County food-access profile · Missouri
St. Louis city, MO
Most of St. Louis city sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 6.0%
- low-access pop.
- 10
- food-desert tracts
- 18.6%
- on SNAP
- 289K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
6.0% of St. Louis city residents live in a low-access area, and 10 of its 106 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 11
- low-access tracts
- 11K
- food-desert residents
- 18.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 20.6%
- 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).
By the USDA's measure, St. Louis city fares better than most: just 6.0% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 11 of the county's 106 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 19,226 people who live far from a supermarket, and 10 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 11,446 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. Louis city compares nationally
Food access in St. Louis city compares favorably nationally: its 6.0% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 12% of them (rank #2,765).
St. Louis city: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 106 census tracts in St. Louis city, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
St. Louis city vs. other Missouri counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Missouri
- St. Louis city 6
St. Louis city, MO
6 % low-access
- Adair
Adair County, MO
27.3 % low-access
- Andrew
Andrew County, MO
15.8 % low-access
- Atchison 5.1
Atchison County, MO
5.1 % low-access
- Audrain
Audrain County, MO
22.6 % low-access
- Barry
Barry County, MO
19.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 106 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 319,294 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 11 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 10 |
| Low-Access Population | 19,226 |
| Low-Access Share | 6.0%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 11,446 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 288,512 |
| Median Household Income | $56,160 |
| Poverty Rate | 20.6%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 26,878 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 18.6%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 18.5%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.6% |
About 18.6% of St. Louis city households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 6.0% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
- 18.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 26,878 households here.
- 18.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 10 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. Louis city
below the national share
10 of St. Louis city's 106 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 9.4% of all its tracts.
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 11.
An estimated 19,226 residents, roughly 6.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 11,446 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 95 tracts (89.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in St. Louis city
St. Louis city has 896 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 213 locations (24% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 213
- african carribean food market, florissant
- african depot, saint louis
- ambica food, bridgeton
- asia market, saint louis
- bharath bazaar, ellisville
- bolyard's meat & provisions, saint louis
- cvs 10171, florissant
- cvs 10355, florissant
- cvs pharmacy 10261, bridgeton
- cvs pharmacy 10325, saint louis
- cvs pharmacy 10334, kirkwood
- cvs pharmacy 2341, ballwin
- cvs pharmacy 2363, saint louis
- cvs pharmacy 2376, saint louis
- cvs pharmacy 3087, saint louis
- cvs pharmacy 4403, saint louis
- cvs pharmacy 5643, saint louis
- cvs pharmacy 5669, saint louis
- cvs pharmacy 5670, saint louis
- cvs pharmacy 5689, ellisville
- cvs pharmacy 6745, florissant
- cvs pharmacy cvs11005, saint louis
- dollar general 14348, jennings
- dollar general 19176, saint louis
- dollar general 19178, saint louis
- dollar general 19179, saint louis
- dollar general 19180, saint louis
- dollar general 19495, saint ann
- dollartree 10264, chesterfield
- dollartree 10616, saint louis
- dollartree 8776, st. louis
- dollartree 8973, saint louis
- dollartree 9776, saint louis
- desi bazaar, ballwin
- dollar general 10880, saint louis
- dollar general 10951, saint louis
- dollar general 11638, saint louis
- dollar general 11999, ferguson
- dollar general 1242, saint louis
- dollar general 13298, saint louis
- dollar general 14267, saint louis
- dollar general 14612, saint louis
- dollar general 18943, florissant
- dollar general 21750, clayton
- dollar general 21829, hazelwood
- dollar general 22919, st louis
- dollar general 2326, pacific
- dollar general 24045, saint louis
- dollar general 24352, saint louis
- dollar general 2452, saint louis
- dollar general 3000, florissant
- dollar general 30356, chesterfield
- dollar general 4536, lemay
- dollar general 4936, florissant
- dollar general 6026, saint louis
- dollar general 643, hazelwood
- dollar general store 13036, saint louis
- dollar general store 13256, saint louis
- dollar general store 13346, saint louis
- dollar general store 13355, saint louis
- dollar general store 13693, maryland heights
- dollar tree 1768, saint louis
- dollar tree 2527, saint louis
- dollar tree 3047, saint louis
- dollar tree 3302, saint louis
- dollar tree 3331, saint louis
- dollar tree 3356, saint louis
- dollar tree 3383, chesterfield
- dollar tree 3972, saint louis
- dollar tree 4267, saint louis
- dollar tree 4722, ballwin
- dollar tree 4852, saint louis
- dollar tree 4942, saint louis
- dollar tree 5100, eureka
- dollar tree 5123, saint louis
- dollar tree 5451, saint louis
- dollar tree 5797, bridgeton
- dollar tree 5885, jennings
- dollar tree 613, saint louis
- dollar tree 6144, florissant
- dollar tree 6239, florissant
- dollar tree 684, saint louis
- dollar tree 686, saint louis
- dollar tree 687, saint louis
- dollar tree 690, bridgeton
- dollar tree 695, florissant
- dollar tree 7052, saint louis
- dollar tree 7530, fenton
- dollar tree 7540, wildwood
- dollar tree 7556, ballwin
- dollar tree 7580, saint louis
- dollar tree 7720, saint louis
- dollar tree 7794, maryland heights
- dollar tree 8054, saint louis
- dollar tree 8336, saint louis
- dollar tree 849, saint louis
- dollar tree 8555, hazelwood
- dollar tree 947, university city
- dollartree 8839, saint louis
- dons meat market, saint louis
- dr fresh limited llc, saint louis
- el mexiquense, saint louis
- family dollar 10067, st ann
- family dollar 10304, saint louis
- family dollar 10307, saint louis
- family dollar 10314, saint louis
- family dollar 10338, saint louis
- family dollar 10348, saint louis
- family dollar 10926, saint louis
- family dollar 11336, st louis
- family dollar 11514, florissant
- family dollar 11543, saint louis
- family dollar 11724, black jack
- family dollar 11769, saint louis
- family dollar 11827, ferguson
- family dollar 11929, saint louis
- family dollar 12158, florissant
- family dollar 12338, florissant
- family dollar 12553, hazelwood
- family dollar 1590, saint louis
- family dollar 1720, saint louis
- family dollar 2199, saint louis
- family dollar 2253, fenton
- family dollar 2594, saint louis
- family dollar 2830, saint louis
- family dollar 3352, saint louis
- family dollar 3400, florissant
- family dollar 3824, saint louis
- family dollar 4270, saint louis
- family dollar 5065, saint louis
- family dollar 5066, saint louis
- family dollar 5628, saint louis
- family dollar 5862, saint louis
- family dollar 5929, saint louis
- family dollar 6038, saint louis
- family dollar 6399, overland
- family dollar 6662, hazelwood
- family dollar 6829, saint louis
- family dollar 6945, jennings
- family dollar 8220, saint louis
- family dollar 8253, florissant
- family dollar 8743, florissant
- family dollar store 10875, florissant
- johns butcher shoppe, saint louis
- manchester seema, ballwin
- ozells foood mart, saint louis
- pearlies pickles, saint louis
- stelmacki thriftee, saint louis
- straub's 3, saint louis
- straub's 9, saint louis
- the place on washington ave, saint louis
- walgreens 15265, saint louis
- walgreens 04220, chesterfield
- walgreens 06155, wildwood
- walgreens 06755, saint louis
- walgreens 07423, fenton
- walgreens 07692, chesterfield
- walgreens 09481, maryland heights
- walgreens 09714, saint louis
- walgreens 09771, saint louis
- walgreens 10082, saint louis
- walgreens 10429, ballwin
- walgreens 1124, florissant
- walgreens 11711, saint louis
- walgreens 11744, ellisville
- walgreens 11836, saint louis
- walgreens 1273, ballwin
- walgreens 15941, saint ann
- walgreens 16326, saint louis
- walgreens 1633, hazelwood
- walgreens 1679, saint louis
- walgreens 2227, eureka
- walgreens 2501, bridgeton
- walgreens 2901, florissant
- walgreens 2971, florissant
- walgreens 2994, saint louis
- walgreens 3305, saint louis
- walgreens 3652, fenton
- walgreens 3906, saint louis
- walgreens 4345, saint louis
- walgreens 4392, saint louis
- walgreens 4467, ballwin
- walgreens 4671, saint louis
- walgreens 4701, ellisville
- walgreens 4824, saint louis
- walgreens 4833, saint louis
- walgreens 4866, florissant
- walgreens 4867, florissant
- walgreens 5003, ballwin
- walgreens 5047, saint louis
- walgreens 5120, saint louis
- walgreens 5228, saint louis
- walgreens 5285, saint louis
- walgreens 5363, saint louis
- walgreens 5513, saint louis
- walgreens 5667, saint louis
- walgreens 5749, florissant
- walgreens 5894, saint louis
- walgreens 6023, saint louis
- walgreens 6024, saint louis
- walgreens 6166, saint louis
- walgreens 6220, saint louis
- walgreens 6254, saint louis
- walgreens 6350, saint louis
- walgreens 6432, saint louis
- walgreens 6472, saint louis
- walgreens 6492, bridgeton
- walgreens 6789, fenton
- walgreens 7185, chesterfield
- walgreens 7680, saint louis
- walgreens 7762, saint louis
- walgreens 854, saint louis
- walgreens 9436, saint louis
Convenience Store · 35
- 1 stop, saint louis
- 10901 halls ferry operations, saint louis
- 3 bro mini market & tobacco, saint louis
- 4701672.0 1672, saint louis
- 4901 union operations llc, saint louis
- 5 star market, saint louis
- 5 star market n more, saint louis
- 6001 w florissant operations llc, saint louis
- 66 gas mart, hazelwood
- 7-11 19279, saint louis
- 7-eleven 19457, saint louis
- 7-eleven 20206j, saint louis
- 7-eleven 23889e, saint louis
- 7-eleven store #27379c, saint louis
- 7-eleven store 19470d, saint louis
- 7-eleven store 19981b, saint louis
- 7-eleven store 26184 f, florissant
- 7-eleven store 26281, chesterfield
- 7-eleven 27899b, saint louis
- 7-eleven store #19889e, saint louis
- 7-eleven store #27838d, saint louis
- 7-eleven store #29264c, saint louis
- 7-eleven store 26796e, saint louis
- 7-eleven store 29038d, hazelwood
- 7-eleven store 29084c, florissant
- 7-eleven store 32813d, saint louis
- airport market 1, saint louis
- amber js mini mart llc, saint louis
- arch energy lc 610, saint louis
- aviator motomart 3375, hazelwood
- b&b market & grill, saint louis
- bp, saint louis
- bp amoco, saint louis
- balkan, chesterfield
- barnetts market, saint louis
Bakery Specialty · 2
- papa murphy's mo016 mo016, saint louis
- papa murphy's mo072 ballwin mo (twin oaks) mo072, ballwin
Showing 250 of 896 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Missouri
Compare St. Louis city vs Adair County → · All Missouri counties →
Food access nationally, Missouri in context
St. Louis city sits inside Missouri (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. Louis city has low food access? ▼
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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.