Signature · 4 LILA tracts (36.4% of tracts)
San Benito County, CA
San Benito County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (36.4% of the book) alongside 17.9% low-access.
- 17.9%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 10.5%
- on SNAP
- 67K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County San Benito County, CA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 17.9% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -4.2 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 10.5% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 36% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Imperial County ( -0.3 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, San Benito County ranks #1,869 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #29 of 58 counties in CA (17.9% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,869
- national by low-access %
- #29
- in CA
- 5
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 4 LILA tracts (36.4% of tracts) .
How San Benito County compares nationally
San Benito County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.9% low-access share that beats 40% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,869).
San Benito County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
11 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
San Benito County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (8 urban, 3 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 3 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
San Benito County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in California, not a full county-board reprint
- Sierra
Sierra 88.2%
88.2 % low-access
- Merced 18.9
Merced 18.9%
18.9 % low-access
- San Luis Obis… 18.6
San Luis Obis… 18.6%
18.6 % low-access
- San Benito 17.9
San Benito 17.9%
17.9 % low-access
- Imperial 17.6
Imperial 17.6%
17.6 % low-access
- Trinity 17.6
Trinity 17.6%
17.6 % low-access
- Amador 0.2
Amador 0.2%
0.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 11 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 55,269 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 5 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 9,878 |
| Low-Access Share | 17.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,491 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 67,290 |
| Median Household Income | $114,394 |
| Poverty Rate | 6.7%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,169 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.5%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.0%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.6% |
SNAP retailers in San Benito County
San Benito County has 22 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 7 locations (32% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
2 towns share the 22 authorized stores; Hollister holds 95% of them. 1 of the 2 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: San Juan Bautista.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Hollister | 21 | 10 |
| San Juan Bautista | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 7
- 7-eleven store 19600e, hollister
- gateway am pm, hollister
- jessie 's food mart, hollister
- pacheco's express way liquors, hollister
- quik stop market 550129, hollister
- quik stop market 550131, hollister
- shell gas & mini mart 1, hollister
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 21261, hollister
- dollar tree 5791, hollister
- walgreens 15433, hollister
- windmill market, san juan bautista
Super Store · 4
- grocery outlet hollister #281, hollister
- hollister super #2, hollister
- hollister super market, hollister
- target store t-0941, hollister
Supermarket · 3
- lucky 719, hollister
- nob hill foods 605, hollister
- safeway 1757, hollister
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- lupita's supermarket 2, hollister
- san benito meat market, hollister
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphy's in hollister ca057, hollister
Large Grocery Store · 1
- los cuates supermercado, hollister
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in California
One of 57 counties in California, 6 are shown here.
Compare San Benito County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Nationwide peers for San Benito County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for San Benito County, both outside California so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside CA (17.9% here).
- Adams County, CO · 17.9% low-access
- Decatur County, GA · 17.9% low-access
- Wayne County, GA · 17.9% low-access
- Boone County, IN · 17.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside CA (10.5% here).
- Elmore County, AL · 10.5% SNAP
- Camden County, GA · 10.5% SNAP
- Dade County, GA · 10.5% SNAP
- Henry County, GA · 10.5% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
California among Pacific states
California ranks 5th of 5 Pacific states by population-weighted low-access (13.3%). San Benito County, at 17.9%, runs 4.6 pts above the California rate.
- Alaska 30.9%
- Hawaii 26.7%
- Washington 23.1%
- Oregon 16.9%
- California 13.3%
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 San Benito County, CA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 06069. 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.