County food-access profile · Texas
Upton County, TX
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Upton 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).
- 33.4%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 7.6%
- on SNAP
- 3K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
33.4% of Upton County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 287
- food-desert residents
- 2.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.0%
- 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).
USDA data puts Upton County's low-access share at 33.4%, above the national share. 1 of the county's 2 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 1,121 people. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 Upton County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Upton County's 33.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 77% of them and ranked #715 most-affected nationwide.
Upton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 2 census tracts in Upton County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Upton County vs. other Texas counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Texas
- Upton
Upton County, TX
33.4 % low-access
- Anderson
Anderson County, TX
43.8 % low-access
- Andrews
Andrews County, TX
26.8 % low-access
- Angelina
Angelina County, TX
26 % low-access
- Aransas
Aransas County, TX
31.7 % low-access
- Archer
Archer County, TX
18.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 3,355 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,121 |
| Low-Access Share | 33.4%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 287 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 3,191 |
| Median Household Income | $49,167 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.0%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 104 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 7.6%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
About 7.6% of Upton County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 33.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 7.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 104 households here.
- 2.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $49,167 with a 16.0% poverty rate.
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 Upton County
above the national share
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 1.
An estimated 1,121 residents, roughly 33.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 287 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 1 tract (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Upton County
Upton County has 7 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 4 locations (57% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 4
- 7-eleven, inc. 42542, mccamey
- 7-eleven, inc. 42551, rankin
- allsups 288, mccamey
- allsups 102406, rankin
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 7205, mccamey
- family dollar 12522, mccamey
Large Grocery Store · 1
- lowes 154, mccamey
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Texas
Compare Upton County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →
Food access nationally, Texas in context
Upton County sits inside Texas (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 Upton County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Upton County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Upton County? ▼
Is Upton County a food desert? ▼
What share of Upton 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.