Signature · 31.6% households with no vehicle
Suffolk County, MA
Suffolk County lands in the lower national band on low-access (1.0%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 1.0%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 19.7%
- on SNAP
- 785K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Suffolk County, MA
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-ADEQUATE 1.0% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -21.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 19.7% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 31.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 2% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Nantucket County (+ 12.6 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Suffolk County lands in the lower national band (1.0%, #3,012 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #3,012
- national by low-access %
- #14
- in MA
- 5
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 31.6% households with no vehicle .
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 #3,012).
Suffolk County's lower-band USDA tier split
200 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
Suffolk County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (199 urban, 1 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 1 rural tract is held to 10 miles.
Suffolk County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Massachusetts, not a full county-board reprint
- Barnstable
Barnstable 51%
51 % low-access
- Middlesex
Middlesex 24.6%
24.6 % low-access
- Hampden
Hampden 23.8%
23.8 % low-access
- Franklin 19.1
Franklin 19.1%
19.1 % low-access
- Nantucket 13.6
Nantucket 13.6%
13.6 % low-access
- Suffolk 1
Suffolk 1%
1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| 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 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| 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% |
Thick SNAP store book in Suffolk County
Suffolk County has 666 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 13 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 331 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
21 towns share the 666 authorized stores; Boston holds 18% of them. 1 of the 21 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Chestnut Hill.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | 118 | 33 |
| Dorchester | 104 | 22 |
| Chelsea | 49 | 6 |
| Dorchester Center | 48 | 7 |
| Revere | 48 | 14 |
| East Boston | 43 | 2 |
| Roxbury | 41 | 6 |
| Mattapan | 29 | 5 |
| Roslindale | 28 | 7 |
| Jamaica Plain | 27 | 4 |
Top 10 of 21 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 331 (250 shown)
- 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
- hyde park market, hyde park
- hydepark convenience, hyde park
- j & j discount mini mart, boston
- j&g market, jamaica plain
- jp convenience, jamaica plain
- jp convenience store inc, jamaica plain
- jv market, chelsea
- jalpa corporation, south boston
- jamie's variety, boston
- jims variety, boston
- jk market 1, east boston
- joe's kwik mart 507, allston
- joe's kwik marts 515, revere
- joe's market, revere
- johnny's market, hyde park
- johnnys market iii, chelsea
- jones hill convenience, dorchester
- jus buy it records, dorchester
- lee's supermarket, brighton
- la bamba market, dorchester center
- la bendicion supermarket, boston
- la esperanza market, east boston
- la peraviana market inc., roxbury
- lambert's marketplace, boston
- latino express inc, chelsea
- lee's 2 market, allston
- lee's store, dorchester
- lily's market, mattapan
- liriano grocery, boston
- lluvias dollar store plus, roxbury
- lucky convenience mart, winthrop
- luna llena market llc 1, chelsea
- lynchs market, dorchester
- m & r store, roxbury
- mama supermarket, mattapan
- marcella market, roxbury
- maria store, dorchester
- maria's market, dorchester
- marino's market, west roxbury
- marinos market, west roxbury
- market del sol, chelsea
- mass food mart, dorchester center
- masud food shop, mattapan
- mattapan gas station inc., mattapan
- mattapan square mobil, mattapan
- maverick street market, east boston
- mekelle inc dba 7-eleven inc 32465d, roslindale
- million market, east boston
- mini central, dorchester
- moonlight market, chelsea
- morton convenience, dorchester center
- mr gas & mini market 30726, roxbury crossing
- n&m market, roxbury
- neighborhood convenience store, hyde park
- neighborhood convenience store, south boston
- nunez market, roxbury
- nas convenience store, dorchester
- neighborhood market, allston
- new store on the block, dorchester
- newtown foodmart, charlestown
- night star delli, allston
- nouria 198 western avenue 1172, allston
- nouria 345 bennet hwy 1295, revere
- nouria 719 gallivan boulevard 1177, dorchester
- nouria logan 1011, east boston
- nubian mini market llc, roxbury
- okla corporation dba/ 7 eleven #32457d 32457d, boston
- one stop market, chelsea
- olympia market, revere
- one stop convenience, boston
- one stop convenience, revere
- orient heights food market, east boston
- orion market 1, chelsea
- pimental market, jamaica plain
- palmer food and fuel llc, chelsea
- papis market, jamaica plain
- park n go, dorchester center
- park st mini mart, chelsea
- paw flava convenience, dorchester
- pit stop, hyde park
- pleasent view market, dorchester
- portillo brothers market, boston
- portillo's market, chelsea
- prattville mart, chelsea
- primo super market, mattapan
- quality mart inc, boston
- quick food mart, winthrop
- quick pick convenience, roxbury crossing
- quincy market, dorchester
- r & r food market, roslindale
- readville mobil, hyde park
- richdale food shops 110, boston
- richdale food shops 120 120, east boston
Showing 250 of 666 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Massachusetts
One of 13 counties in Massachusetts, 6 are shown here.
Compare Suffolk County vs Barnstable County → · All Massachusetts counties →
Counties near Suffolk County's lower low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Suffolk County, both outside Massachusetts so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MA (1.0% here).
- Richmond County, NY · 1.0% low-access
- Calhoun County, SC · 1.0% low-access
- Union County, SD · 1.0% low-access
- Giles County, VA · 1.0% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MA (19.7% here).
- Whitley County, KY · 19.7% SNAP
- Green County, KY · 19.7% SNAP
- Colquitt County, GA · 19.7% SNAP
- Muskogee County, OK · 19.7% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Massachusetts among New England states
Massachusetts ranks 1st of 5 New England states by population-weighted low-access (27.8%). Suffolk County, at 1.0%, runs 26.8 pts below the Massachusetts rate.
- Massachusetts 27.8%
- New Hampshire 27.5%
- Rhode Island 23.6%
- Maine 13.4%
- Vermont 11.2%
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 Suffolk County, MA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 25025. 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.