County food-access profile · Utah
Utah County, UT
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Utah 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).
- 34.0%
- low-access pop.
- 9
- food-desert tracts
- 4.0%
- on SNAP
- 705K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
34.0% of Utah County residents live in a low-access area, and 9 of its 127 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 65
- low-access tracts
- 42K
- food-desert residents
- 2.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 8.7%
- 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 Utah County's low-access share at 34.0%, above the national share. 65 of the county's 127 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 175,506 people. 9 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 42,415 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 Utah County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Utah County's 34.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 79% of them and ranked #670 most-affected nationwide.
Utah County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 127 census tracts in Utah County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Utah County vs. other Utah counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Utah
- Utah 34
Utah County, UT
34 % low-access
- Beaver 14.4
Beaver County, UT
14.4 % low-access
- Box Elder 16.8
Box Elder County, UT
16.8 % low-access
- Cache 33.3
Cache County, UT
33.3 % low-access
- Carbon 26
Carbon County, UT
26 % low-access
- Daggett
Daggett County, UT
100 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 127 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 516,564 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 65 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 9 |
| Low-Access Population | 175,506 |
| Low-Access Share | 34.0%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 42,415 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 705,400 |
| Median Household Income | $100,671 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.7%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 8,173 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 4.0%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.7%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
About 4.0% of Utah County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 34.0% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 4.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 8,173 households here.
- 2.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 9 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 Utah County
above the national share
9 of Utah County's 127 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 7.1% of all its tracts.
A further 56 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 65.
An estimated 175,506 residents, roughly 34.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 42,415 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 62 tracts (48.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Utah County
Utah County has 222 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 102 locations (46% of the total), followed by super store.
Convenience Store · 102
- 7- eleven store 36339a, payson
- 7-eleven store #36430b 36430b, provo
- 7-eleven store #41191b 41191b, provo
- 7-eleven store 26749b, provo
- 7-eleven store 36330a, lindon
- 7-eleven store 36340a, pleasant grove
- 7-eleven store 36765a, american fork
- 7-eleven store #36111b 36111b, lehi
- 7-eleven store #36334b 36334b, lindon
- 7-eleven store #36752b 36752b, orem
- 7-eleven store #36754b 36754b, lehi
- 7-eleven store #38761b 38761b, springville
- 7-eleven store #41643a 41643a, eagle mountain
- 7-eleven store #47162a 47162a, american fork
- 7-eleven store 24299c, provo
- 7-eleven store 36328a, provo
- 7-eleven store 36331 b 36331 b, american fork
- 7-eleven store 36336c, lehi
- 7-eleven store 36341a, springville
- 7-eleven store 36451 a, orem
- 7-eleven store 38508a, orem
- 7-eleven store 38629a 38629a, spanish fork
- asian market provo, provo
- bajarangi fast & go inc, provo
- chevron - mk fuel stop 2, payson
- el torito carniceria, springville
- extramile convenience stores 0159, orem
- extramile convience stores 0141, orem
- extramile convience stores 0158, lehi
- extramile convience stores 192, orem
- extramile convience stores 193, orem
- extramile by jacksons 188, salem
- friends, pleasant grove
- friends # 2 2, springville
- ginis corner market 1, payson
- hart's 40 east state 80144, american fork
- hart's 70 80170, highland
- hart's 80 cedar hills 80180, pleasant grove
- harts 10 lehi 80110, lehi
- harts 20 pioneer crossing 80120, american fork
- holiday oil 41, lehi
- holiday oil 59 59, eagle mountain
- holiday oil 63, spanish fork
- holiday oil 64, eagle mountain
- holiday oil 66, lehi
- holiday oil 67, lindon
- holiday oil 68, orem
- holiday oil 69, saratoga springs
- holiday oil 81, saratoga springs
- holiday oil 84, orem
- holiday oil company 12, eagle mountain
- holiday oil company 14, orem
- holiday oil company 15, orem
- holiday oil company 22, mapleton
- holiday oil company 43, lehi
- holiday oil company 47, american fork
- holiday oil company 54, pleasant grove
- holiday oil company 55, lehi
- holiday oil company 58, santaquin
- jacksons food stores 199, payson
- last chance store 2, provo
- last chance store 5, payson
- last chance store 7, provo
- love's travel shop 518, springville
- lucky's, orem
- maverick 518, sandy
- maverik 516, american fork
- maverik 517, vineyard
- maverik 554, orem
- maverik 580, lehi
- maverik 589, saratoga springs
- maverik 601, lehi
- maverik, inc 258, springville
- maverik, inc 279, springville
- maverik, inc 314, orem
- maverik, inc 316, orem
- maverik, inc 321, provo
- maverik, inc 358, lehi
- maverik, inc 377, santaquin
- maverik, inc 380, eagle mountain
- maverik, inc 399, orem
- maverik, inc 403, salem
- maverik, inc 459, pleasant grove
- maverik, inc 462, provo
- maverik, inc 511, provo
- maverik, inc 624, mapleton
- maverik, inc 670, spanish fork
- maverik, inc 683, lehi
- maverik, inc 692, eagle mountain
- maverik, inc 695, american fork
- maverik, inc 736, orem
- maverik, inc 757, orem
- maverik, inc 785, payson
- murphy express 8780, pleasant grove
- murphy express 8800, saratoga springs
- oil spout, spanish fork
- pilot travel center 747, springville
- quick mart texaco inc, pleasant grove
- ryder's quick stop, goshen
- springville one stop inc, springville
- the dugout, spanish fork
- tridev best inc, provo
Super Store · 40
- costco wholesale 0484, orem
- costco wholesale 0733, lehi
- costco wholesale 1118, spanish fork
- costco wholesale 1383, saratoga springs
- day's family market llc dba day's market, provo
- el mexicano market, orem
- macey's eagle mountain 1175, eagle mountain
- maceys 1368, santaquin
- meiers meats & fine foods, highland
- payson market, payson
- rancho markets 4, provo
- reams springville market, springville
- ridley's family markets 1165, eagle mountain
- ridleys family markets 1167, highland
- sam's club 6685, provo
- smith's 271, springville
- smiths food & drug center 073, pleasant grove
- smiths food & drug center 075, payson
- smiths food & drug center 136, provo
- smiths food & drug center 144, orem
- smiths food & drug center 207, saratoga springs
- smiths marketplace 119, lehi
- stokes fresh food market 1673, salem
- target store t2898, spanish fork
- target store t2904, provo
- target store t3316, provo
- target stores t- 1754, orem
- target stores t- 1814, american fork
- walmart 1725, eagle mountain
- walmart 1768, orem
- walmart 2511, american fork
- walmart 3208, springville
- walmart 3988, spanish fork
- walmart neighborhood market 4100, provo
- walmart neighborhood market 4700, pleasant grove
- walmart sc 4438, saratoga springs
- walmart sc 4689, cedar hills
- walmart sc 5167, payson
- walmart sc 5270, lindon
- walmart supercenter 4068, spanish fork
Combination Grocery/Other · 31
- cvs 10577, american fork
- cvs 10618, highland
- cvs pharmacy 10230, provo
- dollartree 6115, cedar hills
- dollartree 8131, payson
- dollartree 8977, salem
- dollar general 19310, provo
- dollar tree 2605, orem
- dollar tree 2626, provo
- dollar tree 2641, provo
- dollar tree 2834, spanish fork
- dollar tree 3023, american fork
- dollar tree 3522, payson
- dollar tree 4022, saratoga springs
- dollar tree 5036, lindon
- dollar tree 5603, orem
- dollar tree 6680, lehi
- dollar tree 8457, american fork
- dollar tree 8693, eagle mountain
- family dollar 6287, orem
- family dollar 7099, santaquin
- family dollar store 11017, provo
- spring brook dairy, llc, springville
- walgreens 01776, pleasant grove
- walgreens 09192, orem
- walgreens 09974, springville
- walgreens 10104, saratoga springs
- walgreens 11150, orem
- walgreens 11734, provo
- walgreens 13011, payson
- walgreens 9681, lehi
Supermarket · 17
- fresh market provo 12312, provo
- good earth markets, american fork
- good earth markets - orem, orem
- good earth natural foods, spanish fork
- harmons orchards 088, orem
- harmons traverse mountain 18, lehi
- macey's inc 11071, american fork
- macey's lehi 1-1304, lehi
- maceys 1-0976, orem
- maceys 1-0982, provo
- maceys 1-0998, spanish fork
- maceys 1-1034, pleasant grove
- pioneer market, lehi
- redmond heritage farm store 1, orem
- sunflower farmers market 602, orem
- trader joe's 352, orem
- winco foods 76, orem
Bakery Specialty · 10
- franz family bakery outlet 9061, provo
- papa murphy pleasant grove ut030, pleasant grove
- papa murphy's of saratoga springs ut056, saratoga springs
- papa murphy's pizza ut020, lehi
- papa murphy's pizza ut019, orem
- papa murphy's pizza ut067, orem
- papa murphy's ut036, provo
- papa murphys pizza 045, payson
- papa murphys pizza ut003, spanish fork
- papa murphys pizza ut054, springville
Farmers' Market · 10
- draper farmers market, draper
- eagle mountain farmers market, llc, eagle mountain
- lindon's sunset farmers market, lindon
- provo farmers market, provo
- salem farmers market, salem
- saratoga springs farmers market, saratoga springs
- snuck farm, pleasant grove
- spanish fork farmer's market, spanish fork
- sunset farmers markets, springville
- sunset farmers markets, orem
Medium Grocery Store · 7
- carniceria el centro inc, american fork
- el centro de orem, orem
- el centro de payson, inc. n/a, payson
- el mercadito mini market, payson
- jalisco market llc, american fork
- mercado 5 de mayo, provo
- southend market, provo
Small Grocery Store · 2
- 1st oriental market, orem
- el pueblo market llc, payson
Delivery Route · 1
- wandering wheat bakery, provo
Large Grocery Store · 1
- asian market orem llc, orem
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- springville meat/cold storage, springville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Utah
Compare Utah County vs Beaver County → · All Utah counties →
Food access nationally, Utah in context
Utah County sits inside Utah (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 Utah County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Utah County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Utah County? ▼
Is Utah County a food desert? ▼
What share of Utah 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.