PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Florida

Suwannee County, FL

Suwannee County'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.

12.0%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
15.9%
on SNAP
45K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 FL

The food-access picture

12.0% of Suwannee County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
5.9%
households, no vehicle
15.0%
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).

Suwannee County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 12.0% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 7 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 4,984 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,233 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 Suwannee County compares nationally

Suwannee County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 12.0% low-access share that beats 25% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,344).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Suwannee County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 7 census tracts in Suwannee County, 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 Suwannee County, FL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (57.1%) 1 tracts limited (14.3%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (28.6%) Adequate 57% Limited 14% Severe 29% Food-access tier distribution: Suwannee County, FL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Suwannee County vs. other Florida counties

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

% 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 Suwannee County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)41,551
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population4,984
Low-Access Share12.0%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,233

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Suwannee County
IndicatorValue
Population45,342
Median Household Income$56,658
Poverty Rate15.0%near the national average
SNAP Households2,569
SNAP Participation Rate15.9%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.9%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.5%
SNAP participation in Suwannee County 15.9%

About 15.9% of Suwannee County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 12.0% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 15.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,569 households here.
  • 5.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Suwannee County

near the national share

2 of Suwannee County's 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 28.6% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 4,984 residents, roughly 12.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,233 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 4 tracts (57.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Suwannee County

Suwannee County has 57 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 30 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 30

  • big n little of liveoaks, live oak
  • busy bee 47, branford
  • county line general store 1, lake city
  • ez corner food store 2, live oak
  • fm food store, live oak
  • j k food mart, live oak
  • jiffy food store 304, live oak
  • jiffy food store 305, live oak
  • jiffy food store 310, live oak
  • jiffy food store 311, live oak
  • johnson & johnson 35, wellborn
  • johnson & johnson 7, lake city
  • luraville country store, live oak
  • milton's country store, inc., lake city
  • mahi mahi discount stop, live oak
  • murphy usa 7774, live oak
  • snp food mart, live oak
  • sandy's minimarket, restaurant and bakery, live oak
  • stop n shop, live oak
  • sunstop 319, o brien
  • sunstop 322, live oak
  • sunstop 325, mcalpin
  • sunstop 335, white springs
  • sunstop 339, branford
  • sunstop 345, live oak
  • sunstop 346, live oak
  • sunstop 347, branford
  • sunstop 353, live oak
  • taylor citgo store, live oak
  • time savers food mart, branford

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • cvs pharmacy 5171, live oak
  • dollar general 1273, live oak
  • dollar general 7928, live oak
  • dollar general 12634, wellborn
  • dollar general 16349, live oak
  • dollar general 16533, live oak
  • dollar general 19593, live oak
  • dollar general 22089, branford
  • dollar general 22936, o brien
  • dollar general 24999, live oak
  • dollar general store 16350, mcalpin
  • dollar tree 939, live oak
  • family dollar 8501, branford
  • walgreens 9724, live oak

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • la rotonda supermarket, live oak
  • pepes grocery, live oak
  • the village grocer, live oak

Super Store · 3

  • dollar general market 13377, branford
  • save a lot, live oak
  • walmart 2626, live oak

Supermarket · 3

  • publix super markets, inc. 1709, live oak
  • scaff's supermarket 0043, branford
  • winn dixie 198, live oak

Farmers' Market · 1

  • live oak fl farmers market, live oak

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • j&y farmland, live oak

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • mobley custom cut, mcalpin

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • r&k seafood, branford

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Florida

Alachua County
19.2% low-access · 9.2% SNAP
Baker County
55.6% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Bay County
31.5% low-access · 12.6% SNAP
Bradford County
1.1% low-access · 17.3% SNAP
Brevard County
41.8% low-access · 9.4% SNAP
Broward County
9.4% low-access · 13.2% SNAP

Compare Suwannee County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →

Food access nationally, Florida in context

Suwannee County sits inside Florida (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 Suwannee County has low food access? ▼
12.0% of residents in Suwannee County, FL 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 Suwannee County? ▼
15.9% of households in Suwannee County receive SNAP, covering 2,569 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Suwannee County? ▼
The poverty rate in Suwannee County, FL is 15.0%, with a median household income of $56,658 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Suwannee County a food desert? ▼
2 of Suwannee County's 7 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 Suwannee County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.9% of households in Suwannee County 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.