Signature · 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts)
Shelby County, TX
Shelby County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of the book) alongside 17.9% low-access.
- 17.9%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 15.7%
- on SNAP
- 24K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Shelby County, TX
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 17.9% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -4.2 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.7% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 33% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Moore County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Shelby County ranks #1,870 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #181 of 252 counties in TX (17.9% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,870
- national by low-access %
- #181
- in TX
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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: 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts) .
How Shelby County compares nationally
Shelby County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.9% low-access share that beats 40% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,873).
Shelby County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Shelby County has 1 urban and 5 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.
Shelby County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Texas, not a full county-board reprint
- Throckmorton
Throckmorton 100%
100 % low-access
- Limestone 18.1
Limestone 18.1%
18.1 % low-access
- Shelby 17.9
Shelby 17.9%
17.9 % low-access
- Moore 17.8
Moore 17.8%
17.8 % low-access
- Brooks 17.7
Brooks 17.7%
17.7 % low-access
- Carson 17.6
Carson 17.6%
17.6 % low-access
- Rains 0
Rains 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 25,448 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,550 |
| Low-Access Share | 17.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,905 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 24,155 |
| Median Household Income | $49,776 |
| Poverty Rate | 20.6%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,474 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.7%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.7%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.6% |
Thick SNAP store book in Shelby County
Shelby County has 31 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 13 locations (42% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 13
- cv/ pharmacy inc 7480, center
- dollar general 10712, tenaha
- dollar general 17735, center
- dollar general 7167, joaquin
- dollar general 8060, timpson
- dollar general 24739, center
- dollar tree 6136, center
- family dollar 11576, shelbyville
- family dollar 12524, joaquin
- family dollar 13353, tenaha
- family dollar 3555, timpson
- family dollar 4073, center
- h & s discount foods, center
Convenience Store · 10
- best mart #12, center
- binks tenaha quick stop 4, tenaha
- cefco 1010, center
- center texaco, center
- e-z mart 4260, center
- express stop #2, tenaha
- food junction, shelbyville
- joaquin quick stop 2, joaquin
- murphy usa 7731, center
- worsham grocery, joaquin
Super Store · 4
- brookshire brothers 04, timpson
- brookshire brothers 32, center
- brookshire brothers 57, joaquin
- walmart supercenter 364, center
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- cinco de mayo meat market, center
- la mexicana mexican products, center
Small Grocery Store · 2
- center asian grocery store llc, center
- tun store, center
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Texas
One of 253 counties in Texas, 6 are shown here.
Compare Shelby County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →
Nationwide peers for Shelby County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Shelby County, both outside Texas so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside TX (17.9% here).
- Lane County, OR · 17.9% low-access
- Lane County, OR · 17.9% low-access
- Harnett County, NC · 17.9% low-access
- Harnett County, NC · 17.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside TX (15.7% here).
- Sumter County, SC · 15.7% SNAP
- Sumter County, SC · 15.7% SNAP
- Clarion County, PA · 15.7% SNAP
- Clarion County, PA · 15.7% 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, Texas in context
Shelby County sits inside Texas (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 Shelby County, TX are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 48419. 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.