Signature · 100.0% low-access (98th pct)
Sterling County, TX
Sterling County sits in the upper national band on low-access (100.0%, +77.9 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 100.0%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 12.0%
- on SNAP
- 1K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Sterling County, TX
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-NA · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-SEVERE 100.0% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +77.9 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 12.0% SNAP
- VEH-NA Vehicle n/a
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Borden County (+ 0.0 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Sterling County sits in the upper national band (100.0%, #43 of 3,079).
- #43
- national by low-access %
- #11
- in TX
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 410
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 100.0% low-access (98th pct) (+77.9 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Sterling County compares nationally
Sterling County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 100.0% low-access share outpaces 98% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #43 most-affected nationwide.
Sterling County's elevated USDA tier split
1 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 1 of Sterling County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Sterling County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Texas, not a full county-board reprint
- Throckmorton
Throckmorton 100%
100 % low-access
- Sterling
Sterling 100%
100 % low-access
- Borden
Borden 100%
100 % low-access
- Briscoe
Briscoe 100%
100 % low-access
- Coke
Coke 100%
100 % low-access
- Cottle
Cottle 100%
100 % low-access
- Rains 0
Rains 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 1,143 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,143 |
| Low-Access Share | 100.0%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 410 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,468 |
| Median Household Income | $64,954 |
| Poverty Rate | 4.3%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 48 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.0%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
Slim SNAP store book in Sterling County
Sterling County has 4 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 3 locations (75% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
All 4 authorized stores are in Sterling City, and none of them is a supermarket or large/medium grocery.
Convenience Store · 3
- 7-eleven, inc. 42449, sterling city
- allsups 102454, sterling city
- hitching post, sterling city
Combination Grocery/Other · 1
- family dollar store 10673, sterling city
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 Sterling County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →
Texas among West South Central states
Texas ranks 3rd of 4 West South Central states by population-weighted low-access (25.0%). Sterling County, at 100.0%, runs 75.0 pts above the Texas rate.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Sterling County, TX are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 48431. 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.