County food-access profile · New York
Saratoga County, NY
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Saratoga 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).
- 24.4%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 6.5%
- on SNAP
- 238K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
24.4% of Saratoga County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 50 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 17
- low-access tracts
- 8K
- food-desert residents
- 4.7%
- 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).
USDA data puts Saratoga County's low-access share at 24.4%, above the national share. 17 of the county's 50 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 53,504 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 7,848 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 Saratoga County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Saratoga County's 24.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 57% of them and ranked #1,341 most-affected nationwide.
Saratoga County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 50 census tracts in Saratoga County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Saratoga County vs. other New York counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New York
- Saratoga
Saratoga County, NY
24.4 % low-access
- Albany
Albany County, NY
31.4 % low-access
- Allegany 3.9
Allegany County, NY
3.9 % low-access
- Bronx 0.6
Bronx County, NY
0.6 % low-access
- Broome
Broome County, NY
16.4 % low-access
- Cattaraugus 7.9
Cattaraugus County, NY
7.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 50 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 219,607 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 17 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 53,504 |
| Low-Access Share | 24.4%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 7,848 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 238,284 |
| Median Household Income | $100,787 |
| Poverty Rate | 7.1%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 6,660 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.5%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.7%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.7% |
About 6.5% of Saratoga County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 24.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 6.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 6,660 households here.
- 4.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 1 tract 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 Saratoga County
above the national share
1 of Saratoga County's 50 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 2.0% of all its tracts.
A further 16 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 17.
An estimated 53,504 residents, roughly 24.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 7,848 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 33 tracts (66.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Saratoga County
Saratoga County has 154 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 82 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 82
- aa petroleum inc, ballston spa
- aplus 40430h, saratoga springs
- alltown fresh fort edward #783, fort edward
- cumberland farms 1506, schuylerville
- cumberland farms 1527, mechanicville
- cumberland farms 1578, corinth
- cumberland farms 1582, ballston spa
- cumberland farms 1696, south glens falls
- cumberland farms 1705, saratoga springs
- cumberland farms, inc 1590, ballston spa
- cumberland farms, inc 1621, clifton park
- cumberland farms, inc. 1709, malta
- friendly fuel stops inc., saratoga springs
- gtb fuel 2 corp one dream, ballston lake
- halfmoon xtra mart 10051, halfmoon
- joe's kwik mart 484, saratoga springs
- jolley 521, clifton park
- m&m food mart, south glens falls
- m&m food mart inc, ballston spa
- mumtaz & sons ballstonspa inc, ballston spa
- provisions, galway
- stewart's shop 104, saratoga spgs
- stewart's shop 130, saratoga springs
- stewart's shop 258, mechanicville
- stewart's shop 310, greenfield center
- stewart's shop 360, middle grove
- stewart's shop 401, mechanicville
- stewart's shop 416, corinth
- stewarts shop 253, ballston spa
- stewarts shop 333, saratoga spgs
- stewarts shop 363, waterford
- stewarts shop 392, s glens falls
- saratoga springs xtra mart 10042, saratoga springs
- shakti one stop inc, ballston spa
- speedway 7660, south glens falls
- speedway 7701, halfmoon
- speedway 7707, halfmoon
- speedway 7730, halfmoon
- speedway 7735, ballston spa
- speedway 7858, clifton park
- stewart's shop 162 162, ballston lake
- stewart's shop 447, clifton park
- stewart's shop corp - dba/ stewart's shop 385 385, halfmoon
- stewart's shops 136, mechanicville
- stewart's shops 229, ballston spa
- stewart's shops 249, schuylerville
- stewart's shops 276, gansevoort
- stewart's shops 403, galway
- stewart's shops 407, clifton park
- stewart's shops 468, burnt hills
- stewart's shops 473, halfmoon
- stewart's shops 495, saratoga springs
- stewarts shop 101, saratoga springs
- stewarts shop 108, clifton park
- stewarts shop 109, rexford
- stewarts shop 112, clifton park
- stewarts shop 127, clifton park
- stewarts shop 202, gansevoort
- stewarts shop 205, ballston spa
- stewarts shop 206, waterford
- stewarts shop 208, saratoga springs
- stewarts shop 216, south glens falls
- stewarts shop 246, gansevoort
- stewarts shop 268, ballston spa
- stewarts shop 292, mechanicville
- stewarts shop 295, ballston spa
- stewarts shop 296, clifton park
- stewarts shop 305, halfmoon
- stewarts shop 314, saratoga springs
- stewarts shop 315, mechanicville
- stewarts shop 316, stillwater
- stewarts shop 341, saratoga springs
- stewarts shop 345, saratoga springs
- stewarts shop 365, ballston lake
- stewarts shop 366, ballston lake
- stewarts shop 390, corinth
- stewarts shop 408, saratoga springs
- stewarts shop 420, waterford
- stewarts shop 444, gansevoort
- stewarts shop 449, ballston spa
- ushers road xtra mart 10047, clifton park
- visat meldi one stop inc, gansevoort
Combination Grocery/Other · 38
- cvs pharmacy 2226, mechanicville
- cvs pharmacy 5046, clifton park
- cvs pharmacy 731, saratoga springs
- cvs pharmacy 996, clifton park
- cvs pharmacy 3379, gansevoort
- cvs pharmacy 5389, malta
- cvs pharmacy 5456, ballston spa
- cvs pharmacy cvs02072, burnt hills
- dollar general 16997, gansevoort
- dollar tree 1163, saratoga springs
- dollar tree 2505, south glens falls
- dollar general 11706, mechanicville
- dollar general 12932, south glens falls
- dollar general 14704, hadley
- dollar general 15552, ballston spa
- dollar general 15734, ballston spa
- dollar general 16423, schuylerville
- dollar general 19431, galway
- dollar general 6872, corinth
- dollar general 8576, burnt hills
- dollar tree 1008, clifton park
- dollar tree 8488, clifton park
- dollar tree 8615, clifton park
- dollar tree 9038, ballston spa
- family dollar store 2126, corinth
- family dollar store 3206, saratoga springs
- family dollar store 3216, mechanicville
- four seasons natural foods, saratoga springs
- healthy living market and cafe, saratoga springs
- ocean state job lot 501, ballston spa
- ocean state job lot 505, clifton park
- walgreens 10384, saratoga springs
- walgreens 12690, clifton park
- walgreens 17722, saratoga springs
- walgreens 17860, south glens falls
- walgreens 19462, mechanicville
- walgreens 19882, ballston lake
- walgreens 19911, corinth
Super Store · 12
- bj's wholesale club 66, saratoga springs
- fred the butcher inc, halfmoon
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8267, ballston lake
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8365, clifton park
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8380, s glens falls
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8391, saratoga spgs
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8394, ballston spa
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8447, ballston spa
- target 1271, saratoga springs
- target 1477, clifton park
- walmart supercenter 2056, saratoga springs
- walmart supercenter 2844, clifton park
Supermarket · 12
- aldi 65117, ballston spa
- aldi 65228, clifton park
- aldi 73050, saratoga springs
- fresh market 172, saratoga springs
- market 32 route 50 158, saratoga spgs
- market 32 by price chopper 039, saratoga springs
- market 32 by price chopper 112, clifton park
- market 32 by price chopper 250, clifton park
- price chopper 094, mechanicville
- price chopper malta 184, malta
- tops markets 700, corinth
- trader joe's halfmoon 574, halfmoon
Medium Grocery Store · 5
- halal meat market, halfmoon
- old world gourmet market, saratoga springs
- sorrentino's deli & market, clifton park
- sorrentino's delicatessen & market, south glens falls
- sanders meat market, ballston spa
Small Grocery Store · 2
- ambebhavani, clifton park
- pastore's green grocer natural foods inc, halfmoon
Farmers' Market · 1
- saratoga farmers market, saratoga springs
Large Grocery Store · 1
- t & q distributor inc, stillwater
Military Commissary · 1
- saratoga springs commissary 2130, saratoga springs
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New York
Compare Saratoga County vs Albany County → · All New York counties →
Food access nationally, New York in context
Saratoga County sits inside New York (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 Saratoga County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Saratoga County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Saratoga County? ▼
Is Saratoga County a food desert? ▼
What share of Saratoga 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.