County food-access profile · California
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)
The food-access picture
22.6% of Santa Cruz County residents live in a low-access area, and 7 of its 52 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 22
- low-access tracts
- 14K
- food-desert residents
- 5.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.6%
- 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 Santa Cruz County's low-access share at 22.6%, above the national share. 22 of the county's 52 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 59,253 people. 7 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 14,218 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 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
All 52 census tracts in Santa Cruz County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Santa Cruz County vs. other California counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in California
- Santa Cruz 22.6
Santa Cruz County, CA
22.6 % 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 | 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% |
About 9.9% of Santa Cruz County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 22.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 9,588 households here.
- 5.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 7 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 Cruz County
above the national share
7 of Santa Cruz County's 52 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 13.5% of all its tracts.
A further 15 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 22.
An estimated 59,253 residents, roughly 22.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 14,218 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 30 tracts (57.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers 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 retailers.
Other Counties in California
Compare Santa Cruz County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Food access nationally, California in context
Santa Cruz 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 Cruz County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Santa Cruz County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Santa Cruz County? ▼
Is Santa Cruz County a food desert? ▼
What share of Santa Cruz 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.