County food-access profile · California
Sacramento County, CA
Sacramento 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.
- 16.8%
- low-access pop.
- 25
- food-desert tracts
- 14.2%
- on SNAP
- 1.6M
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
16.8% of Sacramento County residents live in a low-access area, and 25 of its 317 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 89
- low-access tracts
- 60K
- food-desert residents
- 6.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.5%
- 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).
Sacramento County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 16.8% per the USDA Atlas. 89 of the county's 317 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 238,548 residents who live far from a supermarket. 25 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 59,972 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 Sacramento County compares nationally
Sacramento County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.8% low-access share that beats 37% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,967).
Sacramento County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 317 census tracts in Sacramento County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Sacramento County vs. other California counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in California
- Sacramento 16.8
Sacramento County, CA
16.8 % low-access
- Alameda 8.1
Alameda County, CA
8.1 % low-access
- Alpine
Alpine County, CA
57 % low-access
- Amador 0.2
Amador County, CA
0.2 % low-access
- Butte 19.1
Butte County, CA
19.1 % low-access
- Calaveras 14.7
Calaveras County, CA
14.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 317 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 1,418,788 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 89 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 25 |
| Low-Access Population | 238,548 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.8%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 59,972 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,594,006 |
| Median Household Income | $92,175 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.5%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 81,145 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.2%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.6%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.6% |
About 14.2% of Sacramento County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 16.8% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 14.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 81,145 households here.
- 6.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 25 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 Sacramento County
near the national share
25 of Sacramento County's 317 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 7.9% of all its tracts.
A further 64 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 89.
An estimated 238,548 residents, roughly 16.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 59,972 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 228 tracts (71.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Sacramento County
Sacramento County has 1,055 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 114 locations (11% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 114
- a to z halal market 1, sacramento
- afghan halal market, sacramento
- afghan pita market and restaurant, sacramento
- ben thanh market, sacramento
- cvs 10005, sacramento
- cvs pharmacy 182, elk grove
- cvs pharmacy 1825, elk grove
- cvs pharmacy 2290, sacramento
- cvs pharmacy 3022, galt
- cvs pharmacy 3066, sacramento
- cvs pharmacy 3943, sacramento
- cvs pharmacy 3950, folsom
- cvs pharmacy 4151, sacramento
- cvs pharmacy 4950, rancho cordova
- cvs pharmacy 5225, sacramento
- cvs pharmacy 7136, sacramento
- cvs pharmacy 9132, elk grove
- cvs pharmacy 9199, fair oaks
- cvs pharmacy 9322, sacramento
- cvs pharmacy 9809, carmichael
- cvs pharmacy 9814, fair oaks
- cvs pharmacy 9823, sacramento
- cvs pharmacy 9923, folsom
- cvs pharmacy 9972, sacramento
- cvs pharmacy 9980, folsom
- cvs pharmacy cvs11047, sacramento
- carniceria y panaderia del valle, sacramento
- dollar general 14301, sacramento
- dollar general 14306, sacramento
- dollar general 14572, sacramento
- dollar general 14727, sacramento
- dollar general store 13682, citrus heights
- dollartree 08106, sacramento
- dollartree 10148, sacramento
- dollartree 10401, sacramento
- dollartree 10441, sacramento
- dollartree 10586, sacramento
- dollartree 10644, rancho cordova
- dollartree 8642, carmichael
- dollartree 8741, elk grove
- dollartree 9857, sacramento
- desi market and grill, sacramento
- dollar tree 1201, north highlands
- dollar tree 1202, citrus heights
- dollar tree 1203, sacramento
- dollar tree 1204, sacramento
- dollar tree 1205, rancho cordova
- dollar tree 1209, carmichael
- dollar tree 1213, elk grove
- dollar tree 1228, folsom
- dollar tree 1229, sacramento
- dollar tree 1268, fair oaks
- dollar tree 1976, sacramento
- dollar tree 2041, sacramento
- dollar tree 2119, citrus heights
- dollar tree 2236, citrus heights
- dollar tree 2545, sacramento
- dollar tree 2922, citrus heights
- dollar tree 3447, elk grove
- dollar tree 3566, sacramento
- dollar tree 4670, sacramento
- dollar tree 5211, sacramento
- dollar tree 5225, north highlands
- dollar tree 5316, gold river
- dollar tree 5580, sacramento
- dollar tree 5786, folsom
- dollar tree 5947, galt
- dollar tree 6116, citrus heights
- dollar tree 7656, sacramento
- dollar tree 7944, folsom
- dollar tree 8464, sacramento
- dollar tree 8522, sacramento
- dollar tree 8551, sacramento
- dollar tree 9134, sacramento
- dollar tree 9640, sacramento
- east market & restaurant, sacramento
- emma's 1, sacramento
- etihad market and restaurant, rancho cordova
- family dollar store 10695, galt
- indika foods inc., sacramento
- lao market, sacramento
- malabar indian groceries, folsom
- marbo ginseng corp, sacramento
- middle east bakery & coffee, carmichael
- natraj india foods, l.p., sacramento
- peenoy video & grocery store, north highlands
- pacific cost.co 2, citrus heights
- punjabi bazar supermarket, sacramento
- rumi oasis, elk grove
- smile food market, sacramento
- sk india mart, sacramento
- super pure water, sacramento
- tawhid halal market, carmichael
- tolo super store, sacramento
- vinai wholesale, sacramento
- wah tsun chinese herbs, sacramento
- walgreens 06142, elk grove
- walgreens 09048, folsom
- walgreens 09532, rancho cordova
- walgreens 10114, sacramento
- walgreens 10716, sacramento
- walgreens 4136, sacramento
- walgreens 4170, sacramento
- walgreens 5036, sacramento
- walgreens 5152, citrus heights
- walgreens 5499, elk grove
- walgreens 5500, antelope
- walgreens 5774, citrus heights
- walgreens 6419, elk grove
- walgreens 6612, elk grove
- wing fa market, sacramento
- won won seafood market, sacramento
- xieng khouang market, sacramento
- yong tai ginseng, sacramento
Convenience Store · 109
- 1 stop food & liquor 1, orangevale
- 21st amendment liquor, sacramento
- 5 star liquor & food, carmichael
- 5th st market, sacramento
- 6/49 liquors, north highlands
- 65th stockton shell, sacramento
- 7 eleven 14068e, orangevale
- 7 eleven 14098a, rancho cordova
- 7 eleven 14107f, sacramento
- 7 eleven 23265d, sacramento
- 7 eleven 24815 b, citrus heights
- 7 eleven 23015g 23015g, north highlands
- 7 eleven 2364 14060g, citrus heights
- 7 eleven 2364-37217a 37217a, sacramento
- 7 eleven 2365 35347 35347, rancho cordova
- 7 eleven 2365-18185d 18185d, sacramento
- 7 eleven 2365-24604c 24604c, sacramento
- 7 eleven 2365-39573a 39573a, elk grove
- 7 eleven 24276f, sacramento
- 7 eleven 34575a, citrus heights
- 7 eleven 34677a, citrus heights
- 7 eleven 37620a 37620a, sacramento
- 7 eleven 38424a 38424a, sacramento
- 7 eleven 38703b 38703b, orangevale
- 7 eleven 39155b 39155b, sacramento
- 7 eleven 39207b, gold river
- 7 eleven 39425c 39425c, sacramento
- 7 eleven 39572c, sacramento
- 7 eleven 39887a, sacramento
- 7 eleven 41227a 41227a, elk grove
- 7 eleven 41228a, elk grove
- 7 eleven 41251a 41251a, sacramento
- 7 eleven 41288a, sacramento
- 7 eleven 42175a, sacramento
- 7 eleven store 23233d, sacramento
- 7 eleven store 35351a, sacramento
- 7 eleven store 36868a, sacramento
- 7 stop foodmart, rancho cordova
- 7-eleven #18328 e 18328e, fair oaks
- 7-eleven (gill) 23226 b, sacramento
- 7-eleven (singh) 24147 c, sacramento
- 7-eleven 14119f, sacramento
- 7-eleven 16350 d, sacramento
- 7-eleven 19156 d, citrus heights
- 7-eleven 22979 t, citrus heights
- 7-eleven 26598 c, sacramento
- 7-eleven 29253 c, sacramento
- 7-eleven 16081 e, north highlands
- 7-eleven 23040d, sacramento
- 7-eleven 34492a, sacramento
- 7-eleven 34629a, sacramento
- 7-eleven 35491a, sacramento
- 7-eleven 59099, sacramento
- 7-eleven inc - 7 eleven 33315a, sacramento
- 7-eleven store 23010, carmichael
- 7-eleven store 32836a, sacramento
- 7-eleven store 35481a, sacramento
- 7-eleven store 39576a, galt
- 7-eleven store 42143h, rancho cordova
- 7-eleven, inc. 42011h, sacramento
- 7-eleven store 23615, rio linda
- 99 plus mart, sacramento
- a&m food and liquor, sacramento
- a1 market, sacramento
- a1 mart, sacramento
- a1marketplace, sacramento
- afg kabul market & ice cream, sacramento
- ace liquor, sacramento
- aery's market, sacramento
- aj mini mart and more, carmichael
- all nation market, sacramento
- am pm 2126, fair oaks
- american food store, orangevale
- anatolia chevron 6068, rancho cordova
- antelope & roseville road chevron, sacramento
- antelope 76 martket, citrus heights
- antelope food & gas, antelope
- antelope liquors, antelope
- antelope shell 10, citrus heights
- archway market, rio linda
- arco 83950, rancho cordova
- arco am pm 7099, sacramento
- arco am/pm, folsom
- arco am pm, gold river
- arco am pm, north highlands
- arco am/pm, sacramento
- arco am/pm # 83909 83909, citrus heights
- arco am/pm 83402, citrus heights
- arco ampm, antelope
- arco ampm 04398, sacramento
- arco ampm 7029, rancho cordova
- arco ampm 7062, sacramento
- arco ampm 7122, north highlands
- arco ampm 7131, sacramento
- arco ampm 7173, sacramento
- arco ampm 7192, elk grove
- arco ampm 7222, citrus heights
- arco ampm 82538, sacramento
- arco ampm 82803, rancho cordova
- arco ampm 83008, elk grove
- arco ampm 83815, galt
- arco broadway, sacramento
- arden mini mart 2304, sacramento
- arden way chevron, sacramento
- aria gas and market 2, sacramento
- art's liquor, sacramento
- astro am/pm 2166, sacramento
- auburn gas & food, citrus heights
- auburn shell 30, sacramento
Bakery Specialty · 27
- bibi pastry & cafe, inc., sacramento
- bimbo bakeries 1473, sacramento
- golden bread house, carmichael
- papa murphy ca093, sacramento
- papa murphy pizza ca257, sacramento
- papa murphy's 076, citrus heights
- papa murphy's ca-124, antelope
- papa murphy's ca122, citrus heights
- papa murphy's ca164, sacramento
- papa murphy's ca216, galt
- papa murphy's ca160 ca160, sacramento
- papa murphy's pizza ca 325, rancho cordova
- papa murphy's pizza ca-096, sacramento
- papa murphy's pizza ca095, sacramento
- papa murphy's pizza ca260, sacramento
- papa murphy's take and bake pizza ca143, sacramento
- papa murphy's take and bake pizza number ca112 ca112, sacramento
- papa murphy's take n bake 108, sacramento
- papa murphy's take n bake pizza ca101, orangevale
- papa murphy's take n bake pizza ca134, carmichael
- papa murphy's take n bake pizza ca293, rio linda
- papa murphy's take and bake pizza ca110, folsom
- papa murphys 135, sacramento
- papa murphys pizza ca081, sacramento
- papa murphys take n bake ca118, sacramento
- sayed sweet & bakery llc, sacramento
- sweet land, sacramento
Showing 250 of 1,055 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in California
Compare Sacramento County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Food access nationally, California in context
Sacramento County sits inside California (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 Sacramento County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Sacramento County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Sacramento County? ▼
Is Sacramento County a food desert? ▼
What share of Sacramento 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.