Signature · 6.6% SNAP (9th pct in CA)
Santa Clara County, CA
Santa Clara County lands in the lower national band on low-access (8.5%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 8.5%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 6.6%
- on SNAP
- 1.9M
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Santa Clara County, CA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-MODERATE 8.5% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -13.6 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 6 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 6.6% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 2% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Orange County (+ 0.2 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Santa Clara County lands in the lower national band (8.5%, #2,601 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,601
- national by low-access %
- #51
- in CA
- 64
- low-access tracts
- 17K
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 6.6% SNAP (9th pct in CA) (-5.5 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
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 #2,601).
Santa Clara County's lower-band USDA tier split
372 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 6 LILA.
Santa Clara County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (363 urban, 9 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 9 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Santa Clara County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in California, not a full county-board reprint
- Sierra
Sierra 88.2%
88.2 % low-access
- Stanislaus 9.7
Stanislaus 9.7%
9.7 % low-access
- Orange 8.7
Orange 8.7%
8.7 % low-access
- Santa Clara 8.5
Santa Clara 8.5%
8.5 % low-access
- Alameda 8.1
Alameda 8.1%
8.1 % low-access
- Mariposa 8.1
Mariposa 8.1%
8.1 % low-access
- Amador 0.2
Amador 0.2%
0.2 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| 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 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| 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% |
Thick SNAP store book in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County has 796 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 12 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 336 locations (42% of the total), followed by super store.
Where the store book sits, by town
16 towns share the 796 authorized stores; San Jose holds 56% of them. 2 of the 16 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Alviso, East Palo Alto.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose | 449 | 150 |
| Santa Clara | 57 | 23 |
| Sunnyvale | 57 | 26 |
| Gilroy | 43 | 13 |
| Milpitas | 41 | 14 |
| Mountain View | 33 | 16 |
| Campbell | 27 | 7 |
| Morgan Hill | 21 | 10 |
| Palo Alto | 18 | 7 |
| Cupertino | 17 | 9 |
Top 10 of 16 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 336 (250 shown)
- 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
- candymania 1, santa clara
- capital shell 163, san jose
- capitol ampm, san jose
- capitol liquors, san jose
- cask n flask, san jose
- cazadores bottle shop, san jose
- charlee's liquor market, campbell
- charlies liquor market, gilroy
- cherry liquors, san jose
- chevere latin market, san jose
- chevron 1505, campbell
- chevron 1517, morgan hill
- chevron 1765, cupertino
- chevron 1776, san jose
- chevron 2217, gilroy
- chevron station 1753, milpitas
- chevron station 1793, san jose
- circle k of mountain view 2655880, mountain view
- circle k stores 2709272, gilroy
- city mini mart, san jose
- clyde's liquor llc 1, san jose
- coleman avenue chevron, san jose
- corner shop stop, san jose
- dba hillsdale market, san jose
- delmas market, san jose
- diridon market, san jose
- discount liquor, san jose
- dulceria con sabor a mexico, san jose
- earls bottle shop, san jose
- easy mart ii, san jose
- econo liquor & foods, san jose
- el dorado liquor & market, san jose
- emit mini market, san jose
- ernies liquor, san jose
- evergreen shell 181, san jose
- fruitdale liquor & grocery, san jose
- fair oaks chevron 5, sunnyvale
- fairground shell 42, san jose
- fast mart, inc, san jose
- first mart, san jose
- first st fuel and food 148, san jose
- freska gas inc, san jose
- friends food & liqour, gilroy
- fw liquor & grocery, san jose
- guru market 7, san jose
- galamart, sunnyvale
- garlic city liquors, gilroy
- garlic farm food center # 51 no, gilroy
- gbja llc, santa clara
- genes liquor, san jose
- gilroy valero food mart, gilroy
- great america shell 172, santa clara
- great gas, gilroy
- grewal food & liqour, san jose
- grewal food & liquor, san jose
- grewal food & liquor, san jose
- guru's food & liquor, san jose
- guru's market, san jose
- h&s energy products, llc 3086, milpitas
- happy liquor # 2, san jose
- homestead liquor, sunnyvale
- hoppy's food mart, sunnyvale
- horning st chevron, san jose
- hyde park u save liquors, san jose
- hype liquors, san jose
- j b liquor, san jose
- jacklin shell 139, milpitas
- jackson liquor & food, san jose
- jerry's market, milpitas
- julian king market, san jose
- jv liquors, gilroy
- k d liquor, gilroy
- kelly liquor store, san jose
- king tully shell 161, san jose
- kwik serv, santa clara
- kwikee mart, san jose
- la canasta grocery, san jose
- leigh ave 76, san jose
- lincoln liquors, san jose
- lion liquor, san jose
- liquor & food mart, sunnyvale
- lucky diskount liquor 0, santa clara
- lucky liquors, milpitas
- lundy liquor inc, san jose
- mckee liquor, san jose
- mel's mini mart & liquor, santa clara
- mabury beer-wine & liquor market, san jose
- madrone market, morgan hill
- mapleleaf liquor, san jose
- marina market, alviso
- mary market, san jose
- mccarthy blvd chevron, milpitas
- meridian chevron 96336, san jose
- meridian shell 160, san jose
- mi jalisco market, alviso
- mi rancho market, san jose
- miami liquor and food 876, san jose
- milpitas fast fill market, milpitas
- mini mart, san jose
- minit mart & jr deli, san jose
- mission liquor, santa clara
- mj market, san jose
- montague chevron and carwash, san jose
- monterey chevron / circle k 2654094, gilroy
- monterey liquors, san jose
- mr t's liquor no, san jose
- mt pleasant bottle shop, san jose
- nmso rebel 8204, san jose
- nmso, inc. 68117, campbell
- nmso, inc. 68203, san jose
- one stop liquor, san jose
Showing 250 of 796 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
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 Santa Clara County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Counties near Santa Clara County's lower low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Santa Clara County (6.6%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside California.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside CA (8.5% here).
- Massac County, IL · 8.5% low-access
- White County, IL · 8.5% low-access
- Ripley County, MO · 8.5% low-access
- Robeson County, NC · 8.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside CA (6.6% here).
- Martin County, FL · 6.6% SNAP
- Adams County, IN · 6.6% SNAP
- Buchanan County, IA · 6.6% SNAP
- Plymouth County, IA · 6.6% 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%). Santa Clara County, at 8.5%, runs 4.8 pts below 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 Santa Clara County, CA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 06085. 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.