PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Louisiana

St. Martin Parish, LA

St. Martin Parish's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

14.7%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
20.4%
on SNAP
51K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 LA

The food-access picture

14.7% of St. Martin Parish residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
9.4%
households, no vehicle
15.3%
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. Martin Parish's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.7% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 11 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,675 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,982 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. Martin Parish compares nationally

St. Martin Parish lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.7% low-access share that beats 32% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,140).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

St. Martin Parish: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in St. Martin Parish, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for St. Martin Parish, LA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (72.7%) 2 tracts limited (18.2%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (9.1%) Adequate 73% Limited 18% Severe 9% Food-access tier distribution: St. Martin Parish, LA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

St. Martin Parish vs. other Louisiana counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Louisiana

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for St. Martin Parish
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)52,160
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population7,675
Low-Access Share14.7%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,982

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for St. Martin Parish
IndicatorValue
Population51,353
Median Household Income$55,960
Poverty Rate15.3%near the national average
SNAP Households3,987
SNAP Participation Rate20.4%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle9.4%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.5%
SNAP participation in St. Martin Parish 20.4%

About 20.4% of St. Martin Parish households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 14.7% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 20.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,987 households here.
  • 9.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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. Martin Parish

near the national share

1 of St. Martin Parish's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 9.1% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 7,675 residents, roughly 14.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,982 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (72.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in St. Martin Parish

St. Martin Parish has 56 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 23 locations (41% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 23

  • cvs pharmacy inc 5296, saint martinville
  • dollar general 0448, breaux bridge
  • dollar general 0744, breaux bridge
  • dollar general 0847, breaux bridge
  • dollar general 13701, breaux bridge
  • dollar general 13909, saint martinville
  • dollar general 12624, breaux bridge
  • dollar general 21185, saint martinville
  • dollar general 21571, saint martinville
  • dollar general 23929, saint martinville
  • dollar general 6826, saint martinville
  • dollar tree 3986, breaux bridge
  • family dollar 11871, breaux bridge
  • family dollar 12005, breaux bridge
  • family dollar 3542, breaux bridge
  • family dollar 3560, saint martinville
  • family dollar 4432, breaux bridge
  • family dollar store 10819, arnaudville
  • louisiana blues specialty market 1, arnaudville
  • poche's market & restaurant, breaux bridge
  • teche valley seafood & grocery, saint martinville
  • the fruitstand, breaux bridge
  • walgreens 7696, breaux bridge

Convenience Store · 21

  • breaux bridge corner express, breaux bridge
  • canal mart, saint martinville
  • catin's, saint martinville
  • country food store 1 llc, saint martinville
  • dp mini mart, breaux bridge
  • fast mart, parks
  • fast mart ii, breaux bridge
  • guidrys food store, arnaudville
  • henderson highway one stop, breaux bridge
  • henderson i-10 exxon, breaux bridge
  • henderson travel plaza, breaux bridge
  • hwy31 truckstop, saint martinville
  • landrys meat & grocery, saint martinville
  • lt grocery, saint martinville
  • landry's texaco, breaux bridge
  • murphy usa 7509, breaux bridge
  • pennywise 24, breaux bridge
  • pilot travel center 274, breaux bridge
  • seven heaven discount, saint martinville
  • shoprite 55, saint martinville
  • silver's travel center, breaux bridge

Super Store · 4

  • cash saver, saint martinville
  • hebert's superette, breaux bridge
  • joyce's supermarket, inc, saint martinville
  • walmart 402, breaux bridge

Supermarket · 4

  • cades market, saint martinville
  • green's piggly wiggly, breaux bridge
  • hebert's supermarket inc., breaux bridge
  • super 1 foods 646, breaux bridge

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • hebert's market, breaux bridge
  • rees street market, breaux bridge

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • randall dugas stores, parks

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • crawfish town usa fresh market, breaux bridge

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Louisiana

Acadia Parish
6.6% low-access · 24.4% SNAP
Allen Parish
28.1% low-access · 26.5% SNAP
Ascension Parish
42.3% low-access · 12.2% SNAP
Assumption Parish
0.9% low-access · 19.9% SNAP
Avoyelles Parish
20.5% low-access · 27.9% SNAP
Beauregard Parish
55.8% low-access · 17.5% SNAP

Compare St. Martin Parish vs Acadia Parish → · All Louisiana counties →

Food access nationally, Louisiana in context

St. Martin Parish sits inside Louisiana (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

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. Martin Parish has low food access? ▼
14.7% of residents in St. Martin Parish, LA live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in St. Martin Parish? ▼
20.4% of households in St. Martin Parish receive SNAP, covering 3,987 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in St. Martin Parish? ▼
The poverty rate in St. Martin Parish, LA is 15.3%, with a median household income of $55,960 (Census ACS 2024).
Is St. Martin Parish a food desert? ▼
1 of St. Martin Parish's 11 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of St. Martin Parish households lack a vehicle? ▼
9.4% of households in St. Martin Parish have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.