County food-access profile · California
San Mateo County, CA
San Mateo 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.
- 10.5%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 5.1%
- on SNAP
- 742K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
10.5% of San Mateo County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 33
- low-access tracts
- 7K
- food-desert residents
- 5.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 6.7%
- 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).
San Mateo County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 10.5% per the USDA Atlas. 33 of the county's 156 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 75,561 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 Mateo County compares nationally
San Mateo County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.5% low-access share that beats 22% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,457).
San Mateo County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 156 census tracts in San Mateo County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
San Mateo County vs. other California counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in California
- San Mateo 10.5
San Mateo County, CA
10.5 % 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 | 156 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 718,451 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 33 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 75,561 |
| Low-Access Share | 10.5%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 6,605 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 742,340 |
| Median Household Income | $158,855 |
| Poverty Rate | 6.7%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 13,399 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.1%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.8%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.6% |
About 5.1% of San Mateo County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 10.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 5.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 13,399 households here.
- 5.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $158,855 with a 6.7% poverty rate.
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 Mateo County
near the national share
A further 33 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 33.
An estimated 75,561 residents, roughly 10.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 6,605 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 123 tracts (78.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in San Mateo County
San Mateo County has 304 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 105 locations (35% of the total), followed by super store.
Convenience Store · 105
- 5 star food & liquor, south san francisco
- 505 petroleum, daly city
- 5th avenue shell 138, redwood city
- 7 eleven 14311e, south san francisco
- 7 eleven 14317f 14317f, san mateo
- 7 eleven 14319b, san mateo
- 7 eleven 14336f 14336f, east palo alto
- 7 eleven 15910g 15910g, san bruno
- 7 eleven 20305c, san mateo
- 7 eleven 2366 14341d, san bruno
- 7 eleven 2366-37265a 37265a, pacifica
- 7 eleven 35063a, south san francisco
- 7 eleven inc 17908c, daly city
- 7 eleven store 2366 22434e, redwood city
- 7-eleven #21480d, half moon bay
- 7-eleven 14316d, burlingame
- 7-eleven 14318, pacifica
- 7-eleven 14331f 14331f, menlo park
- 7-eleven 14337b, pacifica
- 7-eleven 14338, san carlos
- 7-eleven 14339f, redwood city
- 7-eleven 14340, daly city
- 7-eleven 15969c, daly city
- 7-eleven 18858d, millbrae
- 7-eleven store 14335d, san bruno
- 7-eleven store 14344f, south san francisco
- 7-eleven 15896e, redwood city
- 7-eleven 25411, redwood city
- 7-eleven store 22498e, south san francisco
- a b&w market, redwood city
- aj royal market, redwood city
- al's liquor, south san francisco
- am/pm 82377, belmont
- amoura inc./ dba school house grocery 1, south san francisco
- ampm 6139, foster city
- arco ampm 306, redwood city
- arco ampm 573 573, redwood city
- arco ampm 7119, millbrae
- avenue liquors, san mateo
- bayshore shell 132, burlingame
- booze and brother liquor store, millbrae
- burlingame liquors, burlingame
- chevron 1711, redwood city
- chevron 1767, daly city
- chevron 1779, daly city
- chevron station 2200, millbrae
- coast highway shell 145, pacifica
- crocker market & liquors, daly city
- dc smart 1, daly city
- daly city fast fill market 146, daly city
- eastside market 1, east palo alto
- food stop, redwood city
- friends market, south san francisco
- fuel 24/7 at westborough, south san francisco
- garden market, east palo alto
- gateway shell 146, pacifica
- gellert shell 135, daly city
- golden glaze bakery & market, redwood city
- grand 76 and circle k 2655871, south san francisco
- grand leader market, san bruno
- hickey way shell 136, daly city
- hillsdale liquor, san mateo
- hillside shell 134, daly city
- j & j market, south san francisco
- jailhouse deli & liquors, south san francisco
- kiwik serv daly city, daly city
- la dora liquors & deli, san bruno
- liquor & food mart, san mateo
- liquor land, millbrae
- liquor locker, san bruno
- marina liquors, san mateo
- market la raza, san mateo
- mid city supermarket, inc., daly city
- midtown market, brisbane
- morazan grocery store, daly city
- more for less 9, half moon bay
- mosaic market, san mateo
- new daly city market, daly city
- one stop market, east palo alto
- prima market, san mateo
- quick pick market & deli, daly city
- quik stop market #551099, pacifica
- quik stop market 551059, menlo park
- redwood city martco, redwood city
- redwood liquor, redwood city
- redwood mini market, redwood city
- rocket #5622 5622, san mateo
- royal gas, menlo park
- san bruno arco ampm 743, san bruno
- san bruno shell 173, san bruno
- sf wine & spirits, south san francisco
- sharp park market, pacifica
- shoreview liquors, san mateo
- speedway 1472, south san francisco
- speedway 4505, daly city
- speedway 4976, daly city
- sun valley dairy 1, daly city
- super discount food & liquor, redwood city
- the daly city jug shop 2, daly city
- vt petroleum, redwood city
- valero express station, south san francisco
- vera cash market, redwood city
- vira marketing llc, daly city
- win wah corporation, daly city
- woodside manor shell 176, redwood city
Super Store · 41
- 99 ranch market 69, daly city
- 99 ranch market 82, foster city
- chavez supermarket, redwood city
- cardenas 215, east palo alto
- chavez supermarket 10, san mateo
- costco 654, south san francisco
- costco wholesale 0147, foster city
- costco wholesale 0422, south san francisco
- costco wholesale 0475, south san francisco
- costco wholesale 1042, redwood city
- foodville meats of san carlos, san carlos
- grocery outlet of pacifica 294, pacifica
- hashi market, san mateo
- kukje super market, daly city
- lunardi foods 5, belmont
- lunardi's market 2, san bruno
- lunardi's market 8, burlingame
- la estrellita market, east palo alto
- la hacienda market 6, south san francisco
- la hacienda super mercado, san mateo
- manila oriental market, daly city
- mi rancho supermarket 4, redwood city
- mollie stone's markets, burlingame
- mollie stone's markets, san mateo
- mollie stone's markets 5, san bruno
- mega mart, east palo alto
- oceana market, pacifica
- pacific supermarket, south san francisco
- pacific supermarket, south san francisco
- redwood city grocery outlet 4, redwood city
- smart & final 320, daly city
- smart & final 410, redwood city
- smart & final 441, south san francisco
- smart & final 453, san mateo
- south city grocery outlet, south san francisco
- sun's market, millbrae
- target store t-0320, colma
- target store t-0321, redwood city
- target store t-1054, san bruno
- target store t-1122, san mateo
- target store t-1407, daly city
Combination Grocery/Other · 40
- cvs 10165, daly city
- cvs pharmacy 550, san carlos
- cvs pharmacy 9216, half moon bay
- cvs pharmacy 9329, redwood city
- cvs pharmacy 9330, menlo park
- cvs pharmacy 9554, san mateo
- cvs pharmacy 9690, redwood city
- cvs pharmacy 9752, daly city
- cvs pharmacy 9807, san bruno
- cvs pharmacy 9811, burlingame
- cvs pharmacy 9833, san mateo
- cvs pharmacy 9879, foster city
- cvs pharmacy 9940, san mateo
- cvs pharmacy 9977, san mateo
- dollartree 11514, san mateo
- dollar tree 2782, belmont
- dollar tree 3275, south san francisco
- dollar tree 3847, pacifica
- dollar tree 4429, colma
- dollar tree 4505, san carlos
- dollar tree 4735, daly city
- dollar tree 5544, redwood city
- el rancho market, menlo park
- key market, redwood city
- la paradita peru, redwood city
- sun valley fine foods, pacifica
- save more meat market, pacifica
- spangler's market, el granada
- walgreens 00625, millbrae
- walgreens 01807, daly city
- walgreens 02126, san carlos
- walgreens 03296, san mateo
- walgreens 03346, south san francisco
- walgreens 05006, san mateo
- walgreens 07087, menlo park
- walgreens 11261, pacifica
- walgreens 12257, burlingame
- walgreens 15397, south san francisco
- walgreens 324, daly city
- walgreens 6655, burlingame
Medium Grocery Store · 31
- alfredo's 2, south san francisco
- ayar produce market, south san francisco
- bayshore market, daly city
- besan international market, san bruno
- charlies market, east palo alto
- cunha's country store 1, half moon bay
- daly city market, daly city
- el chico produce , inc, south san francisco
- el mercadito latino 2, redwood city
- estacion san bruno market, san bruno
- fast & easy 123, daly city
- fast and easy, redwood city
- fiji market, san bruno
- good subs market, daly city
- grand bazaar grocery meat, san carlos
- green land market no, san bruno
- h&r market inc, san bruno
- halal international market and greek, daly city
- india grocery & spice, san mateo
- istanbul market, burlingame
- j & a prime foods, san mateo
- jalisco produce market 1, south san francisco
- la estrellita, redwood city
- la huerta market # 7, san mateo
- la loma produce 12, south san francisco
- la morenita market, san mateo
- michoacan produce market, menlo park
- mid east market 1, san bruno
- neelam pacific market, san bruno
- oakwood market, palo alto
- willow market, redwood city
Small Grocery Store · 13
- alfredo's market, south san francisco
- amigos market, daly city
- andrea's market, millbrae
- coastside market inc, moss beach
- country time market, llc, east palo alto
- marvins farmers market, menlo park
- neelam market, san mateo
- pena meat & food market, redwood city
- pirooz market, san mateo
- ramirez produce, daly city
- san cayetano mini market inc., san bruno
- sun valley market, pacifica
- the ideal store, redwood city
Farmers' Market · 10
- 25th ave. certified farmers' market, san mateo
- belmont farmers' market, belmont
- coastside farmers market, half moon bay
- coastside farmers' markets inc. #2, pacifica
- daly city farmers' market, daly city
- east palo alto community farmers' market, east palo alto
- orange park 02, south san francisco
- portola valley farmers market 27-41-20, portola valley
- san carlos farmers market, san carlos
- san mateo farmers' market, san mateo
Large Grocery Store · 8
- aladdin gourmet, san mateo
- bread and butter market, daly city
- burlingame farmers market, burlingame
- daly city market, daly city
- india cash & carry, foster city
- la tiendita, east palo alto
- los primos produce & grocery, san bruno
- mi tierra linda supermarket, menlo park
Bakery Specialty · 1
- bimbo bakeries 1423, south san francisco
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- carniceria rodriguez, east palo alto
Showing 250 of 304 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in California
Compare San Mateo County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Food access nationally, California in context
San Mateo 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 Mateo County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in San Mateo County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in San Mateo County? ▼
Is San Mateo County a food desert? ▼
What share of San Mateo 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.