Signature · 2 LILA tracts (50% of tracts)
Runnels County, TX
Runnels County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (50% of the book) alongside 41.5% low-access.
- 41.5%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 10.9%
- on SNAP
- 10K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Runnels County, TX
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-SEVERE 41.5% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +19.4 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 10.9% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 50% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Pecos County ( -0.1 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Runnels County sits in the upper national band (41.5%, #353 of 3,079) with 2 LILA tracts.
- #353
- national by low-access %
- #44
- in TX
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 2 LILA tracts (50% of tracts) .
How Runnels County compares nationally
Runnels County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 41.5% low-access share outpaces 89% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #353 most-affected nationwide.
Runnels County's elevated USDA tier split
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
Runnels County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (2 rural, 2 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 2 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Runnels County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Texas, not a full county-board reprint
- Throckmorton
Throckmorton 100%
100 % low-access
- Erath
Erath 42.4%
42.4 % low-access
- Runnels
Runnels 41.5%
41.5 % low-access
- Pecos
Pecos 41.4%
41.4 % low-access
- Guadalupe
Guadalupe 41.3%
41.3 % low-access
- McCulloch
McCulloch 40.9%
40.9 % low-access
- Rains 0
Rains 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 10,501 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,361 |
| Low-Access Share | 41.5%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,679 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 9,874 |
| Median Household Income | $62,632 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.0%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 414 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.9%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.2%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
SNAP retailers in Runnels County
Runnels County has 16 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 10 locations (63% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 16 authorized stores; Ballinger holds 56% of them. Every one of these towns has at least one grocery-grade outlet (4 across the county).
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Ballinger | 9 | 2 |
| Winters | 5 | 1 |
| Miles | 2 | 1 |
Convenience Store · 10
- 7-eleven 073, winters
- 7-eleven, inc. 42486, miles
- 7-eleven, inc. 42566, ballinger
- allsups 232, ballinger
- allsups 235, ballinger
- allsups 102452, ballinger
- ballinger short stop inc, ballinger
- quick stop, ballinger
- the crossing travel market, lp 1, winters
- yesway 1078, winters
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 4575, ballinger
- dollar general 7435, winters
Supermarket · 2
- spring market 724, winters
- spring market store 738, ballinger
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- ideal food store, miles
Super Store · 1
- walmart store 1078, ballinger
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Texas
One of 253 counties in Texas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Runnels County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →
Texas among West South Central states
Texas ranks 3rd of 4 West South Central states by population-weighted low-access (25.0%). Runnels County, at 41.5%, runs 16.5 pts above the Texas rate.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Runnels County, TX are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 48399. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.