County food-access profile · Massachusetts
Suffolk County, MA
Most of Suffolk County 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).
- 1.0%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 19.7%
- on SNAP
- 785K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
1.0% of Suffolk County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 200 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 5
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
- 31.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.2%
- 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, Suffolk County fares better than most: just 1.0% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 5 of the county's 200 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 7,029 people who live far from a supermarket, and 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,514 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 Suffolk County compares nationally
Food access in Suffolk County compares favorably nationally: its 1.0% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 4% of them (rank #3,013).
Suffolk County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 200 census tracts in Suffolk County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Suffolk County vs. other Massachusetts counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Massachusetts
- Suffolk 1
Suffolk County, MA
1 % low-access
- Barnstable
Barnstable County, MA
51 % low-access
- Berkshire
Berkshire County, MA
30.9 % low-access
- Bristol
Bristol County, MA
26.4 % low-access
- Dukes
Dukes County, MA
32.2 % low-access
- Essex
Essex County, MA
30.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 200 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 722,023 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 5 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 7,029 |
| Low-Access Share | 1.0%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,514 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 785,121 |
| Median Household Income | $95,631 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.2%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 64,342 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.7%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 31.6%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 6.2% |
About 19.7% of Suffolk County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 1.0% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
- 19.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 64,342 households here.
- 31.6% 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 Suffolk County
below the national share
4 of Suffolk County's 200 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 2.0% of all its tracts.
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 5.
An estimated 7,029 residents, roughly 1.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,514 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 195 tracts (97.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Suffolk County
Suffolk County has 666 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 157 locations (24% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 157
- 10 - eleven n/a, dorchester
- 6-twelve enterprise inc., south boston
- 7 day store, revere
- 7 eleven (32460d) 32460d, boston
- 7 eleven (35659a) 35659a, boston
- 7 eleven 32442b, boston
- 7 eleven 33568b, boston
- 7 eleven 34393a, revere
- 7 eleven 37375a 37375a, east boston
- 7 to 11 convenience, dorchester
- 7-eleven 32454f, brighton
- 7-eleven 34396b, west roxbury
- 7-eleven 34418a 34418a, boston
- 7-eleven 37367a, allston
- 7-eleven 37423, boston
- 7-eleven 37502, dorchester
- 7-eleven 40076, revere
- 7-eleven 40292h, revere
- 7-eleven inc. 37511b, west roxbury
- 7-eleven store 32475 32475, jamaica plain
- 7-eleven 27471c 27471, revere
- 7-eleven 32429b, chelsea
- 7-eleven 32463f, boston
- 7-eleven 32466c, boston
- 7-eleven 32467c, brighton
- 7-eleven 32476c, boston
- 7-eleven 32480c, boston
- 7-eleven 32874c, dorchester
- 7-eleven 33058d, boston
- 7-eleven 33615c 33615c, boston
- 7-eleven 34389, winthrop
- 7-eleven 37362a, charlestown
- 7-eleven 37368b, brighton
- 7-eleven 37369a, boston
- 7-eleven 37371a, boston
- 7-eleven 37492b 37492b, south boston
- 7-eleven 37526a, allston
- al amin enterprise, dorchester
- al prime energy co/al prime energy - revere 103, revere
- alex market iv, dorchester
- ambaji corporation, revere
- americas grocery llc, dorchester center
- apollo's market, mattapan
- archana corporation, dorchester
- aries market na, east boston
- ashley market inc, dorchester
- ashmont convenience store, dorchester center
- ashmont food mart, dorchester center
- b & 4th street variety, boston
- bnc market, chelsea
- bailey's too, boston
- beacon convenience, brighton
- beef and turkey convenience, brighton
- bellas market, boston
- black bag mini mart inc, roxbury
- blue hill convience store, dorchester center
- blue hill market, mattapan
- bon sole market, roxbury
- boston bazaar, roxbury crossing
- boston smoke shop & convenience store, south boston
- boston south liquor & spirits 426, boston
- bread 'n butter international market, roxbury crossing
- broadway convenient mart, revere
- broadway mini mart, chelsea
- brooks variety, brighton
- brown's food market, dorchester
- budget mart n/a, roslindale
- cd la prima market, chelsea
- circle k 4707521, south boston
- city feed and supply, jamaica plain
- cambio latino, east boston
- camilo market, jamaica plain
- camilo market, dorchester
- cappys convenience store, dorchester
- casali market, dorchester center
- castillo family market inc., roslindale
- central convenience, dorchester
- central convenience, roxbury
- central convenience, roxbury
- century convenience, dorchester center
- chansky's super market, brighton
- chelsea food mart, chelsea
- city food mart, chelsea
- citywide convienience, dorchester center
- claudia market, dorchester
- college convenience, boston
- community convenience, dorchester center
- congress market, chelsea
- convenience corner, dorchester
- convenience market and deli, revere
- convenience plus, boston
- corner store of bha, dorchester center
- court market, dorchester center
- creation meat market, llc, revere
- cristian market, dorchester
- crown smoke shop & more, dorchester
- cruz market, dorchester
- cumberland farms 3524, brighton
- cumberland farms, inc 3435, winthrop
- d & d convenience store, dorchester
- d & t market, winthrop
- d market, dorchester center
- dacia market, dorchester
- delicias market 2 corporation n/a, east boston
- djs market, dorchester
- don quijote market, boston
- dorchester gas and convenience, dorchester
- dorchester mart, dorchester center
- dudley food mart, dorchester
- e market, boston
- east boston variety, boston
- east coast variety, east boston
- easties corner, east boston
- eduardos market, dorchester center
- el barrio convenience, roxbury
- el cruce market, roxbury
- el primo market inc, dorchester
- el regreso market, dorchester
- el tipico salvadoreno market corp 0, revere
- eladia mini market 1, east boston
- elaines place, revere
- elisabeth market, roxbury
- emporio andujar corporation, roslindale
- enana's market corporation, chelsea
- energy north 2107, winthrop
- energy north 2142, boston
- erfan's market, roxbury
- express stop market 1, dorchester center
- ez convenience, chelsea
- fairmont food mart, hyde park
- family food mart, chelsea
- family market, chelsea
- fastop inc, boston
- father & son, brighton
- fernandez liquor ii, mattapan
- fernandez liquors 6, dorchester center
- fernandez liquors iii, roxbury
- fields corner store, dorchester
- fine mart n/p, chelsea
- forest hills convenience, jamaica plain
- four provinces, dorchester center
- g & v symphony market, boston
- geneva grocery, dorchester
- giovanni's market, boston
- global montello group corp. #2777 2777, east boston
- gma corporation, dorchester
- green basket market, jamaica plain
- happy super mart, dorchester
- harbor point market, dorchester
- harold convenience, dorchester
- harvard convenience, allston
- harvard street community market, dorchester center
- highland convenience mart, winthrop
- hillside market, roxbury crossing
- hiron inc/dba la familia market, roxbury
- huntington market, brighton
- huntington market, boston
Combination Grocery/Other · 92
- 7 eleven 37355a, hyde park
- bazaar on cambridge street, allston
- cvs pharamcy 140, winthrop
- cvs pharmacy 1024, allston
- cvs pharmacy 1049, hyde park
- cvs pharmacy 117, west roxbury
- cvs pharmacy 1258, boston
- cvs pharmacy 1259, boston
- cvs pharmacy 1264, jamaica plain
- cvs pharmacy 1265, east boston
- cvs pharmacy 1876, boston
- cvs pharmacy 1889, brighton
- cvs pharmacy 1900, boston
- cvs pharmacy 2070, jamaica plain
- cvs pharmacy 2282, dorchester center
- cvs pharmacy 2283, dorchester
- cvs pharmacy 2592, dorchester
- cvs pharmacy 524, boston
- cvs pharmacy 55, brighton
- cvs pharmacy 9, revere
- cvs pharmacy 979, south boston
- cvs pharmacy 0049, boston
- cvs pharmacy 1009, charlestown
- cvs pharmacy 10174, boston
- cvs pharmacy 1031, roslindale
- cvs pharmacy 10517, boston
- cvs pharmacy 10868, brighton
- cvs pharmacy 11036, dorchester center
- cvs pharmacy 11082, boston
- cvs pharmacy 11200, boston
- cvs pharmacy 1199, chestnut hill
- cvs pharmacy 1206, boston
- cvs pharmacy 1217, boston
- cvs pharmacy 260, boston
- cvs pharmacy 3890, brighton
- cvs pharmacy 4666, boston
- cvs pharmacy 471, dorchester
- cvs pharmacy 5382, allston
- cvs pharmacy 5464, mattapan
- cvs pharmacy 5874, boston
- cvs pharmacy 619, boston
- cvs pharmacy 720, dorchester center
- cvs pharmacy 8972, boston
- cvs pharmacy cvs11201, boston
- cvs pharmacy inc 109, chelsea
- cvs pharmacy inc 496, chelsea
- carmella's market, east boston
- city feed and supply 2, jamaica plain
- cram seafood co inc, roxbury
- dollar tree 3573, revere
- dollartree 8071, dorchester
- dollartree 9513, hyde park
- dollar general 19116, chelsea
- dollar general 19117, dorchester
- dollar general 30635, hyde park
- dollar tree 3273, chelsea
- dollar tree 4119, revere
- dollar tree 4577, roslindale
- dollar tree 6103, west roxbury
- dollar tree 7507, charlestown
- dollar tree 7679, west roxbury
- dollar tree 7716, boston
- dollar tree 7814, dorchester center
- evan to go, dorchester
- evidence of trust, roslindale
- family dollar 11662, dorchester
- family dollar 2684, boston
- family dollar 6068, chelsea
- family dollar store 7248, dorchester center
- family dollar store 8063, roslindale
- genesis variety store, chelsea
- golden goose market, boston
- home market, roslindale
- la baguette prime bakery 426, mattapan
- ledeta gebeya, roxbury
- merkato mart and bakery, roxbury
- mickelito multi services center, mattapan
- pisces fish market n/a, roslindale
- ramzo international market 1, dorchester
- saul mache mixe store, mattapan
- walgreens 07189, roxbury crossing
- walgreens 02933, boston
- walgreens 03135, mattapan
- walgreens 05756, east boston
- walgreens 10317, hyde park
- walgreens 10824, revere
- walgreens 15390, boston
- walgreens 17169, south boston
- walgreens 19437, dorchester
- walgreens 3759, chelsea
- walgreens 4072, roxbury
- yammy e. african market, roxbury
Bakery Specialty · 1
- au beurre chaud bakery, hyde park
Showing 250 of 666 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Massachusetts
Compare Suffolk County vs Barnstable County → · All Massachusetts counties →
Food access nationally, Massachusetts in context
Suffolk County sits inside Massachusetts (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 Suffolk County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Suffolk County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Suffolk County? ▼
Is Suffolk County a food desert? ▼
What share of Suffolk 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.