Signature · 4 LILA tracts (36.4% of tracts)

Walton County, FL

Walton County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (36.4% of the book) alongside 34.6% low-access.

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

USDA FARA access plate

County Walton County, FL

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-ELEVATED 34.6% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +12.5 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 9.4% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 3.5% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 36% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Clay County (+ 0.1 pts)

Upper-band low-access

Walton County sits in the upper national band (34.6%, #620 of 3,079) with 4 LILA tracts.

#620
national by low-access %
#24
in FL
6
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents

Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.

Signature read: 4 LILA tracts (36.4% of tracts) .

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's elevated USDA tier split

11 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.

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

By USDA urbanicity classification, Walton County has 3 urban and 8 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.

Walton County vs nearby high low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Florida, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · elevated low-access

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

ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band

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%

Thick SNAP store book 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 stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Florida

One of 66 counties in Florida, 6 are shown here.

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

Counties near Walton County's elevated low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Walton County, both outside Florida so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside FL (34.6% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside FL (9.4% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Walton County inside a higher low-access state context

Walton County sits inside Florida (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Read with this county

Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .

PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Walton County, FL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 12131. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.

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.