County food-access profile · Alabama
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)
The food-access picture
21.5% of Tuscaloosa County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 47 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 17
- low-access tracts
- 13K
- food-desert residents
- 5.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.8%
- 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).
USDA data puts Tuscaloosa County's low-access share at 21.5%, above the national share. 17 of the county's 47 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 41,788 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 13,105 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 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
All 47 census tracts in Tuscaloosa County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Tuscaloosa County vs. other Alabama counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Alabama
- Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa County, AL
21.5 % low-access
- Autauga
Autauga County, AL
33.9 % low-access
- Baldwin
Baldwin County, AL
25.1 % low-access
- Barbour
Barbour County, AL
20.5 % low-access
- Bibb 1.6
Bibb County, AL
1.6 % low-access
- Blount 6.8
Blount County, AL
6.8 % 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 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| 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% |
About 10.9% of Tuscaloosa County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 21.5% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 9,798 households here.
- 5.8% 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 Tuscaloosa County
above the national share
4 of Tuscaloosa County's 47 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 8.5% of all its tracts.
A further 13 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 17.
An estimated 41,788 residents, roughly 21.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 13,105 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 30 tracts (63.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers 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 retailers.
Other Counties in Alabama
Compare Tuscaloosa County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →
Food access nationally, Alabama in context
Tuscaloosa County sits inside Alabama (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
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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.