County food-access profile · Florida
St. Lucie County, FL
St. Lucie County sits among the counties with the widest food-access gaps the USDA tracks, most residents here live well outside a comfortable walk or drive to a supermarket. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 45.9%
- low-access pop.
- 8
- food-desert tracts
- 12.2%
- on SNAP
- 361K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
45.9% of St. Lucie County residents live in a low-access area, and 8 of its 43 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 32
- low-access tracts
- 42K
- food-desert residents
- 4.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.3%
- 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).
St. Lucie County carries one of the more serious food-access burdens the USDA Atlas tracks: its low-access share of 45.9% is well above the national share. 32 of the county's 43 census tracts fall into that category, areas where residents live far from a supermarket, covering about 127,638 people. 8 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 42,274 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. Lucie County compares nationally
St. Lucie County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 45.9% low-access share outpaces 92% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #265 most-affected nationwide.
St. Lucie County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 43 census tracts in St. Lucie County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
St. Lucie County vs. other Florida counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida
- St. Lucie
St. Lucie County, FL
45.9 % 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 | 43 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 277,789 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 32 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 8 |
| Low-Access Population | 127,638 |
| Low-Access Share | 45.9%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 42,274 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 360,500 |
| Median Household Income | $71,457 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.3%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 16,751 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.2%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.4%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.9% |
About 12.2% of St. Lucie County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 45.9% of residents are low-access, well above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 16,751 households here.
- 4.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 8 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. Lucie County
well above the national share
8 of St. Lucie County's 43 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 18.6% of all its tracts.
A further 24 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 32.
An estimated 127,638 residents, roughly 45.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 42,274 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 11 tracts (25.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in St. Lucie County
St. Lucie County has 221 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 13 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 104 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 104
- 7-eleven 32624b, port st lucie
- 7-eleven 10389j, fort pierce
- 7-eleven 32801j, port saint lucie
- 7-eleven store #42157a 42157a, fort pierce
- 7-eleven #38688a, fort pierce
- 7-eleven 37297a, port saint lucie
- 7-eleven 38859a, port saint lucie
- 7-eleven 38944a, fort pierce
- 7-eleven 39126c, fort pierce
- 7-eleven store #41527b 41527b, fort pierce
- 7-eleven store 38890b, port saint lucie
- 9th st food market, fort pierce
- alliance mobil 260, fort pierce
- amoco, fort pierce
- bayshore corner store, port saint lucie
- best choice meats, fort pierce
- circle k 2707389, port saint lucie
- circle k 2707404, port st lucie
- circle k 2707506, fort pierce
- cumberland farms 9556, jensen beach
- cumberland farms 9603, fort pierce
- cumberland farms 9620, fort pierce
- cumberland farms 9745, port saint lucie
- cumberland farms 9748, port saint lucie
- care food mart, fort pierce
- cashmere corner store, port saint lucie
- cdr chevron, port saint lucie
- circle k 6990, port st lucie
- cumberland farms 9754, ft pierce
- cumberland farms 9772, port st lucie
- cumberland farms inc 9773, fort pierce
- darwin gas & wash, port saint lucie
- delaware shell 804, fort pierce
- dollar discount, fort pierce
- express food mart, port saint lucie
- floresta food, port saint lucie
- flowers bakery outlet 76, port saint lucie
- flying j travel plaza 622, fort pierce
- food & fuel, fort pierce
- food & fun mart, fort pierce
- fort pierce mobil, fort pierce
- fort pierce pit stop, fort pierce
- friendly meat and grocery, fort pierce
- garcia plaza bakery #2, fort pierce
- glover maket and grill, fort pierce
- hot stop food mart, inc. 1, fort pierce
- j & j subco, fort pierce
- kings highway, fort pierce
- kwik mart & deli, fort pierce
- kwik stop 20, port saint lucie
- kwikstop foodstore, fort pierce
- la central, fort pierce
- love's travel stop 415, fort pierce
- love's travel stop 467, fort pierce
- maravilla marathon, fort pierce
- max gas orange ave, fort pierce
- medlock gas & go corp, port saint lucie
- merchant discount food, fort pierce
- murphy usa 5709, fort pierce
- one stop shopping, fort pierce
- orange corner market, fort pierce
- orange sunoco food & gas, fort pierce
- pk 2 quick mart, fort pierce
- parkway chevron 52074, port saint lucie
- pilot travel center 90, fort pierce
- pit stop market and gas, fort pierce
- pleasure marathon, port saint lucie
- prima vista gas & go, port saint lucie
- quick stop food mart, fort pierce
- race trac 2398, port saint lucie
- race trac 667, fort pierce
- racetrac 2347, port saint lucie
- racetrac 2397, port saint lucie
- rebel 820, port saint lucie
- rediscover food mart, fort pierce
- rocket fuel, fort pierce
- safarrin petroleum, fort pierce
- salim food mart, fort pierce
- sam's market, fort pierce
- sam's market and deli, fort pierce
- sams food mart, fort pierce
- savanna marathon, port saint lucie
- save more meat and grocery, fort pierce
- seabreeze food store no, jensen beach
- shell food mart, port saint lucie
- shell food mart, fort pierce
- speedway 6655, port saint lucie
- st lucie west mobil, port saint lucie
- stop & shop food mart inc, port saint lucie
- stop and final grocery, fort pierce
- sunoco food mart no, port saint lucie
- town star 481, fort pierce
- triple j food mart, port saint lucie
- tulip express, port saint lucie
- tulip shell, port saint lucie
- us petro 03, fort pierce
- valero of bayshore, port saint lucie
- wawa 5220, port saint lucie
- wawa 5221, port saint lucie
- wawa 5254, fort pierce
- wawa 5380, fort. pierce
- wawa store 5387, fort pierce
- wawa store 5411, fort pierce
- wawa store 5414, port st lucie
Combination Grocery/Other · 51
- cvs pharmacy 3689, fort pierce
- cvs pharmacy 7923, port saint lucie
- cvs pharmacy 111, fort pierce
- cvs pharmacy 3487, fort pierce
- cvs pharmacy 4041, port saint lucie
- cvs pharmacy 5151, fort pierce
- cvs pharmacy 5157, port saint lucie
- dollar general 3941, fort pierce
- dollar general 5896, port saint lucie
- dollar general 8736, fort pierce
- dollar general 8788, port st lucie
- dollar tree 2108, fort pierce
- dollartree 10767, port st. lucie
- dollar general 12408, fort pierce
- dollar general 13538, fort pierce
- dollar general 14786, port saint lucie
- dollar general 15181, port saint lucie
- dollar general 25039, port saint lucie
- dollar general 31041, port saint lucie
- dollar tree 1790, fort pierce
- dollar tree 4123, port saint lucie
- dollar tree 4320, port saint lucie
- dollar tree 4827, fort pierce
- dollar tree 5082, port saint lucie
- dollar tree 7350, port saint lucie
- dollar tree 8032, port saint lucie
- dollar tree 816, port saint lucie
- family dollar 10441, fort pierce
- family dollar 10442, port saint lucie
- family dollar 11730, fort pierce
- family dollar 3367, fort pierce
- family dollar 8351, n ft pierce
- family dollar store 10164, port saint lucie
- family dollar store 4044, fort pierce
- family dollar store 5616, fort pierce
- k&b enterprises, fort pierce
- margarette shop, fort pierce
- psl produce & more, llc, port saint lucie
- vt caribbean market corp, port saint lucie
- walgreen 04391, fort pierce
- walgreens 5335, port saint lucie
- walgreens 10705, fort pierce
- walgreens 10741, ft pierce
- walgreens 12122, port saint lucie
- walgreens 12302, port saint lucie
- walgreens 3110, port st lucie
- walgreens 4001, port st lucie
- walgreens 4727, fort pierce
- walgreens 4804, port saint lucie
- walgreens 5465, port st lucie
- walgreens 6383, port st lucie
Supermarket · 27
- aldi 77037, fort pierce
- aldi 77074, port st. lucie
- aldi 77081, port st lucie
- aldi 77082, port saint lucie
- aldi 77076, fort pierce
- aldi 78, port st lucie
- d & l supermarket llc, fort pierce
- publix 0340, port saint lucie
- publix 0819, port saint lucie
- publix 0855, port saint lucie
- publix 1030, port saint lucie
- publix 1128, port saint lucie
- publix 1682, fort pierce
- publix 567, fort pierce
- publix 1284, port saint lucie
- publix 1378, port saint lucie
- publix super market 1472, port saint lucie
- publix super markets, inc. 1737, st. lucie
- publix super markets, inc. 2092, port saint lucie
- save-a-lot 61235, fort pierce
- save a lot 61243, ft pierce
- sprouts farmers market 640, port saint lucie
- the fresh market 248, port st lucie
- the house of meats, fort pierce
- winn dixie 2348, port saint lucie
- winn dixie 2349, fort pierce
- winn dixie 2355, ft pierce
Medium Grocery Store · 11
- azteca mexican store, fort pierce
- bravito supermarket inc, port saint lucie
- cale marketplace, port saint lucie
- d&d meats & takeout restaurant, port saint lucie
- deshi oriental grocery, fort pierce
- garcia taqueria y panaderia, llc, fort pierce
- india spice of port st lucie inc, port st lucie
- la bonita uno latin market, port saint lucie
- la placita ftp, fort pierce
- la placita grocery, fort pierce
- la primaveria store, fort pierce
Super Store · 11
- bravo supermarket, port saint lucie
- nelson family farms, fort pierce
- sam's club 4972, port saint lucie
- sam's club 8150, port saint lucie
- target store t-2248, port st lucie
- walmart 5704, port saint lucie
- walmart 973, fort pierce
- walmart neighborhood market 7299, port saint lucie
- walmart s/c 3527, port st lucie
- walmart s/c 929, port st lucie
- walmart supercenter 4260, port st lucie
Small Grocery Store · 8
- asian market 365, port saint lucie
- asian market of psl, port saint lucie
- belad al sham mid east market, port saint lucie
- halo-halo asian grocery store llc, port saint lucie
- imagine, port saint lucie
- mercadito centroamericano 5 estrellas, port saint lucie
- mi tierra latin store 1, fort pierce
- seaway food corp, fort pierce
Farmers' Market · 2
- florida fresh fish logistics llc, fort pierce
- wednesday green market nafmnp, fort pierce
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 2
- el jarron azul, fort pierce
- fruteria leon, fort pierce
Delivery Route · 1
- market fresh on the move, fort pierce
Food Buying Co-op · 1
- united against poverty, fort pierce
Large Grocery Store · 1
- pelican seafood company, fort pierce
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- guy's quality meats corp, fort pierce
Seafood Specialty · 1
- bo's fresh seafood market, fort pierce
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Florida
Compare St. Lucie County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →
Food access nationally, Florida in context
St. Lucie 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. Lucie County has low food access? ▼
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Is St. Lucie County a food desert? ▼
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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.