County food-access profile · Washington
Yakima County, WA
Yakima County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 14.9%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 22.6%
- on SNAP
- 257K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
14.9% of Yakima County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 45 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 13
- low-access tracts
- 13K
- food-desert residents
- 5.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 15.5%
- 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).
Yakima County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.9% per the USDA Atlas. 13 of the county's 45 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 36,306 residents who live far from a supermarket. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 13,314 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 Yakima County compares nationally
Yakima County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.9% low-access share that beats 32% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,130).
Yakima County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 45 census tracts in Yakima County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Yakima County vs. other Washington counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Washington
- Yakima 14.9
Yakima County, WA
14.9 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, WA
41.7 % low-access
- Asotin 13.8
Asotin County, WA
13.8 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, WA
22.8 % low-access
- Chelan
Chelan County, WA
18.1 % low-access
- Clallam
Clallam County, WA
38.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 45 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 243,231 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 13 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 36,306 |
| Low-Access Share | 14.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 13,314 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 257,152 |
| Median Household Income | $70,656 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.5%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 19,853 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 22.6%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.6% |
About 22.6% of Yakima County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 14.9% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 22.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 19,853 households here.
- 5.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 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 Yakima County
near the national share
6 of Yakima County's 45 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 13.3% of all its tracts.
A further 7 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 13.
An estimated 36,306 residents, roughly 14.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 13,314 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 32 tracts (71.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Yakima County
Yakima County has 239 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 126 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 126
- 16th ave 76 station, yakima
- 3rd street maria's market inc., yakima
- 5th ave market and smoke shop, yakima
- 5th ave one stop, yakima
- 7-eleven #27470c, yakima
- 7-eleven 25128k, toppenish
- 7-eleven 27556 g, yakima
- 7-eleven store 14435f, yakima
- 7-eleven #19305c, selah
- 8th street market & deli, yakima
- am/pm 82778, yakima
- ampm 82762 82762, union gap
- ahtanum food mart, union gap
- ahtanum general store, yakima
- airline market, union gap
- ali's one stop mini mart, yakima
- apple barrel, yakima
- apple bin shell, yakima
- arco ampm 04387, yakima
- arco ampm 5922, yakima
- arco apmpm arco ampm, yakima
- aryan food mart, sunnyside
- bj's get n go, union gap
- benchmark shell, yakima
- big wolf mini market, wapato
- bluestone group 1 inc, wapato
- brewers mini-mart ii, yakima
- cherry patch mini mart, zillah
- chevron mini mart, yakima
- chevron west 275, zillah
- chinook center, naches
- circle k 2706042, naches
- circle k stores 2709513, union gap
- circle k yakima, yakima
- cocos, yakima
- college mart, yakima
- cool mart corp, granger
- cottage mart, yakima
- cougar den, inc., white swan
- devin shell 375, zillah
- donald store, wapato
- downtown super foods n/a, yakima
- dulces mexico llc, sunnyside
- east valley maket, yakima
- el fumale, tieton
- extramile 4245, yakima
- flightline, yakima
- fruitvale conoco, yakima
- gas max dba / sangam ent. inc, grandview
- gasco minimart, yakima
- gateway 76, yakima
- gear jammer truck plazza, union gap
- gleed mart and teriyaki, yakima
- gold nugget market, zillah
- gotta stop mabton, mabton
- grandview chevron none, grandview
- grandview food mart, grandview
- granger travel plaza, granger
- gromore trading, yakima
- harolds general merchendise, harrah
- hokus pokus beer & deli llc, yakima
- hr food mart, yakima
- hy's mini mart, yakima
- jackpot yakima, yakima
- la mazorca, wapato
- liberty mart, yakima
- lincoln conoco, yakima
- lupitas mini mart, yakima
- many's market, yakima
- maverik 428, sunnyside
- maverik, inc 719, yakima
- mercado y carniceria de grandview, grandview
- minute mart & smoke shop, sunnyside
- moxee market, moxee
- naches pit stop, naches
- nobhill food store, yakima
- old town pump, yakima
- pikapop#11, sunnyside
- pit stop market, yakima
- rainier place, union gap
- road runner deli mart, yakima
- road warrior travel center, inc., wapato
- roadrunner gas, yakima
- robert's market, tieton
- rocky mart, yakima
- slims market, naches
- santos bakery, tieton
- satgur, inc, yakima
- selah chevron, selah
- selah conoco, selah
- senator quick stop, yakima
- sg kalkat, llc, yakima
- stagecoach rv park, selah
- sunnyside arco am/pm, sunnyside
- sunnyside chevron, sunnyside
- sunnyside conoco, sunnyside
- sunshine mart, yakima
- suntides market n/a, yakima
- super7 convenience store, moxee
- t w market, sunnyside
- tm market, sunnyside
- topp stop, toppenish
- tall men's supermarket, yakima
- tayon's market, grandview
- terrace heights foodmart 1, yakima
- the outpost, sunnyside
- tieton market, yakima
- tortilleria la milpa llc, grandview
- union gap food mart, union gap
- valley view market, sunnyside
- valley view market 2, toppenish
- west valley market smoke shop, yakima
- western gas quick pick, toppenish
- westside market, grandview
- wheeler kountry korner, wapato
- white swan llc, white swan
- wiley city market, yakima
- wolf den, wapato
- x-mart, buena
- xpress mart, wapato
- xpress mart & bullseye burger subs & more, yakima
- xpress mart llc, yakima
- yakamart, toppenish
- yakima avenue quick stop, yakima
- yakima chevron, yakima
- zillah market, zillah
Combination Grocery/Other · 31
- antojitos los michoacanos, yakima
- bi-mart 605, yakima
- bi-mart 626, yakima
- bi-mart 636, sunnyside
- cvs pharmacy 11675, union gap
- carniceria coalcoman, grandview
- dollartree 10303, sunnyside
- dollartree 9253, yakima
- dollartree 9565, yakima
- dollar general 22034, naches
- dollar general 22127, zillah
- dollar general 22246, granger
- dollar general 23353, mabton
- dollar general 23566, grandview
- dollar tree 2387, yakima
- dollar tree 2753, sunnyside
- dollar tree 4295, yakima
- dollar tree 4985, toppenish
- dollar tree 5342, yakima
- dollar tree 5723, grandview
- dollar tree 6222, selah
- dollar tree 7190, wapato
- dollar tree 7406, yakima
- el porvenir panificadora, toppenish
- panaderia delicias llc, yakima
- panderia aguililla bakery, union gap
- queseria bendita, yakima
- rosauers fd-drug ctr 139, yakima
- walgreens 12053, yakima
- walgreens 12275, yakima
- walgreens 9911, yakima
Supermarket · 20
- cowiche harvest foods, cowiche
- grocery outlet of sunnyside wa 383, sunnyside
- grocery outlet of yakima 137, yakima
- international market #846 846, wapato
- lep-re-kon harvest foods 6, zillah
- mercado guadalajara llc, toppenish
- mercado los amigos, yakima
- safeway 0502, yakima
- safeway 1235, yakima
- safeway 149, yakima
- safeway 1593, grandview
- safeway 1660, yakima
- safeway 462, yakima
- safeway 563, sunnyside
- safeway 584, toppenish
- tienda la tapatia, toppenish
- tienda de abarrotes los amigos llc, wapato
- west yakima grocery outlet 460, yakima
- winco foods 111, union gap
- wray's marketfresh iga 937, selah
Medium Grocery Store · 17
- abarrotes y mas llc, grandview
- carniceria guadalajara, llc, union gap
- carniceria michoacan llc, wapato
- el sol meat market llc, granger
- hnh llc, yakima
- horizon market, mabton
- la guadalupana, harrah
- la petunia 2, yakima
- la barata, mabton
- la canasta meat market, zillah
- la carniceria la cabana llc, sunnyside
- la morenita llc, sunnyside
- la ranchera v&o llc, grandview
- mercado latino, yakima
- panaderia la morenita, yakima
- ruben's tortilleria, yakima
- su mercado, granger
Super Store · 14
- costco wholesale 1013, union gap
- fred meyer 486, yakima
- fiesta foods, yakima
- fiesta foods of sunnyside, sunnyside
- grandview iga 9345, grandview
- grocery outlet of selah 395, selah
- target store t-0760, yakima
- urm cash & carry #7, union gap
- wray's chalet iga, yakima
- wray's meadowbrook iga, yakima
- wray's southgate iga, yakima
- walmart 2241, sunnyside
- walmart 2269, yakima
- walmart 5078, yakima
Bakery Specialty · 11
- dads dream bakery and cakes #1, grandview
- franz bakery outlet 9046, yakima
- panaderia delicias llc, yakima
- papa murphy's pizza wa-102, yakima
- papa murphy's wa113, selah
- papa murphy's wa148, sunnyside
- papa murphy's wa180, toppenish
- papa murphy's wa185, yakima
- papa murphy's wa189, yakima
- papa murphy's wa192, grandview
- viera's bakery and deli, yakima
Large Grocery Store · 7
- blue sky market n/a, toppenish
- carniceria dos estados co, yakima
- el sol meat market 6, sunnyside
- la mas barata, sunnyside
- mercado de yakima, yakima
- su mercadito 3, grandview
- union gap carniceria inc, union gap
Small Grocery Store · 7
- bangkok asian market, yakima
- carniceria los primos llc, granger
- fiesta mexicana market llc, wapato
- hillside market llc, sunnyside
- la nacional, yakima
- la mazorca 2, sunnyside
- siam asian market, yakima
Farmers' Market · 2
- downtown yakima farmers' market, yakima
- granger farmers marrket, granger
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 2
- fruit city 2, union gap
- precision fruit, yakima
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- c.j.'s custom meats, wapato
- rays retail meats, yakima
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Washington
Compare Yakima County vs Adams County → · All Washington counties →
Food access nationally, Washington in context
Yakima County sits inside Washington (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 Yakima County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Yakima County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Yakima County? ▼
Is Yakima County a food desert? ▼
What share of Yakima 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.