County food-access profile · California
Shasta County, CA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Shasta 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).
- 20.3%
- low-access pop.
- 11
- food-desert tracts
- 13.4%
- on SNAP
- 181K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
20.3% of Shasta County residents live in a low-access area, and 11 of its 48 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 20
- low-access tracts
- 12K
- food-desert residents
- 6.3%
- 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).
USDA data puts Shasta County's low-access share at 20.3%, above the national share. 20 of the county's 48 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 35,907 people. 11 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 12,257 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 Shasta County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Shasta County's 20.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,668 most-affected nationwide.
Shasta County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 48 census tracts in Shasta County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Shasta County vs. other California counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in California
- Shasta 20.3
Shasta County, CA
20.3 % 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 | 48 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 177,223 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 20 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 11 |
| Low-Access Population | 35,907 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.3%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 12,257 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 181,436 |
| Median Household Income | $72,636 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.3%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,569 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.4%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.0% |
About 13.4% of Shasta County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 20.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 13.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 9,569 households here.
- 6.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 11 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 Shasta County
above the national share
11 of Shasta County's 48 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 22.9% of all its tracts.
A further 9 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 20.
An estimated 35,907 residents, roughly 20.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 12,257 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 28 tracts (58.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Shasta County
Shasta County has 176 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 96 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 96
- 7 eleven 20090d, redding
- 7-eleven 18860k, redding
- anderson am pm, anderson
- anderson chevron, anderson
- antlers food & fuel, lakehead
- arco ampm 7108, redding
- asia marketplace, redding
- azaad fuels inc, redding
- bobs market, anderson
- ballpark food & gas, redding
- bechelli am pm, redding
- bechelli lane market, redding
- beyond food mart, redding
- bj supermarket, redding
- black butte market, shingletown
- bonnyview market, redding
- bonnyview texaco, redding
- browning street mini mart, redding
- burney mini mart, burney
- churn creek am pm, redding
- churn creek mini mart, redding
- cottonwood food mart & gas, cottonwood
- country gas food & liquor no, redding
- cypress food & gas, redding
- downtown liquor market, redding
- drive in market, shasta lake
- duffys liquor, anderson
- eureka way minimart, redding
- eureka way shell, redding
- food express #5, redding
- fast rak super food mart 530, anderson
- fast stop mini mart, redding
- fast stop mini mart #2, redding
- fast track food & fuel, redding
- gas for less, redding
- gas point market no, cottonwood
- gold street liqour, redding
- golden bear mini mart, round mountain
- h&s energy products llc 3010, redding
- h&s energy products llc 3011, redding
- h&s energy products llc 3012, anderson
- h&s energy products llc 3013, anderson
- handispot market, anderson
- happy stop market, anderson
- happy valley market inc, anderson
- hilltop food & fuel, redding
- hinkles market and sporting goods, redding
- igo store, igo
- js market, shasta
- jksd fall river / sportsmans, fall river mills
- jksd gas and mini mart 171, redding
- kalotia & banwait corp., cottonwood
- karm enterprises inc, shasta lake
- lake blvd gill gas corp, redding
- lakehead gas & food, lakehead
- maruti cruz thru, bella vista
- maruti filling station, cottonwood
- maruti gas plus inc, cottonwood
- maruti mini mart, redding
- maruti old oregon corp, redding
- maruti placer oil corp 1, redding
- maruti service station, shasta lake
- maruti service station 2, anderson
- maruti shasta lake, redding
- maruti westwood, redding
- maverik, inc 656, anderson
- midway market, anderson
- mikes food & fuel, anderson
- nmso, inc. 68109, burney
- nmso, inc. 68102, anderson
- north redding food and gas, redding
- oasis am pm, redding
- old station fill up and mini mart, old station
- palo cedro chevron, palo cedro
- parkview market, redding
- pine grove 76 85, shasta lake
- pit stop store, big bend
- rancho market, redding
- redding express stop llc, redding
- rocky ledge food & gas, burney
- speedy gas, redding
- shasta view chevron, redding
- speedway 4888, redding
- speedway 6388, redding
- sportsmans express, redding
- stumpy's liquor, redding
- sunshine food & gas, cottonwood
- super k food store, anderson
- sure stop gas & food, redding
- time to stop, redding
- travelcenters of america 057, redding
- turtle bay mini mart, redding
- wayne's chevron, redding
- westside market, redding
- whitmore general store, whitmore
- y&s lake foodmart, redding
Combination Grocery/Other · 29
- cvs pharmacy 11344, redding
- cvs pharmacy 3911, redding
- cvs pharmacy 9979, redding
- cvs pharmacy cvs11341, redding
- cvs/pharmacy 11342, anderson
- dollar general 16381, shingletown
- dollar general 17881, redding
- dollar general 15943, burney
- dollar general 15959, palo cedro
- dollar general 17038, redding
- dollar general 21726, redding
- dollar general 22679, redding
- dollar general store 16240, fall river mills
- dollar tree 1221, redding
- dollar tree 1252, redding
- dollar tree 1857, anderson
- dollar tree 4797, palo cedro
- dollar tree 5256, redding
- dollar tree 5400, redding
- dollar tree 5771, shasta lake
- dollar tree 5903, anderson
- india mart punjabi "n" indian grocery, redding
- indo china market, redding
- jollof u luv african market, redding
- kanya market, redding
- moores' flour mill, redding
- walgreens 4243, redding
- walgreens 5699, redding
- walgreens 5781, redding
Supermarket · 19
- food maxx 477, redding
- grocery outlet of burney 0386, burney
- holiday market 34, cottonwood
- holiday market 40, palo cedro
- holiday market 45, redding
- holiday market 59, redding
- kent's meats and grocery, redding
- orchard nutrition center, redding
- raley's 248, redding
- ray's food place 52, fall river mills
- safeway 1826, redding
- safeway 1954, redding
- safeway 273, anderson
- safeway 4178, burney
- sav mor foods 12, redding
- save mart 612, redding
- sprouts farmers market 436, redding
- trader joe's 219, redding
- winco foods 058, redding
Super Store · 9
- costco wholesale 1445, redding
- farmers market place, shasta lake
- grocery outlet of west redding 389, redding
- grocery outlet of anderson, anderson
- r & r quality meats, inc., redding
- redding grocery outlet, redding
- target store t-0615, redding
- walmart 2537, redding
- walmart 5133, anderson
Small Grocery Store · 6
- carrillo's mexican store, redding
- los amigos meat market, anderson
- oak run country store, oak run
- prime time nutricion 584, redding
- sunshine market, shasta lake
- yummy llama, anderson
Bakery Specialty · 5
- franz bakery outlet 9055, redding
- papa murphy's pizza ca094, redding
- papa murphy's take n bake pizza ca035, anderson
- papa murphy's take n bake pizza ca046, redding
- papa murphy's take n bake pizza ca237, redding
Farmers' Market · 5
- anderson farmers market, anderson
- burney farmers market, burney
- marilyn miller farmers market, redding
- redding certified farmer's markets, redding
- turtle bay farmers market, redding
Medium Grocery Store · 4
- clear creek market, redding
- lakeshore villa market, lakehead
- lao market, redding
- maruti shingle town inc, shingletown
Large Grocery Store · 3
- country market, anderson
- my t fine dosanjh partnership, bella vista
- reeds ranch market incorporated, shingletown
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in California
Compare Shasta County vs Alameda County → · All California counties →
Food access nationally, California in context
Shasta 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 Shasta County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Shasta County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Shasta County? ▼
Is Shasta County a food desert? ▼
What share of Shasta 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.