County food-access profile · New York
Schenectady County, NY
Schenectady 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.
- 18.8%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 14.0%
- on SNAP
- 160K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
18.8% of Schenectady County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 43 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 15
- low-access tracts
- 5K
- food-desert residents
- 12.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 13.3%
- 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).
Schenectady County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 18.8% per the USDA Atlas. 15 of the county's 43 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 29,124 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 4,613 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 Schenectady County compares nationally
Schenectady County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.8% low-access share that beats 43% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,788).
Schenectady County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 43 census tracts in Schenectady County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Schenectady County vs. other New York counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New York
- Schenectady
Schenectady County, NY
18.8 % 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 | 43 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 154,727 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 15 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 29,124 |
| Low-Access Share | 18.8%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 4,613 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 160,369 |
| Median Household Income | $79,623 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.3%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,338 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.0%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 12.4%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.3% |
About 14.0% of Schenectady County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 18.8% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 14.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 9,338 households here.
- 12.4% 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 Schenectady County
near the national share
1 of Schenectady County's 43 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 2.3% of all its tracts.
A further 14 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 15.
An estimated 29,124 residents, roughly 18.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 4,613 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 28 tracts (65.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Schenectady County
Schenectady County has 164 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 99 locations (60% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 99
- 1st stop mart, schenectady
- 602 deli inc, schenectady
- 789 albany deli and grocery inc, schenectady
- 851 mini mart inc, schenectady
- 935 z deli inc., schenectady
- adeebs deli & grocery, schenectady
- aga & son getty, schenectady
- al yousaf inc/qik pik, rotterdam
- albany street market, schenectady
- alex mini market and deli inc, schenectady
- alltown fresh 770, schenectady
- bellevue convenient store, schenectady
- bellevue deli & grocery inc, schenectady
- bellevue star market inc, schenectady
- cumberland farms 1505, schenectady
- cumberland farms 1511, scotia
- cumberland farms 1528, schenectady
- cm convenience & deli llc, schenectady
- congress supermarket inc., schenectady
- country farm, schenectady
- country farm convenience llc, schenectady
- cumberland farms 1540, schenectady
- cumberland farms 1542, schenectady
- cumberland farms 1699, schenectady
- d-mart, schenectady
- del market inc, schenectady
- eastern ave deli grocery, schenectady
- electric city mobil inc, schenectady
- empire schenectady, schenectady
- faculty-student assoc schenectady com college inc, schenectady
- gasway fuels corporation, schenectady
- get & go inc, schenectady
- h & o city heart, inc., schenectady
- h&m market, schenectady
- hulett market, schenectady
- ibb grocery, schenectady
- in & out market and grill, schenectady
- iqa deli inc, schenectady
- iqa deli inc, schenectady
- levis grocery convenience stores and deli, schenectady
- lukoil, schenectady
- m & d convenience, schenectady
- manhattan deli & grocery inc, schenectady
- moe deli, schenectady
- mohawk grocery & deli, schenectady
- mohawk petroleum inc, schenectady
- munchies deli grocery, schenectady
- nisha raj & sons inc, schenectady
- one dream, schenectady
- one dream one dream, schenectady
- peace market corporation, schenectady
- pilot travel center 494, rotterdam
- quins deli grocery, schenectady
- rose paradise convenience, schenectady
- rotana deli & grocery, schenectady
- s&d convenience store, schenectady
- stewart's shop #110, schenectady
- stewart's shop #187, schenectady
- stewart's shop #189, rotterdam
- stewart's shop #230, scotia
- stewart's shop #283, schenectady
- stewart's shop 164, schenectady
- stewart's shop 250, duanesburg
- stewart's shop 405, schenectady
- stewarts shop 182, schenectady
- stewarts shop 324, schenectady
- sains's discount, inc., schenectady
- schenectady central park deli & grocery, schenectady
- sidhu and sons inc., schenectady
- speedway 7587, schenectady
- speedway 7652, schenectady
- speedway 7865, schenectady
- speedway 7886, schenectady
- state street grocery, schenectady
- state street supermarket, inc, schenectady
- stewart's shop 126, schenectady
- stewart's shops 226, rotterdam
- stewart's shops 269 269, schenectady
- stewart's shops 394, schenectady
- stewart's shops 400, schenectady
- stewart's shops 465, rotterdam
- stewarts shop 135, schenectady
- stewarts shop 181, schenectady
- stewarts shop 183, schenectady
- stewarts shop 275, schenectady
- stewarts shop 300, schenectady
- stewarts shop 320, schenectady
- stewarts shop 410, scotia
- stewarts shop 411, schenectady
- stop n go convenience, schenectady
- us food mart deli & grocery, inc, schenectady
- union convenience, schenectady
- united fuel & food mart inc, schenectady
- valero, schenectady
- we care pharmacy, schenectady
- yazzy's market, schenectady
- yazzy's market inc, schenectady
- yazzy's market mobil, schenectady
- yunus petroleum inc, schenectady
Combination Grocery/Other · 28
- avon meats llc., schenectady
- cvs 441, schenectady
- cvs pharmacy 2340, schenectady
- cvs pharmacy 4610, schenectady
- cvs pharmacy 5035, schenectady
- cvs pharmacy 5045, schenectady
- cvs pharmacy 5385, scotia
- cvs pharmacy 1292, schenectady
- dollar tree 3171, schenectady
- dollar general 20977, rotterdam junction
- dollar general 21982, schenectady
- dollar general 24494, duanesburg
- dollar general 30563, schenectady
- dollar general 6270, scotia
- dollar general 8749, schenectady
- dollar tree 1411, schenectady
- dollar tree 4058, schenectady
- dollar tree 6141, niskayuna
- dollar tree 840, schenectady
- family dollar 11668, schenectady
- family dollar 13407, schenectady
- family dollar 2043, schenectady
- family dollar 3612, schenectady
- family dollar 5797, schenectady
- moe deli, schenectady
- ocean state job lot 502, schenectady
- walgreens 19611, rotterdam
- walgreens 456, schenectady
Super Store · 9
- bj's wholesale club 79, schenectady
- hannaford food & drug 8320, schenectady
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8376, glenville
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8396, niskayuna
- pricerite of schenectady 271, schenectady
- target 1521, schenectady
- target 2805, schenectady
- walmart 2264, schenectady
- walmart supercenter 2874, glenville
Medium Grocery Store · 8
- albany st mini market, schenectady
- afghan halal meat market and bakery, schenectady
- fabio grocery, schenectady
- karam asian grocery & halal meat, schenectady
- mahabeers convenience store, schenectady
- matrix international trading llc, schenectady
- syron's market, duanesburg
- timothy's world inc, schenectady
Supermarket · 8
- aldi 65235, schenectady
- aldi 65183, glenville
- gabriel's scotia discount foods inc, scotia
- market 32 by price chopper, schenectady
- market 32 by price chopper 001, schenectady
- market 32 by price chopper 038, glenville
- market 32 by price chopper 191, schenectady
- market 32 by price chopper 47, schenectady
Small Grocery Store · 4
- great deli and grocery inc, schenectady
- lakshmi associates inc, schenectady
- mj's african & caribbean market llc, schenectady
- mt pleasant discount, schenectady
Farmers' Market · 3
- schenectady farmers market, schenectady
- schenectady greenmarket, schenectady
- town of niskayuna farmers' market, niskayuna
Large Grocery Store · 3
- gabriels super market, schenectady
- sals quality mkt inc, schenectady
- singh west indian grocery, schenectady
Food Buying Co-op · 1
- niskayuna consumers coop inc, schenectady
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- sahr's, schenectady
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New York
Compare Schenectady County vs Albany County → · All New York counties →
Food access nationally, New York in context
Schenectady 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
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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.