PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Texas

Van Zandt County, TX

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Van Zandt 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).

31.3%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
11.0%
on SNAP
63K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 TX

The food-access picture

31.3% of Van Zandt County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 10 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
3.2%
households, no vehicle
11.1%
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 Van Zandt County's low-access share at 31.3%, above the national share. 6 of the county's 10 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 16,476 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,611 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 Van Zandt County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Van Zandt County's 31.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 72% of them and ranked #864 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Van Zandt County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 10 census tracts in Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt County, TX USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 10 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (40.0%) 4 tracts limited (40.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (20.0%) Adequate 40% Limited 40% Severe 20% Food-access tier distribution: Van Zandt County, TX
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Van Zandt County vs. other Texas counties

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

% 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 Van Zandt County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts10
Atlas Population (2010 basis)52,579
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population16,476
Low-Access Share31.3%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,611

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Van Zandt County
IndicatorValue
Population62,649
Median Household Income$69,475
Poverty Rate11.1%below the national average
SNAP Households2,503
SNAP Participation Rate11.0%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.2%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.0%
SNAP participation in Van Zandt County 11.0%

About 11.0% of Van Zandt County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 31.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,503 households here.
  • 3.2% 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 Van Zandt County

above the national share

2 of Van Zandt County's 10 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 20.0% of all its tracts.

A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.

An estimated 16,476 residents, roughly 31.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 5,611 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 4 tracts (40.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Van Zandt County

Van Zandt County has 50 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 25 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 25

  • 24 market, wills point
  • bob's town & country, canton
  • canton travel center, canton
  • circle k 2706340, canton
  • cross country food & fuel, ben wheeler
  • e z mart 4467, grand saline
  • edgewood mart, edgewood
  • fruitvale food mart, fruitvale
  • gs food mart, grand saline
  • j's food mart, edgewood
  • love's travel stop 651, van
  • love's travel stops & country stores, inc 287, van
  • lucky mart, canton
  • murphy usa 7756, canton
  • nat 24 #4 #4, canton
  • new way shop, van
  • newmans grocery, edgewood
  • passport #12, grand saline
  • road ranger llc 323, canton
  • sbpj enterprises inc 1, wills point
  • shray stores llc, wills point
  • stop fast marina, mabank
  • super food mart # 3, wills point
  • tigerstop inc, wills point
  • wills 7-eleven 24, canton

Combination Grocery/Other · 17

  • cvs/ pharmacy inc 7466, canton
  • dollar general 1823, canton
  • dollar general 3782, wills point
  • dollar general 3827, grand saline
  • dollar general 6448, edgewood
  • dollar general 7084, van
  • dollar general 21548, wills point
  • dollar general 22704, fruitvale
  • dollar general 9931, ben wheeler
  • dollar tree 6051, canton
  • family dollar 12610, van
  • family dollar 12800, edgewood
  • family dollar 13427, mabank
  • family dollar 13608, ben wheeler
  • family dollar 3374, van
  • family dollar 4715, wills point
  • family dollar store 3270, grand saline

Supermarket · 5

  • brookshire 33, grand saline
  • brookshire food store 2, van
  • brookshire food store 19, wills point
  • brookshire food store 32, canton
  • spring market 714, edgewood

Super Store · 2

  • brookshire brothers 98, edgewood
  • walmart 827, canton

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • luna's meat market llc, wills point

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Texas

Anderson County
43.8% low-access · 18.0% SNAP
Andrews County
26.8% low-access · 13.0% SNAP
Angelina County
26.0% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Aransas County
31.7% low-access · 8.6% SNAP
Archer County
18.3% low-access · 6.5% SNAP
Armstrong County
99.7% low-access · 3.4% SNAP

Compare Van Zandt County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →

Food access nationally, Texas in context

Van Zandt County sits inside Texas (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 Van Zandt County has low food access? ▼
31.3% of residents in Van Zandt County, TX 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 Van Zandt County? ▼
11.0% of households in Van Zandt County receive SNAP, covering 2,503 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Van Zandt County? ▼
The poverty rate in Van Zandt County, TX is 11.1%, with a median household income of $69,475 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Van Zandt County a food desert? ▼
2 of Van Zandt County's 10 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 Van Zandt County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.2% of households in Van Zandt 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.