Signature · 10.9% SNAP (14th pct in AL)
Tuscaloosa County, AL
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Tuscaloosa County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 21.5%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 10.9%
- on SNAP
- 238K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Tuscaloosa County, AL
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-ELEVATED 21.5% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.6 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 10.9% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 9% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Marshall County (+ 0.8 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Tuscaloosa County ranks #1,566 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #31 of 66 counties in AL (21.5% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,566
- national by low-access %
- #31
- in AL
- 17
- low-access tracts
- 13K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 10.9% SNAP (14th pct in AL) (-1.2 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Tuscaloosa County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Tuscaloosa County's 21.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 50% of them and ranked #1,567 most-affected nationwide.
Tuscaloosa County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
47 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Tuscaloosa County has 33 urban and 14 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Tuscaloosa County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Alabama, not a full county-board reprint
- Bullock
Bullock 68.5%
68.5 % low-access
- Coosa 22.6
Coosa 22.6%
22.6 % low-access
- Morgan 22.6
Morgan 22.6%
22.6 % low-access
- Marshall 22.3
Marshall 22.3%
22.3 % low-access
- Tuscaloosa 21.5
Tuscaloosa 21.5%
21.5 % low-access
- Barbour 20.5
Barbour 20.5%
20.5 % low-access
- DeKalb 0
DeKalb 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 47 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 194,656 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 17 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 41,788 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.5%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 13,105 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 237,552 |
| Median Household Income | $66,231 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.8%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,798 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.9%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.8%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 6.2% |
Thick SNAP store book in Tuscaloosa County
Tuscaloosa County has 184 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 78 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 78
- 15th street chevron, tuscaloosa
- a-1 food mart, tuscaloosa
- alberta quick mart, tuscaloosa
- betty hill grocery, adger
- brookwood mini mart, brookwood
- caffee chevron/20 20, mccalla
- circle k 2723727, brookwood
- circle k 2723728, tuscaloosa
- circle k 2723729, northport
- circle k 2723730, northport
- circle k 2723731, cottondale
- circle k 2723732, northport
- circle k 2723733, tuscaloosa
- circle k 2723823, tuscaloosa
- circle k 2723824, tuscaloosa
- circle k 2723825, tuscaloosa
- dj's, lake view
- diamond jubilee food mart llc, tuscaloosa
- ez smoke shop llc, tuscaloosa
- fast stop market, tuscaloosa
- flowers bakery outlet 126, tuscaloosa
- fosters food & deli, fosters
- golden jubilee food mart llc, tuscaloosa
- hadi store llc, tuscaloosa
- hill top mart llc, tuscaloosa
- johns, cottondale
- karan and kiran foodmart llc, tuscaloosa
- kent kwik 921, duncanville
- kent kwik 922, tuscaloosa
- kent kwik 927, northport
- lakeland food mart, northport
- love' travel stops & country stores, inc 227, mccalla
- mapco express, inc. 7505, tuscaloosa
- mapco express, inc. 7533, tuscaloosa
- mcfarland food mart, tuscaloosa
- mike's food mart, tuscaloosa
- moundville food mart, moundville
- murphy express 8858, tuscaloosa
- murphy usa 5593, northport
- northport food mart, northport
- northport shell, northport
- out run, tuscaloosa
- petro bucksville 319, mccalla
- pilot travel center 4555, cottondale
- pilot travel center 76, tuscaloosa
- quick serve texaco 1, tuscaloosa
- quick stop 10th ave, tuscaloosa
- quiktrip 7170, cottondale
- raj foodmart llc, tuscaloosa
- redfan inc, northport
- rice mine chevron, tuscaloosa
- s&m mart inc, tuscaloosa
- sas food mart llc, tuscaloosa
- save more #2 2, tuscaloosa
- save more 1, tuscaloosa
- selma food mart llc, selma
- shop and save, tuscaloosa
- shop n go, echola
- shop n save, tuscaloosa
- skyland chevron, tuscaloosa
- smoky house llc, tuscaloosa
- speedway 1439, mccalla
- sprint mart 4143, vance
- stacy food mart, tuscaloosa
- star food mart, tuscaloosa
- stop go food mart, tuscaloosa
- sunshine c-store 2, tuscaloosa
- super c, tuscaloosa
- super stop, tuscaloosa
- ta tuscaloosa 016, cottondale
- the market, cottondale
- tienda latina el puerto, tuscaloosa
- tuscaloosa food mart, tuscaloosa
- university bp, cottondale
- watermelon shell, northport
- west end store, tuscaloosa
- winston mini mart, tuscaloosa
- z mart, tuscaloosa
Combination Grocery/Other · 64
- ameers mediterranean market and kitchen 1, tuscaloosa
- asian market, tuscaloosa
- bobbie's bakery, incorporated, tuscaloosa
- cvs pharmacy 3004, tuscaloosa
- cvs pharmacy 4372, northport
- cvs pharmacy 4819, tuscaloosa
- cvs pharmacy 7217, tuscaloosa
- cvs pharmacy 10811, tuscaloosa
- cvs pharmacy 4813, tuscaloosa
- cvs pharmacy 4835, northport
- cvs pharmacy 4872, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 10930, northport
- dollar general 1558, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 4157, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 4237, brookwood
- dollar general 7671, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 7806, northport
- dollar general 8600, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 8921, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 8939, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 9730, tuscaloosa
- dollartree 10865, tuscaloosa
- dollartree 8125, tuscaloosa
- dollartree 9193, tuscaloosa
- dollartree 9997, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 10113, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 10746, coaling
- dollar general 11229, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 11292, coker
- dollar general 11520, northport
- dollar general 12641, duncanville
- dollar general 12664, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 12895, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 17441, northport
- dollar general 21460, mccalla
- dollar general 21689, northport
- dollar general 23107, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 23134, echola
- dollar general 23220, vance
- dollar general 23593, tuscaloosa
- dollar general 25015, berry
- dollar general 30214, cottondale
- dollar general 30574, fosters
- dollar general 6314, northport
- dollar general 7987, mc calla
- dollar general 9118, northport
- dollar general store 16166, fosters
- dollar general store 16312, mccalla
- dollar tree 2428, northport
- dollar tree 9735, tuscaloosa
- family dollar 11726, tuscaloosa
- family dollar 12825, brookwood
- family dollar 12925, coaling
- family dollar 13714, tuscaloosa
- family dollar 13818, duncanville
- family dollar store 10460, tuscaloosa
- family dollar store 3812, tuscaloosa
- family dollar store 639, tuscaloosa
- la ixtapita llc 1, tuscaloosa
- tienda mi preferida 1, northport
- walgreens 10525, tuscaloosa
- walgreens 11404, tuscaloosa
- walgreens 5861, northport
- walgreens 7028, tuscaloosa
Supermarket · 19
- aldi 70028 70028, tuscaloosa
- aldi 82077, northport
- aldi 82247, northport
- aldi 82251, tuscaloosa
- aldi 82228, northport
- foodland 125, fosters
- fresh value 90, tuscaloosa
- fresh value tuscaloosa 91, tuscaloosa
- meat depot northport 88, northport
- piggly wiggly 251, tuscaloosa
- publix 0075, tuscaloosa
- publix 1075, northport
- publix 1083, tuscaloosa
- piggly wiggly 255, tuscaloosa
- publix 1253, tuscaloosa
- publix alabama, llc 1691, northport
- south's finest meats & vegetables 4, tuscaloosa
- the fresh market 207, tuscaloosa
- winn dixie 0407, tuscaloosa
Super Store · 10
- b&w foods inc - piggly wiggly 257, tuscaloosa
- piggly wiggly, tuscaloosa
- piggly wiggly # 252, northport
- sam's club 6435, tuscaloosa
- target store t-1787, tuscaloosa
- walmart 2500, tuscaloosa
- walmart neighborhood market 5248, northport
- walmart neighborhood market 5256, tuscaloosa
- walmart s/c 2306, northport
- walmart s/c 715, tuscaloosa
Small Grocery Store · 7
- corazon latino, tuscaloosa
- la morenita tienda y carniceria latina, tuscaloosa
- manna grocery, tuscaloosa
- super quetzal, tuscaloosa
- tienda el rio grande llc, tuscaloosa
- tienda guatelinda, northport
- tienda guatemala 502, tuscaloosa
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- guatemex llc 1, northport
- tienda 2 carenales llc 1, northport
- tienda los tres hermanos, tuscaloosa
Farmers' Market · 2
- first generation farmer, duncanville
- tuscaloosa river market, tuscaloosa
Large Grocery Store · 1
- south's finest meats & vegetables 2, cottondale
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Alabama
One of 66 counties in Alabama, 6 are shown here.
Compare Tuscaloosa County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Nationwide peers for Tuscaloosa County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Tuscaloosa County (10.9%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Alabama.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside AL (21.5% here).
- Yuba County, CA · 21.5% low-access
- Yuba County, CA · 21.5% low-access
- Madison County, ID · 21.5% low-access
- Madison County, ID · 21.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside AL (10.9% here).
- Santa Barbara County, CA · 10.9% SNAP
- Santa Barbara County, CA · 10.9% SNAP
- Teller County, CO · 10.9% SNAP
- Teller County, CO · 10.9% 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.
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Tuscaloosa County sits inside Alabama (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
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 Tuscaloosa County, AL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 01125. 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.