County food-access profile · California
Santa Clara County, CA
Santa Clara 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.
- 8.5%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 6.6%
- on SNAP
- 1.9M
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
8.5% of Santa Clara County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 372 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 64
- low-access tracts
- 17K
- food-desert residents
- 6.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 7.1%
- 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).
Santa Clara County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.5% per the USDA Atlas. 64 of the county's 372 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 151,218 residents who live far from a supermarket. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 17,215 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 Santa Clara County compares nationally
Santa Clara County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.5% low-access share that beats 17% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,602).
Santa Clara County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 372 census tracts in Santa Clara County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Santa Clara County vs. other California counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in California
- Santa Clara 8.5
Santa Clara County, CA
8.5 % 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 | 372 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 1,781,642 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 64 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 151,218 |
| Low-Access Share | 8.5%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 17,215 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,902,047 |
| Median Household Income | $164,281 |
| Poverty Rate | 7.1%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 43,418 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.6%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
About 6.6% of Santa Clara County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 8.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 6.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 43,418 households here.
- 6.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 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 Santa Clara County
near the national share
6 of Santa Clara County's 372 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 1.6% of all its tracts.
A further 58 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 64.
An estimated 151,218 residents, roughly 8.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 17,215 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 308 tracts (82.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County has 796 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 139 locations (17% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 139
- 2 go liquor and food mart, santa clara
- 24 market, san jose
- 408 liquor, sunnyvale
- 4th & santa clara chevron, san jose
- 6 to late food & liquors, san jose
- 6 to late monterey, san jose
- 7 eleven 16189 d, sunnyvale
- 7 eleven 14215a, santa clara
- 7 eleven 14220a 14220a, san jose
- 7 eleven 14240e, milpitas
- 7 eleven 14242d, milpitas
- 7 eleven 14248d 14248d, sunnyvale
- 7 eleven 14253d, san jose
- 7 eleven 14256c, san jose
- 7 eleven 14257c 14257c, san jose
- 7 eleven 14262d, san jose
- 7 eleven 14263f, san jose
- 7 eleven 14270d 14270d, san jose
- 7 eleven 14278g, san jose
- 7 eleven 14299d 14299d, san jose
- 7 eleven 14300f, san jose
- 7 eleven 14301f 14301f, gilroy
- 7 eleven 14302c 14302c, san jose
- 7 eleven 15440f, san jose
- 7 eleven 16269, san jose
- 7 eleven 16799c, gilroy
- 7 eleven 16889a, san jose
- 7 eleven 21735e, san jose
- 7 eleven 2236-14315g 14315g, palo alto
- 7 eleven 23585d 23585d, santa clara
- 7 eleven 2366 14236c, santa clara
- 7 eleven 2366 18584e, palo alto
- 7 eleven 2366- 14333e, mountain view
- 7 eleven 2367 15532e, san jose
- 7 eleven 2367- 14288b, san jose
- 7 eleven 2367-14218a, san jose
- 7 eleven 2367-1740c, campbell
- 7 eleven 2367-37730a 37730a, san jose
- 7 eleven 23846g, san jose
- 7 eleven 23879c, milpitas
- 7 eleven 24271d 24271d, santa clara
- 7 eleven 25480c, san jose
- 7 eleven 25717e, cupertino
- 7 eleven 25834d, san jose
- 7 eleven 25950a, sunnyvale
- 7 eleven 2710 37953a, san jose
- 7 eleven 29243f 29243f, sunnyvale
- 7 eleven 34363c 34363c, san jose
- 7 eleven 36090a, san jose
- 7 eleven 38411a 38411a, san jose
- 7 eleven 38686a 38686a, morgan hill
- 7 eleven 39121a 39121a, morgan hill
- 7 eleven inc 14212c, santa clara
- 7 eleven store 18965c, san jose
- 7 eleven store 22277c, milpitas
- 7 eleven store 2367 14276e, san jose
- 7 eleven store 2367 17496g, san jose
- 7-eleven #16422 d, gilroy
- 7-eleven 14255 a, san jose
- 7-eleven, sunnyvale
- 7-eleven 14211 b, los gatos
- 7-eleven 14219b, sunnyvale
- 7-eleven 14221 d, los gatos
- 7-eleven 14241g, santa clara
- 7-eleven 14246 g, san jose
- 7-eleven 14247d, campbell
- 7-eleven 14254b, san jose
- 7-eleven 14259b, san jose
- 7-eleven 14269a, san jose
- 7-eleven 14290d, san jose
- 7-eleven 14292 e, san jose
- 7-eleven 14298d, campbell
- 7-eleven 14306 d, morgan hill
- 7-eleven 15429 e, mountain view
- 7-eleven 15766d, cupertino
- 7-eleven 16136 g, santa clara
- 7-eleven 17733d, santa clara
- 7-eleven 18039c, san jose
- 7-eleven 18219e, san jose
- 7-eleven 20418c, san jose
- 7-eleven 20521e, san jose
- 7-eleven 22795 b, san jose
- 7-eleven 23866 e, san jose
- 7-eleven 25561, san jose
- 7-eleven 26763 c, sunnyvale
- 7-eleven 27768b, sunnyvale
- 7-eleven 29507e, san jose
- 7-eleven 33660a, mountain view
- 7-eleven food store #14243 14243, santa clara
- 7-eleven store 14216k, santa clara
- 7-eleven store 14281d, san jose
- 7-eleven store 17674h, san jose
- 7-eleven 14320 f, cupertino
- 7-eleven 14324, mountain view
- 7-eleven 15071d, san jose
- 7-eleven 17195, santa clara
- 7-eleven 18445e 18445e, santa clara
- 7-eleven store 16117d, san jose
- ak's square market, san jose
- alicia's market, gilroy
- all star market, milpitas
- alma market & liquors, san jose
- almaden arco, san jose
- almaden chevron 5953, san jose
- american shell 142, mountain view
- anchor business ventures inc 83297, san jose
- arco, san jose
- arco am/pm, san jose
- arco ampm, campbell
- arco ampm 7037, san jose
- arco ampm 7079, san jose
- arco ampm 7081, milpitas
- arco ampm 7097, morgan hill
- arco ampm 83187, los altos
- aujla san jose operating inc 82934, san jose
- az market & liquor, santa clara
- bills market, san jose
- bonfare market 11, san jose
- bascom liquor and food, san jose
- baystop, san jose
- bc market & liquor, san jose
- bernal shell 131, san jose
- berryessa shell 164, san jose
- best liquor, san jose
- billa discount liquor # 1 1, san jose
- bird avenue shell 18, san jose
- blossom hill liquor 9, san jose
- bob's discount liquor 9, santa clara
- bon fare market 12, san jose
- bonfare market 18, milpitas
- bonfare market 39, san jose
- booze world, san jose
- bottles & more, gilroy
- bws beer wine & spirit, san jose
- chevron station 1771, san jose
- chevron station 1778, san jose
- college market, san jose
- cabrillo market and liquors, santa clara
- california food mart, campbell
Combination Grocery/Other · 108
- apna bazar, sunnyvale
- apni mandi farmers market, milpitas
- berry healthy, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 11108, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 3061, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 3935, palo alto
- cvs pharmacy 3938, los gatos
- cvs pharmacy 422, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 7774, mountain view
- cvs pharmacy 9161, milpitas
- cvs pharmacy 9198, sunnyvale
- cvs pharmacy 9229, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9257, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9337, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9342, morgan hill
- cvs pharmacy 9346, mountain view
- cvs pharmacy 9395, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9498, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9534, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9559, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9684, mountain view
- cvs pharmacy 9700, sunnyvale
- cvs pharmacy 9793, santa clara
- cvs pharmacy 9805, campbell
- cvs pharmacy 9808, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9812, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9834, saratoga
- cvs pharmacy 9856, sunnyvale
- cvs pharmacy 9894, cupertino
- cvs pharmacy 9896, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9901, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9915, palo alto
- cvs pharmacy 9921, san jose
- cvs pharmacy 9945, gilroy
- cvs pharmacy 9982, los gatos
- cvs pharmacy 9984, palo alto
- cvs pharmacy 9995, san jose
- chung chou city,inc #3, milpitas
- dollar tree 1236, milpitas
- dollar tree 1254, san jose
- dollar tree 1270, san jose
- dollar tree 2083, san jose
- dollar tree 2274, gilroy
- dollar tree 2785, morgan hill
- dollar tree 3185, san jose
- dollar tree 3203, campbell
- dollar tree 3238, campbell
- dollar tree 3725, sunnyvale
- dollar tree 3823, san jose
- dollar tree 3853, san jose
- dollar tree 4293, milpitas
- dollar tree 4547, santa clara
- dollar tree 4681, san jose
- dollar tree 4978, mountain view
- dollar tree 5212, san jose
- dollar tree 5488, san jose
- dollar tree 5522, san jose
- dollar tree 6337, san jose
- dollar tree 7395, san jose
- dollar tree 7810, gilroy
- dollar tree 7926, san jose
- dollar tree 8281, san jose
- don mateo foods and spices, san jose
- fresh mart, san jose
- fresh produce & seafood, san jose
- india cash and carry, sunnyvale
- international express market, san jose
- king fresh fruits & dried seafoods llc, san jose
- king nutricion care, san jose
- mi rancho supermarket, san jose
- namaste plaza, sunnyvale
- namaste plaza, milpitas
- new india bazar, milpitas
- new india bazar 7, san jose
- phnom penh market, san jose
- rica panaderia, inc. 3, san jose
- smart mart, san jose
- ut trai cay, san jose
- valero food & gas, san jose
- walgreens 02612, santa clara
- walgreens 02957, campbell
- walgreens 03380, sunnyvale
- walgreens 04416, cupertino
- walgreens 04516, morgan hill
- walgreens 06585, campbell
- walgreens 06869, palo alto
- walgreens 07088, los altos
- walgreens 07326, los gatos
- walgreens 09516, gilroy
- walgreens 1179, san jose
- walgreens 13948, mountain view
- walgreens 15246, santa clara
- walgreens 2265, san jose
- walgreens 2739, san jose
- walgreens 2740, santa clara
- walgreens 3344, palo alto
- walgreens 3378, san jose
- walgreens 3445, san jose
- walgreens 3671, milpitas
- walgreens 3754, san jose
- walgreens 4372, san jose
- walgreens 5454, san jose
- walgreens 5480, milpitas
- walgreens 689, mountain view
- walgreens 7080, sunnyvale
- walgreens 840, san jose
- walgreens 900, san jose
- wolfe india bazar, campbell
Bakery Specialty · 3
- pink elephant bakery, san jose
- papa murphy's pizza ca005, san jose
- rica panaderia, san jose
Showing 250 of 796 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in California
Compare Santa Clara County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Food access nationally, California in context
Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Santa Clara County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Santa Clara County? ▼
Is Santa Clara County a food desert? ▼
What share of Santa Clara 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.