County food-access profile · Nevada
Washoe County, NV
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Washoe 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).
- 30.1%
- low-access pop.
- 8
- food-desert tracts
- 10.5%
- on SNAP
- 497K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
30.1% of Washoe County residents live in a low-access area, and 8 of its 108 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 47
- low-access tracts
- 29K
- food-desert residents
- 6.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 10.7%
- 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 Washoe County's low-access share at 30.1%, above the national share. 47 of the county's 108 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 127,025 people. 8 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 28,636 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 Washoe County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Washoe County's 30.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 70% of them and ranked #932 most-affected nationwide.
Washoe County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 108 census tracts in Washoe County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Washoe County vs. other Nevada counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Nevada
- Washoe
Washoe County, NV
30.1 % low-access
- Carson City 14.3
Carson City, NV
14.3 % low-access
- Churchill 18.9
Churchill County, NV
18.9 % low-access
- Clark 19
Clark County, NV
19 % low-access
- Douglas
Douglas County, NV
50.1 % low-access
- Elko 16.1
Elko County, NV
16.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 108 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 421,407 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 47 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 8 |
| Low-Access Population | 127,025 |
| Low-Access Share | 30.1%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 28,636 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 497,200 |
| Median Household Income | $88,096 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.7%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 20,928 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.5%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.4%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.4% |
About 10.5% of Washoe County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 30.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 20,928 households here.
- 6.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 8 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 Washoe County
above the national share
8 of Washoe County's 108 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 7.4% of all its tracts.
A further 39 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 47.
An estimated 127,025 residents, roughly 30.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 28,636 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 61 tracts (56.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Washoe County
Washoe County has 325 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 179 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 179
- 7 - eleven 33090b, reno
- 7 eleven 14089b, reno
- 7 eleven 32207c, reno
- 7 eleven store 19220e, sparks
- 7 eleven store 33022b, reno
- 7-eleven 14081g, reno
- 7-eleven 16235c, sun valley
- 7-eleven 17606, reno
- 7-eleven 17789c, reno
- 7-eleven 21330g, sparks
- 7-eleven 23092b, reno
- 7-eleven 24461d, reno
- 7-eleven 32339d, sparks
- 7-eleven 32644b, reno
- 7-eleven 33023c, sparks
- 7-eleven store 14080e, reno
- 7-eleven store 14084e, reno
- 7-eleven store 14087a, reno
- 7-eleven store 23673 d, sparks
- 7-eleven store 25962c, reno
- 7-eleven store 26797e, reno
- 7-eleven store 41724a, reno
- 7-eleven 15426a 15426a, reno
- 7-eleven 22523e, reno
- 7-eleven store 14079g, sparks
- 7-eleven store 17377a, reno
- 7-eleven store 20272d, sparks
- 7-eleven store 20736d, reno
- 7-eleven store 22581d, reno
- 7-eleven store 24578c, reno
- 7-eleven store 26091b, reno
- 7-eleven store 32822b, sparks
- 7-eleven store 33021b, reno
- 7-eleven store 34129b, reno
- 7-eleven store 41553a, reno
- a & q liquor and food market, sparks
- abg market, reno
- ace mart, reno
- am pm mini mart 42754, sparks
- am pm mini mart 42967, reno
- am pm store, sparks
- ampm 82438, reno
- arco am/pm, reno
- ballpark market, reno
- bath bros inc. n/a, sparks
- bb food & discount liquor, reno
- bi rite market, sun valley
- birite market 2, reno
- citi mart, reno
- carniceria mi rancho 2 llc, reno
- carniceria samber, sparks
- cigarettes & merchandise, sparks
- citi mart, sparks
- city corner, reno
- corner minit mart, reno
- dad's quik mart llc, sparks
- dads, reno
- daily food mart, sparks
- daily market, reno
- deal food mart llc, reno
- delight foodmart, reno
- dj liquor, reno
- dollar plus mini mart, reno
- el mexicano, reno
- easy market, reno
- express gas & mart llc 1, reno
- extramile convenience stores 129, reno
- extramile convenience stores 145, sparks
- extramile convience stores 171, sparks
- fair deal liquor & grocery, sparks
- family mart 2, reno
- flowers bakery outlet 1055, reno
- go mart, reno
- gofer market, reno
- golden gate gas 30, reno
- golden gate gasoline 45, reno
- golden gate gasoline 50, reno
- golden gate petroleum 43, sun valley
- golden gate petroleum 44, reno
- golden gate petroleum 46, sparks
- grab & go, reno
- grab n go 2, reno
- high point general store, reno
- i-80 smoke shop & campground, wadsworth
- jg town liquor & smoke, sparks
- jacksons food store 0163, sparks
- jacksons food store 116, reno
- jacksons food stores 0080, reno
- jacksons food stores 018, reno
- jacksons food stores 032, reno
- jacksons food stores 130, reno
- jacksons food stores 131, reno
- jacksons food stores 132, reno
- jacksons food stores 134, reno
- jacksons food stores 135, reno
- jacksons food stores 136, sparks
- jacksons food stores 137, sparks
- jacksons food stores 21, reno
- jacksons food stores 23, reno
- jacksons food stores 33, reno
- jashan market, reno
- jashan market 2, sparks
- jasmeet's food mart, reno
- kalyans inc, sun valley
- kanha llc, reno
- keystone market, reno
- la barca grocery, reno
- lake side market, reno
- las americas mini mart, reno
- lockwood market, sparks
- lucky liquor 2, reno
- m food mart, reno
- maverik # 569, reno
- maverik 564, reno
- maverik 583, sparks
- maverik 590, reno
- maverik, inc 421, reno
- maverik, inc 427, reno
- maverik, inc 443, reno
- maverik, inc 475, sparks
- maverik, inc 477, reno
- maverik, inc 662, reno
- maverik, inc 704, reno
- mccarran mart 2, reno
- mexico lindo market, sparks
- moana market, reno
- mustang store llc, sparks
- nite & day market, reno
- nixon store, nixon
- northern food mart, reno
- osman goani's dba reno food & dis, reno
- pk liquor and smoke, sparks
- paradise food & liquor, reno
- petro stopping centers 338, sparks
- pilot 1359, mccarran
- ponderosa market, reno
- prater liquor and smoke shop, sparks
- prater way market, sparks
- pyramid food and liquor, sparks
- quick mart 1, sparks
- quickie mart inc 0, reno
- quik stop market 1169, reno
- quik stop market 2168, reno
- quik stop market 550160, sun valley
- quik stop market 550165, reno
- quik stop market 550170, sparks
- r town liquor 1, reno
- rainbow market #7 7, sun valley
- rainbow market 10, sparks
- rainbow market 4, reno
- rainbow market 6, reno
- rainbow markets 2, sparks
- red rock food mart, reno
- roy foster's sierra service inc, reno
- royal market, reno
- royal market 2, reno
- sampuran hotels inc, reno
- shop n go, reno
- sierra arco 42360, reno
- sierra mart & liquor, sparks
- silver smoke & liquor llc, reno
- silver spur liquor & gifts, reno
- silver swan market, reno
- smart stop, sparks
- sparks ampm mini mart, sparks
- speedway store, reno
- stay high liquor & smoke, reno
- stead food and liquor inc, reno
- third street market, reno
- travelcenters of america 172, sparks
- valley market, reno
- victorian liquor, sparks
- vista mart, reno
- washoe valley inc 4216, washoe valley
- wells mart, reno
- winners crossing one store, reno
- wrightway market, reno
- xxpress mart, sparks
- zippy mart, reno
Combination Grocery/Other · 44
- cvs pharmacy 157, reno
- cvs pharmacy 3948, sparks
- cvs pharmacy 4691, sparks
- cvs pharmacy 6625, reno
- cvs pharmacy 8792, sparks
- cvs pharmacy 8793, reno
- cvs pharmacy 9168, reno
- cvs pharmacy 9191, reno
- cvs pharmacy 9586, reno
- cvs pharmacy 9838, sun valley
- cvs pharmacy 9840, reno
- cvs pharmacy 9841, reno
- cvs pharmacy 9964, reno
- cvs pharmacy 9974, reno
- dollar general 13683, reno
- dollar general 14354, sun valley
- dollartree 10428, reno
- dollar general 14626, washoe valley
- dollar tree 1224, sparks
- dollar tree 1506, sparks
- dollar tree 1729, reno
- dollar tree 2523, reno
- dollar tree 2751, reno
- dollar tree 4068, sparks
- dollar tree 4074, reno
- dollar tree 5750, reno
- dollar tree 6617, reno
- dollar tree 6694, reno
- dollar tree 6733, sun valley
- family dollar 10054, reno
- international market, reno
- jalisco bakery, sun valley
- manila hong kong store, sparks
- panaderia azteca, reno
- super market & liquor, sparks
- walgreens 02474, sparks
- walgreens 02658, reno
- walgreens 02662, reno
- walgreens 04789, reno
- walgreens 05295, reno
- walgreens 09902, sparks
- walgreens 11226, reno
- walgreens 11227, sparks
- walgreens 12540, sparks
Medium Grocery Store · 9
- 168 asian market, reno
- a1 appliances & indian grocery, sparks
- aladdin's market & kitchen, reno
- asian mart, reno
- b&b mini mart, sparks
- bismillah food, sparks
- blue ribbon meat company, sparks
- carniceria los compadres, reno
- carniceria mendoza, sun valley
Bakery Specialty · 7
- papa murphy's take 'n' bake pizza nv005, sparks
- papa murphy's take n bake nv003, reno
- papa murphy's take n bake pizza nv009 nv009, reno
- papa murphys pizza nv002, reno
- papa murphys pizza nv030, sparks
- papa murphys take n bake pizza nv17, sparks
- papa murphys nv020, reno
Farmers' Market · 5
- bonsai blue garden market, reno
- riverside farmers market, reno
- sparks umc farmers' market, sparks
- tamarack junction casino farmers market, reno
- the village shops market, reno
Large Grocery Store · 3
- carniceria los amigos inc., reno
- carniceria tres amigos, inc, reno
- toro de oro market, sparks
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- butcher boy meat market, reno
- ponderosa meat company, reno
Food Buying Co-op · 1
- great basin community food co-op, reno
Showing 250 of 325 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Nevada
Compare Washoe County vs Carson City → · All Nevada counties →
Food access nationally, Nevada in context
Washoe County sits inside Nevada (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 Washoe County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Washoe County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Washoe County? ▼
Is Washoe County a food desert? ▼
What share of Washoe 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.