County food-access profile · Florida
St. Johns County, FL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of St. Johns 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).
- 28.6%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 4.2%
- on SNAP
- 307K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
28.6% of St. Johns County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 39 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 24
- low-access tracts
- 10K
- food-desert residents
- 3.1%
- households, no vehicle
- 6.5%
- 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 St. Johns County's low-access share at 28.6%, above the national share. 24 of the county's 39 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 54,446 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 10,407 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 St. Johns County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, St. Johns County's 28.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 67% of them and ranked #1,034 most-affected nationwide.
St. Johns County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 39 census tracts in St. Johns County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
St. Johns County vs. other Florida counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida
- St. Johns
St. Johns County, FL
28.6 % low-access
- Alachua 19.2
Alachua County, FL
19.2 % low-access
- Baker
Baker County, FL
55.6 % low-access
- Bay
Bay County, FL
31.5 % low-access
- Bradford 1.1
Bradford County, FL
1.1 % low-access
- Brevard
Brevard County, FL
41.8 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 39 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 190,039 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 24 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 54,446 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.6%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 10,407 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 306,934 |
| Median Household Income | $109,839 |
| Poverty Rate | 6.5%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 4,890 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 4.2%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.1%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.0% |
About 4.2% of St. Johns County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 28.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 4.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,890 households here.
- 3.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 4 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 St. Johns County
above the national share
4 of St. Johns County's 39 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 10.3% of all its tracts.
A further 20 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 24.
An estimated 54,446 residents, roughly 28.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 10,407 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 15 tracts (38.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in St. Johns County
St. Johns County has 167 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 79 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 79
- 7-eleven 42317h, saint johns
- 7-eleven store #42138a 42138a, st. augustine
- 7-eleven store 42108a, saint augustine
- 7-eleven 35820a, saint augustine
- 7-eleven 42004a, st. johns
- 7-eleven 42193a, saint augustine
- bp food mart, saint augustine
- buddy boys country store, saint augustine
- buzz mart, hastings
- circle k 2707250, saint augustine
- carmelos marketplace, saint augustine
- circle k, jacksonville
- circle k 2706621, saint augustine
- circle k 2721043, saint augustine
- circle k 2721101, saint augustine
- circle k 2721169, saint augustine
- circle k 2721248, st augustine
- circle k 2721255, saint augustine
- circle k 2721279, saint augustine
- circle k 2721299, saint augustine
- circle k 2721413, saint augustine
- circle k 2721414, saint johns
- circle k 2721445, saint augustine
- circle k 2722291, saint augustine
- circle k 2722576, saint augustine
- circle k 2726075, ponte vedra beach
- circle k 2726118, saint augustine
- circle k 2726179, saint augustine
- circle k 2726278, hastings
- circle k 6785, st johns
- circle k 7691, saint augustine
- circle k fruitcove 2652030, saint johns
- corner market, saint augustine
- flowers bakery outlet 50000053, saint augustine
- gate service station 1237, saint augustine
- gate service station 1201, ponte vedra beach
- gate service station 1202, ponte vedra
- gate service station 1207, saint augustine
- gate service station 1208, saint augustine
- gate service station 1211, saint johns
- gate service station 1229, ponte vedra
- gate service station 1232, saint johns
- gate service station 1233, ponte vedra beach
- gate store 1224, saint augustine
- kangaroo express, saint augustine
- ken's corner store, saint augustine
- king food mart, saint augustine
- kwik way 210, jacksonville
- latitude ventures jc llv d1142, st johns
- love's travel stop 894, st. augustine
- ocean g8 llc, ponte vedra beach
- old town market, saint augustine
- one stop, saint augustine
- pilot travel center 626, saint augustine
- pilot travel center 91, jacksonville
- race trac 156, saint augustine
- race trac 225, st augustine
- race trac 2415, saint augustine
- racetrac 2536 2536, saint augustine
- racetrac 2578 2578, st johns
- shell food mart, saint augustine
- sk naik llc 42154a, saint augustine
- speedway 6599, saint augustine
- speedway 6878, saint johns
- speedway 6905, saint augustine
- speedway food mart, saint augustine
- st augustine citgo 679, saint augustine
- st augustine food mart, saint augustine
- sunoco, saint augustine
- sunshine pantry, saint augustine
- ta jacksonville south 248, saint johns
- tiger of saint augustine, saint augustine
- tobacco & beverage express, saint augustine
- welcome food mart, saint augustine
- wawa 5361, saint augustine
- wawa store 5381, saint augustine
- wawa store 5382, saint johns
- wawa store 5433, saint johns
- wawa store 5441, saint johns
Combination Grocery/Other · 42
- cvs pharmacy 3198, st augustine
- cvs pharmacy 3591, saint augustine
- cvs pharmacy 3631, ponte vedra beach
- cvs pharmacy 4361, st augustine
- cvs pharmacy 5190, jacksonville
- cvs pharmacy 5589, st augustine
- cvs pharmacy 652, saint augustine
- cvs pharmacy 7904, saint johns
- cvs pharmacy 8377, saint johns
- cvs pharmacy cvs11469, ponte vedra
- dollar general 13611, hastings
- dollar general 4625, saint augustine
- dollar general 4950, hastings
- dollar general 9477, st augustine
- dollar tree 0199, st augustine
- dollartree 8099, st augustine
- dollartree 9156, st. augustine
- dollar general 11527, saint augustine
- dollar general 12333, saint augustine
- dollar general 15119, saint augustine
- dollar general 16947, saint augustine
- dollar general 18356, saint augustine
- dollar general 21874, saint augustine
- dollar general 24114, saint augustine
- dollar general 24185, saint augustine
- dollar general 7692, saint augustine
- dollar general store 16265, saint augustine
- dollar tree 6093, saint johns
- dollar tree 7693, saint johns
- family dollar store 3345, saint augustine
- family dollar store 6762, st augustine
- little india grocery, saint augustine
- pj's asia one market llc, saint augustine
- walgreens 11165, saint augustine
- walgreens 11485, saint augustine
- walgreens 12579, saint augustine
- walgreens 3247, st augustine
- walgreens 4657, ponte vedra
- walgreens 7667, jacksonville
- walgreens 7883, saint augustine
- walgreens 9014, jacksonville
- walgreens 9026, jacksonville
Supermarket · 31
- aldi 74140, saint johns
- aldi 74221, saint johns
- aldi 69, saint augustine
- publix 0099, st augustine
- publix 1028, ponte vedra beach
- publix 1084, jacksonville
- publix 1099, saint johns
- publix 1239, st augustine
- publix 2096, saint augustine
- publix super market inc 1278, saint augustine
- publix 1231, saint augustine
- publix 1243, ponte vedra
- publix 1530, saint augustine
- publix 1617, saint augustine
- publix greenwise market 1701, ponte vendra
- publix super market 1729, saint augustine
- publix super market 1766, saint johns
- publix super markets 1684, saint johns
- publix super markets, inc. 1667, st. johns
- publix super markets, inc. 1829, saint augustine
- publix super markets, inc. 2014, saint augustine
- publix super markets, inc. 2103, ponte vedra
- sprouts farmers market 672, saint johns
- the fresh market 025, ponte vedra beach
- the fresh market 701, ponte vedra beach
- winn dixie 0002, jacksonville
- winn dixie 0129, st augustine
- winn-dixie 0005, ponte vedra beach
- winn dixie 0182, st augustine
- winn dixie 112, saint augustine
- winn-dixie 0077, st augustine
Super Store · 6
- bj's wholesale club 398, saint johns
- costco st augustine 1615, saint augustine
- target store t-1294, saint augustine
- walmart 579, saint augustine
- walmart neighborhood market 5819, fruit cove
- walmart supercenter 928, st johns
Farmers' Market · 2
- st augustine amp farmers market, saint augustine
- st augustine farmers market on sundays, saint augustine
Seafood Specialty · 2
- a1a crab house, saint augustine
- fisherman's dock, saint augustine
Small Grocery Store · 2
- 207 express deli groceries meat, hastings
- el supremo market & taqueria corp, saint augustine
Large Grocery Store · 1
- weedmans grocery 1, saint augustine
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- master butchers tillmans meats, ponte vedra
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- romashka 2, saint johns
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Florida
Compare St. Johns County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →
Food access nationally, Florida in context
St. Johns County sits inside Florida (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 St. Johns County has low food access? ▼
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What share of St. Johns 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.