PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Alabama

Russell County, AL

Russell 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.

14.9%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
20.1%
on SNAP
59K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AL

The food-access picture

14.9% of Russell County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 13 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
8.0%
households, no vehicle
22.2%
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).

Russell County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.9% per the USDA Atlas. 6 of the county's 13 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,885 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,529 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 Russell County compares nationally

Russell County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.9% low-access share that beats 32% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,130).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Russell County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 13 census tracts in Russell 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 Russell County, AL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 13 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (53.8%) 4 tracts limited (30.8%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (15.4%) Adequate 54% Limited 31% Severe 15% Food-access tier distribution: Russell County, AL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Russell 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 Russell County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts13
Atlas Population (2010 basis)52,947
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population7,885
Low-Access Share14.9%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,529

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Russell County
IndicatorValue
Population58,811
Median Household Income$51,197
Poverty Rate22.2%well above the national average
SNAP Households4,814
SNAP Participation Rate20.1%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.0%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.8%
SNAP participation in Russell County 20.1%

About 20.1% of Russell County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 14.9% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 20.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,814 households here.
  • 8.0% 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 Russell County

near the national share

2 of Russell County's 13 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 15.4% of all its tracts.

A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.

An estimated 7,885 residents, roughly 14.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,529 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (53.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Russell County

Russell County has 61 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 25 locations (41% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 25

  • bigcat express, phenix city
  • circle k store 6696, phenix city
  • circle k store 6721, phenix city
  • circle k store 6722, phenix city
  • discount corner, phenix city
  • drop zone mini mart, fort mitchell
  • flowers bakery outlet 5, phenix city
  • food mart #4, phenix city
  • food mart 2, phenix city
  • food mart 3, phenix city
  • gas express llc d/b/a circle k ck 722, phenix city
  • highway 431 chevron, phenix city
  • kite's grocery and bait shop llc, pittsview
  • liberty food mart, phenix city
  • little big cat, phenix city
  • marathon, phenix city
  • marathon, phenix city
  • marathon, phenix city
  • super saver express, phenix city
  • snack attack, phenix city
  • store 105, phenix city
  • store 111, phenix city
  • white spot grocery, seale
  • white spot no 2, pittsview
  • zelmo's on summerville road, phenix city

Combination Grocery/Other · 23

  • cvs pharmacy 4934, phenix city
  • dollar general 13730, phenix city
  • dollar general 14070, phenix city
  • dollar general 14607, seale
  • dollar general 6821, phenix city
  • dollar general 11769, hurtsboro
  • dollar general 11889, fort mitchell
  • dollar general 13308, phenix city
  • dollar general 15972, phenix city
  • dollar general 16535, fort mitchell
  • dollar general 22502, phenix city
  • dollar general 9270, phenix city
  • dollar general store 31637, phenix city
  • dollar tree 1758, phenix city
  • dollar tree 6791, phenix city
  • family dollar 12931, seale
  • family dollar 13204, fort mitchell
  • family dollar store 10424, phenix city
  • family dollar store 296, phenix city
  • family dollar store 6666, phenix city
  • family dollar store 7277, phenix city
  • walgreens 11704, phenix city
  • walgreens 6483, phenix city

Super Store · 5

  • piggly wiggly 411, phenix city
  • piggly wiggly warehouse foods 425, phenix city
  • renfroe’s market - phenix city 710, phenix city
  • walmart neighborhood market 5903, phenix city
  • walmart supercenter 1284, phenix city

Supermarket · 4

  • aldi 106, phenix city
  • piggly wiggly #418, phenix city
  • rainbow foods seale road, phenix city
  • rainbow foods, phenix city

Large Grocery Store · 3

  • rainbow food, phenix city
  • rainbow foods, fort mitchell
  • rainbow foods hwy 80, phenix city

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • la nueva esperanza #2 1, phenix city

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 Russell County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →

Food access nationally, Alabama in context

Russell 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 Russell County has low food access? ▼
14.9% of residents in Russell 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 Russell County? ▼
20.1% of households in Russell County receive SNAP, covering 4,814 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Russell County? ▼
The poverty rate in Russell County, AL is 22.2%, with a median household income of $51,197 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Russell County a food desert? ▼
2 of Russell County's 13 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 Russell County households lack a vehicle? ▼
8.0% of households in Russell 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.