Signature · 153 SNAP-authorized stores
Santa Cruz County, CA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Santa Cruz 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).
- 22.6%
- low-access pop.
- 7
- food-desert tracts
- 9.9%
- on SNAP
- 265K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Santa Cruz County, CA
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 22.6% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH +0.5 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 7 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 9.9% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 13% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Contra Costa County (+ 0.6 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Santa Cruz County ranks #1,479 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #21 of 58 counties in CA (22.6% low-access; 7 food-desert tracts).
- #1,479
- national by low-access %
- #21
- in CA
- 22
- low-access tracts
- 14K
- 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: 153 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Santa Cruz County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Santa Cruz County's 22.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 53% of them and ranked #1,480 most-affected nationwide.
Santa Cruz County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
52 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 7 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Santa Cruz County has 45 urban and 7 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Santa Cruz County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in California, not a full county-board reprint
- Sierra
Sierra 88.2%
88.2 % low-access
- Glenn 23.4
Glenn 23.4%
23.4 % low-access
- Contra Costa 23.2
Contra Costa 23.2%
23.2 % low-access
- Santa Cruz 22.6
Santa Cruz 22.6%
22.6 % low-access
- Solano 21.7
Solano 21.7%
21.7 % low-access
- Yuba 21.5
Yuba 21.5%
21.5 % low-access
- Amador 0.2
Amador 0.2%
0.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 52 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 262,382 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 22 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 7 |
| Low-Access Population | 59,253 |
| Low-Access Share | 22.6%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 14,218 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 264,926 |
| Median Household Income | $111,093 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.6%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,588 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.9%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.6% |
Thick SNAP store book in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County has 153 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 57 locations (37% of the total), followed by supermarket.
Convenience Store · 57
- 7 eleven 14279c, santa cruz
- 7 eleven 14280g, santa cruz
- 7 eleven 14282b 14282b, santa cruz
- 7 eleven 14294e 14294e, santa cruz
- 7 eleven 16346f 16346f, santa cruz
- 7 eleven store 2368 39689a, watsonville
- 7 eleven store 29795c, santa cruz
- 7-eleven #20608 b, watsonville
- 7-eleven 17296 17296, watsonville
- 7-eleven 26525b, scotts valley
- 7-eleven 236832323, watsonville
- 88 enterprises inc, santa cruz
- beach market, santa cruz
- brothers country corner market, freedom
- capitola coast, capitola
- capitola union 76, capitola
- chevron 1707, capitola
- chevron 1720, santa cruz
- d & p jones enterprises inc, boulder creek
- dales liquor & grocery, freedom
- east lake food & liquor, watsonville
- extramile 205, santa cruz
- extramile 206, freedom
- fiesta latino market, watsonville
- gg's bakery, watsonville
- gorditas maria dulceria, watsonville
- great gas soquel inc, soquel
- grenville food and gas, watsonville
- h&s 3085, watsonville
- hasco stations, llc 8018, scotts valley
- hasco stations, llc 8019, scotts valley
- hasco stations, llc 8020, santa cruz
- hasco stations, llc 8021, capitola
- hecker pass market, watsonville
- j&d market, watsonville
- ma-bee liquor, santa cruz
- mel's market, santa cruz
- merrill market 860788, santa cruz
- ocean market & deli, santa cruz
- porter market, santa cruz
- prestige petroleum, watsonville
- quality market, santa cruz
- quality market, capitola
- quik stop 550037, soquel
- quik stop 550063, watsonville
- quik stop market 550041, freedom
- quik stop market 550066, felton
- quik stop market 550077, watsonville
- quik stop market 550101, scotts valley
- quik stop market 7078, soquel
- rio liquor and market, aptos
- rotten robbie 35, santa cruz
- santa cruz 76, santa cruz
- santa cruz market, santa cruz
- seacliff plaza store no, aptos
- vikhar gas, watsonville
- zayante creek market and deli, felton
Supermarket · 23
- ben lomond market, ben lomond
- farmers market, watsonville
- food maxx 486, watsonville
- grocery outlet of watsonville 188, watsonville
- johnnie's supermarket, boulder creek
- la princesa market 5, watsonville
- nob hill foods 615, capitola
- nob hill foods 617, watsonville
- nob hill foods 620, scotts valley
- new leaf community market, boulder creek
- new leaf community market 1201, santa cruz
- new leaf community market 1209, aptos
- safeway 1929, soquel
- safeway 300, scotts valley
- safeway 640, aptos
- safeway 786, felton
- safeway 799, santa cruz
- safeway 2607, santa cruz
- safeway 2840, freedom
- scotts valley market, scotts valley
- trader joe's 193, santa cruz
- trader joe's 64, capitola
- vallarta supermarkets #58 58, freedom
Combination Grocery/Other · 21
- cvs pharmacy 3039, watsonville
- cvs pharmacy 3952, aptos
- cvs pharmacy 9331, santa cruz
- cvs pharmacy 9332, santa cruz
- cvs pharmacy 9597, capitola
- cvs pharmacy 9796, watsonville
- cvs pharmacy 9853, felton
- cvs pharmacy 9862, scotts valley
- cvs pharmacy 9960, capitola
- d la colmena inc, watsonville
- dollar tree 1519, watsonville
- dollar tree 3689, santa cruz
- dollar tree 3759, scotts valley
- dollar tree 5081, capitola
- dollar tree 5233, watsonville
- la reina fresh market inc, watsonville
- panaderia tres hermanos 2, watsonville
- summit store, los gatos
- walgreens 06214, scotts valley
- walgreens 2810, freedom
- walgreens 3158, santa cruz
Super Store · 18
- cardenas 206, watsonville
- costco wholesale 0149, santa cruz
- deluxe food of aptos, aptos
- don rafas inc, watsonville
- grocery outlet of capitola 567, capitola
- la princesa market 14, watsonville
- new leaf community markets, capitola
- new leaf community markets, inc., santa cruz
- santa cruz grocery outlet 257, santa cruz
- santa fe foods, watsonville
- staff of life, watsonville
- staff of life, santa cruz
- target store t-1143, watsonville
- target store t-2795, capitola
- target store t3410, scotts valley
- whole foods market 10329, santa cruz
- whole foods market 10365, capitola
- wild roots market, felton
Medium Grocery Store · 12
- ajs market, soquel
- capitola produce, inc., capitola
- del pueblo mkt, santa cruz
- el rosal bakery, santa cruz
- hernandez market, santa cruz
- hernandez market ii, santa cruz
- la reina fresh market 4 inc, watsonville
- la reina fresh market 5 inc, santa cruz
- la reina fresh market 6 inc, watsonville
- mercado santa cruz, santa cruz
- r. e. produce inc, watsonville
- soquel quality meat, soquel
Farmers' Market · 8
- el mercado, watsonville
- felton farmers market, felton
- live oak farmers market, santa cruz
- monterey bay certified farmers market, aptos
- pajaro valley certified farmers' market, watsonville
- santa cruz community farmers market, santa cruz
- scotts valley farmers market, scotts valley
- westside farmers market, santa cruz
Large Grocery Store · 6
- aptos foods 2, aptos
- el primo produce, watsonville
- el pueblo food 11, watsonville
- la condesa market inc, watsonville
- live oak supermarket, santa cruz
- the food bin herb room, santa cruz
Small Grocery Store · 4
- harvest moon market, watsonville
- primetime 563, watsonville
- redwood store, los gatos
- sunnyside produce, inc., soquel
Bakery Specialty · 2
- papa murphy's pizza ca032, scotts valley
- rebeca's bakery, watsonville
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- el valle produce, watsonville
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- point butcher shop, santa cruz
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 Cruz County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Nationwide peers for Santa Cruz County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Santa Cruz 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 (22.6% here).
- Morgan County, AL · 22.6% low-access
- Morgan County, AL · 22.6% low-access
- Coosa County, AL · 22.6% low-access
- Coosa County, AL · 22.6% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside CA (9.9% here).
- Pope County, AR · 9.9% SNAP
- Pope County, AR · 9.9% SNAP
- Logan County, AR · 9.9% SNAP
- Logan County, AR · 9.9% 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.
Food access nationally, California in context
Santa Cruz County sits inside California (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
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 Cruz County, CA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 06087. 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.