County food-access profile · California
San Bernardino County, CA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of San Bernardino 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).
- 24.7%
- low-access pop.
- 80
- food-desert tracts
- 15.8%
- on SNAP
- 2.2M
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
24.7% of San Bernardino County residents live in a low-access area, and 80 of its 368 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 151
- low-access tracts
- 174K
- food-desert residents
- 4.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 13.3%
- 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 San Bernardino County's low-access share at 24.7%, above the national share. 151 of the county's 368 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 501,804 people. 80 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 173,574 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 San Bernardino County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, San Bernardino County's 24.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 58% of them and ranked #1,315 most-affected nationwide.
San Bernardino County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 368 census tracts in San Bernardino County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
San Bernardino County vs. other California counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in California
- San Bernardino
San Bernardino County, CA
24.7 % 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 | 368 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 2,035,210 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 151 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 80 |
| Low-Access Population | 501,804 |
| Low-Access Share | 24.7%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 173,574 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,197,104 |
| Median Household Income | $85,478 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.3%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 106,798 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.8%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.8% |
About 15.8% of San Bernardino County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 24.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 15.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 106,798 households here.
- 4.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 80 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 San Bernardino County
above the national share
80 of San Bernardino County's 368 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 21.7% of all its tracts.
A further 71 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 151.
An estimated 501,804 residents, roughly 24.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 173,574 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 217 tracts (59.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County has 1,484 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 192 locations (13% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 192
- .99 + bargain corner, san bernardino
- 5th gen meat co., apple valley
- asia bazaar, ontario
- becy african store, montclair
- buffalo market place, ontario
- c&c african/caribbean international store, victorville
- cvs 10914, rancho cucamonga
- cvs pharmacey 11112, upland
- cvs pharmacy 10310, redlands
- cvs pharmacy 10792, colton
- cvs pharmacy 10805, rancho cucamonga
- cvs pharmacy 11035, fontana
- cvs pharmacy 4148, victorville
- cvs pharmacy 4291, adelanto
- cvs pharmacy 8436, highland
- cvs pharmacy 8523, rialto
- cvs pharmacy 8589, fontana
- cvs pharmacy 8825, grand terrace
- cvs pharmacy 8894, redlands
- cvs pharmacy 9313, highland
- cvs pharmacy 9619, fontana
- cvs pharmacy 9644, hesperia
- cvs pharmacy 9649, yucaipa
- cvs pharmacy 9664, san bernardino
- cvs pharmacy 9698, upland
- cvs pharmacy 9723, rancho cucamonga
- cvs pharmacy 9724, rancho cucamonga
- cvs pharmacy 9727, ontario
- cvs pharmacy 9739, big bear lake
- cvs pharmacy 9745, montclair
- cvs pharmacy 9778, chino
- cvs pharmacy 9792, upland
- cvs pharmacy 9794, san bernardino
- cvs pharmacy 9816, chino hills
- cvs pharmacy cvs10999, lake arrowhead
- carnes y mariscos luis, hesperia
- dollar general 12939, victorville
- dollar general 13178, yucca valley
- dollar general 13337, twentynine palms
- dollar general 13578, barstow
- dollar general 13638, san bernardino
- dollar general 14136, ontario
- dollar general 17905, morongo valley
- dollar general 22536, san bernardino
- dollartree 10495, apple valley
- dollartree 10529, ontario
- dollartree 10532, ontario
- dollartree 10534, rancho cucamonga
- dollartree 10538, ontario
- dollartree 10560, upland
- dollartree 11040, redlands
- dollartree 11049, chino
- dollartree 11066, rialto
- dollartree 5855, san bernadino
- dollartree 8675, yucaipa
- dollartree 8770, chino hills
- dollartree 9406, colton
- dollartree 9418, rancho cucamonga
- dollartree 9638, rialto
- dollartree 9834, redlands
- dollartree 9958, victorville
- dhaka sweets and spices, loma linda
- dollar general 12942, barstow
- dollar general 12997, apple valley
- dollar general 13149, joshua tree
- dollar general 13460, colton
- dollar general 13656, yucca valley
- dollar general 14087, san bernardino
- dollar general 14280, lucerne valley
- dollar general 14805, apple valley
- dollar general 15199, adelanto
- dollar general 17236, phelan
- dollar general 18082, mentone
- dollar general 22201, barstow
- dollar general 22591, hesperia
- dollar general 23019, san bernardino
- dollar general 23020, victorville
- dollar general 23328, twentynine palms
- dollar general store 13405, montclair
- dollar general store 16788, pinon hills
- dollar general store 16860, needles
- dollar tree 1504, victorville
- dollar tree 1773, redlands
- dollar tree 1808, fontana
- dollar tree 1855, victorville
- dollar tree 1899, highland
- dollar tree 2445, rancho cucamonga
- dollar tree 2518, chino
- dollar tree 2959, big bear lake
- dollar tree 2961, hesperia
- dollar tree 3078, colton
- dollar tree 3134, chino hills
- dollar tree 3241, yucca valley
- dollar tree 3440, upland
- dollar tree 4014, fontana
- dollar tree 4043, twentynine palms
- dollar tree 4280, apple valley
- dollar tree 4450, grand terrace
- dollar tree 4506, ontario
- dollar tree 4682, chino hills
- dollar tree 4734, ontario
- dollar tree 4929, rialto
- dollar tree 5119, san bernardino
- dollar tree 5189, fontana
- dollar tree 5366, san bernardino
- dollar tree 5519, victorville
- dollar tree 5693, montclair
- dollar tree 5741, rialto
- dollar tree 5754, upland
- dollar tree 5759, loma linda
- dollar tree 5764, victorville
- dollar tree 6007, rancho cucamonga
- dollar tree 6138, montclair
- dollar tree 6423, yucaipa
- dollar tree 6563, rialto
- dollar tree 6633, ontario
- dollar tree 6768, hesperia
- dollar tree 6811, barstow
- dollar tree 7008, hesperia
- dollar tree 7131, bloomington
- dollar tree 7732, phelan
- dollar tree 8344, fontana
- family dollar store 9289, colton
- family dollar 10291, fontana
- family dollar 10458, adelanto
- family dollar 10794, helendale
- family dollar 12188, highland
- family dollar 12677, yucaipa
- family dollar 8808, rialto
- family dollar 8902, fontana
- family dollar 9073, fontana
- family dollar 9309, rialto
- family dollar 9404, san bernardino
- family dollar store 10503, hesperia
- family dollar store 10831, san bernardino
- family dollar store 10947, twentynine palms
- family dollar store 9241, highland
- heerjenil outlet inc, fontana
- indian cuisine, fontana
- inland discount store, san bernardino
- kidz first nutrition llc, san bernardino
- la surtidora cash n carry, bloomington
- last chance outlet - general merchandise, rancho cucamonga
- loma linda market, loma linda
- master nuts 2, rancho cucamonga
- mi pueblo mercadito, fontana
- panaderia azteca, adelanto
- rancho just bargain stores inc, rancho cucamonga
- sadhna's indian groceries no, chino
- sams bargain, san bernardino
- sanjha saudha, fontana
- saul's produce & meat market, adelanto
- supermarket los altos inc, ontario
- terrible's 135, barstow
- terrible's 374, barstow
- terrible's 380, barstow
- terribles 412, nipton
- the india grocers, hesperia
- the indian pantry, chino hills
- viet hung seafood market, san bernardino
- walgreens 01870, apple valley
- walgreens 02223, hesperia
- walgreens 05478, rancho cucamonga
- walgreens 05652, rancho cucamonga
- walgreens 07976, redlands
- walgreens 09105, rialto
- walgreens 09183, san bernardino
- walgreens 09254, victorville
- walgreens 09588, fontana
- walgreens 09780, hesperia
- walgreens 10202, ontario
- walgreens 10420, big bear lake
- walgreens 10768, fontana
- walgreens 11472, chino hills
- walgreens 11989, rialto
- walgreens 12332, apple valley
- walgreens 12576, victorville
- walgreens 12841, grand terrace
- walgreens 12862, victorville
- walgreens 5300, highland
- walgreens 5348, yucaipa
- walgreens 5372, fontana
- walgreens 5506, rialto
- walgreens 5528, san bernardino
- walgreens 5555, rialto
- walgreens 5556, hesperia
- walgreens 6061, upland
- walgreens 6147, ontario
- walgreens 6399, yucca valley
- walgreens 6438, chino
- walgreens 6685, san bernardino
- what a bargain, redlands
Convenience Store · 53
- 24 express market, ontario
- 247 market, lucerne valley
- 3 boy's liquor market, fontana
- 3 boys liquor #2, fontana
- 3 m market, rialto
- 4 bros liquor, san bernardino
- 4 bros liquor 3 inc., san bernardino
- 4 bros liquor and market, colton
- 5 boys liquor, san bernardino
- 5 boys liquor #2 inc, fontana
- 5 point shell gas station, twin peaks
- 5 star liquor & market, san bernardino
- 7 eleven 25245b, montclair
- 7 eleven 25806 f, fontana
- 7 eleven store 13954 d, san bernardino
- 7 eleven store 13976 f, fontana
- 7 eleven store 13977 c, chino
- 7 eleven store 13979f, rancho cucamonga
- 7 eleven store 13981 f, upland
- 7 eleven store 15960 e, chino
- 7 eleven store 16270c, upland
- 7 eleven store 16755 e, bloomington
- 7 eleven store 17102 f, chino
- 7 eleven store 17813 e, fontana
- 7 eleven store 17814 f, yucaipa
- 7 eleven store 18975 d, fontana
- 7 eleven store 20222 a, rialto
- 7 eleven store 21036 g, yucca valley
- 7 eleven store 21402 c, ontario
- 7 eleven store 2171-39432, bloomington
- 7 eleven store 22849d, montclair
- 7 eleven store 23008 g, apple valley
- 7 eleven store 25984 c, apple valley
- 7 eleven store 27678 c, hesperia
- 7 eleven store 29172 b, twentynine palms
- 7 eleven store 29437 d, ontario
- 7 eleven store 33292 d, redlands
- 7 eleven store 33604 c, colton
- 7 eleven store 34568a, upland
- 7 eleven store 35309 b, fontana
- 7 eleven store 35348 c, rialto
- 7 eleven store 35875 c, upland
- 7 eleven store 36035 a, upland
- 7 eleven store 37036 c, san bernardino
- 7 eleven store 37137 a, ontario
- 7 eleven store 37214 b, san bernardino
- 7 eleven store 37950 a, barstow
- 7 eleven store 38051 b, rialto
- 7 eleven store 38094 a, highland
- 7 eleven store 38114 a, san bernardino
- 7 eleven store 38160a, fontana
- 7 eleven store 38168 a, rialto
- 7 eleven store 38198 a, fontana
Bakery Specialty · 5
- angies bakery, san bernardino
- j & a bakery & donuts, bloomington
- josies bakery, san bernardino
- lesley bakery, fontana
- lesley bakery #2, san bernardino
Showing 250 of 1,484 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in California
Compare San Bernardino County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Food access nationally, California in context
San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino County has low food access? ▼
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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.