
- troys empire, troy
- us food & grocery no, troy
- xv street, troy
- yazzy's market, east greenbush
Combination Grocery/Other · 28
- cvs pharmacy 2137, wynantskill
- cvs pharmacy 906, troy
- cvs pharmacy 724, rensselaer
- cvs/pharmacy 5031, east greenbush
- dollar tree 1737, rensselaer
- deli on broadway inc., rensselaer
- dollar general 13920, hoosick falls
- dollar general 17476, berlin
- dollar general 19865, troy
- dollar general 21200, stephentown
- dollar tree 1419, troy
- dollar tree 4703, rensselaer
- dollar tree 6245, troy
- dollar tree 6511, rensslear
- family dollar 7891, nassau
- family dollar 8203, troy
- family dollar 8535, wynantskill
- family dollar store 2400, troy
- family dollar store 5247, troy
- ocean state job lot 512, troy
- walgreens 10548, troy
- walgreens 17434, east greenbush
- walgreens 17856, west sand lake
- walgreens 19535, rensselaer
- walgreens 19635, troy
- walgreens 19732, schaghticoke
- walgreens 19764, hoosick falls
- walgreens 19856, castleton
Super Store · 9
- hoosic valley shop n save, schaghticoke
- hannaford food & drug 8336, troy
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8236, w sand lake
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8392, wynantskill
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8450, troy
- hannaford supermarket 8361, east greenbush
- target 1796, rensselaer
- walmart 2370, troy
- walmart supercenter 1940, rensselaer
Supermarket · 6
- aldi 65180, rensselaer
- aldi 65182, troy
- market 32 hudson valley plaza 181, troy
- market 32 by price chopper 003, troy
- market 32 by price chopper 111, rensselaer
- market 32 by price chopper 54, rensselaer
Farmers' Market · 3
- hoosick local market, hoosick falls
- rensselaer riverfront farmers market, rensselaer
- troy waterfront farmers market inc fm, troy
Small Grocery Store · 3
- hewitts market llc, berlin
- mi casa market, inc., troy
- myanmar asian inc, rensselaer
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- mingala store llc, rensselaer
- uncle sam's good & natural products, troy
Delivery Route · 1
- veggie mobile, troy
Large Grocery Store · 1
- bargain grocery troy, troy
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New York
Compare Rensselaer County vs Albany County → · All New York counties →
Food access nationally, New York in context
Rensselaer County sits inside New York (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 Rensselaer County has low food access? ▼
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What is the poverty rate in Rensselaer County? ▼
Is Rensselaer County a food desert? ▼
What share of Rensselaer 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.