PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Florida

Walton County, FL

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

34.6%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
9.4%
on SNAP
83K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 FL

The food-access picture

34.6% of Walton County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
3.5%
households, no vehicle
12.5%
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 Walton County's low-access share at 34.6%, above the national share. 6 of the county's 11 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 19,024 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,545 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 Walton County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Walton County's 34.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 80% of them and ranked #621 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Walton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in Walton 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 Walton County, FL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (45.5%) 2 tracts limited (18.2%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (36.4%) Adequate 45% Limited 18% Severe 36% Food-access tier distribution: Walton County, FL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Walton County vs. other Florida counties

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

% 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 Walton County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)55,043
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population19,024
Low-Access Share34.6%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,545

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Walton County
IndicatorValue
Population82,948
Median Household Income$81,986
Poverty Rate12.5%below the national average
SNAP Households3,236
SNAP Participation Rate9.4%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.5%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.0%
SNAP participation in Walton County 9.4%

About 9.4% of Walton County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 34.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 9.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,236 households here.
  • 3.5% 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 Walton County

above the national share

4 of Walton County's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 36.4% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.

An estimated 19,024 residents, roughly 34.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 5,545 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (45.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Walton County

Walton County has 64 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 31

  • ayaanc inc, defuniak springs
  • big boss stores, defuniak springs
  • big boss stores, defuniak springs
  • big boss stores, defuniak springs
  • big boss stores 3055, defuniak springs
  • cefco 416, santa rosa beach
  • cefco 417, defuniak springs
  • cefco 418, freeport
  • cefco 446, defuniak springs
  • circle k 2707241, freeport
  • circle k stores inc 8355, miramar beach
  • circle k stores inc 8821, miramar beach
  • cumberland farms 900160, santa rosa beach
  • express lane 702, freeport
  • express lane 765, santa rosa beach
  • love's travel stop 561, defuniak springs
  • mossyhead general, defuniak springs
  • murphy express 8702, santa rosa beach
  • murphy usa 5781, defuniak springs
  • petro food mart 192, defuniak springs
  • store 433, freeport
  • store 435, santa rosa beach
  • sunstop 731, defuniak springs
  • tom thumb 900014, defuniak springs
  • tom thumb 900086, santa rosa beach
  • tom thumb 900109, defuniak spgs
  • tom thumb 900110, defuniak springs
  • tom thumb 900123, santa rosa beach
  • tom thumb food stores 900047, destin
  • tom thumb food stores 900080, santa rosa beach
  • tom thumb food stores 900092, destin

Combination Grocery/Other · 19

  • cvs pharmacy 3684, miramar beach
  • cvs pharmacy 7113, miramar beach
  • dollar general 3476, defuniak spring
  • dollar general 4052, freeport
  • dollar general 7539, defuniak springs
  • dollar general 8551, destin
  • dollar general 11388, defuniak springs
  • dollar general 13315, west santa rosa beach
  • dollar general 19398, defuniak springs
  • dollar general 19812, laurel hill
  • dollar general 21566, defuniak springs
  • dollar general 24322, defuniak springs
  • dollar general 24364, freeport
  • dollar general 25018, defuniak springs
  • dollar general 30103, defuniak springs
  • dollar general store 16573, miramar beach
  • dollar tree 4625, defuniak springs
  • family dollar 13373, freeport
  • walgreens 9914, defuniak springs

Supermarket · 8

  • publix 0153, santa rosa beach
  • publix 0885, sandestin
  • publix 1258, santa rosa beach
  • piggly wiggly express 621, defuniak springs
  • publix 1351, freeport
  • publix super market 1760, inlet beach
  • winn dixie 577, defuniak springs
  • winn-dixie 510, miramar beach

Super Store · 4

  • dollar general 20888, freeport
  • walmart 1134, defuniak springs
  • walmart 8861, santa rosa beach
  • walmart supercenter 5872, santa rosa beach

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • la guerrerense taqueria and supermarket 1, defuniak springs

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • family tradition seafood, defuniak springs

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Florida

Alachua County
19.2% low-access · 9.2% SNAP
Baker County
55.6% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Bay County
31.5% low-access · 12.6% SNAP
Bradford County
1.1% low-access · 17.3% SNAP
Brevard County
41.8% low-access · 9.4% SNAP
Broward County
9.4% low-access · 13.2% SNAP

Compare Walton County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →

Food access nationally, Florida in context

Walton County sits inside Florida (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 Walton County has low food access? ▼
34.6% of residents in Walton County, FL 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 Walton County? ▼
9.4% of households in Walton County receive SNAP, covering 3,236 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Walton County? ▼
The poverty rate in Walton County, FL is 12.5%, with a median household income of $81,986 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Walton County a food desert? ▼
4 of Walton County's 11 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 Walton County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.5% of households in Walton 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.