County food-access profile · Texas
Zapata County, TX
Zapata 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.
- 16.8%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 31.3%
- on SNAP
- 14K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
16.8% of Zapata County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 3 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
- 8.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 38.4%
- 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).
Zapata County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 16.8% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 3 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 2,353 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,181 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 Zapata County compares nationally
Zapata County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.8% low-access share that beats 37% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,967).
Zapata County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 3 census tracts in Zapata County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Zapata County vs. other Texas counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Texas
- Zapata 16.8
Zapata County, TX
16.8 % low-access
- Anderson
Anderson County, TX
43.8 % low-access
- Andrews
Andrews County, TX
26.8 % low-access
- Angelina
Angelina County, TX
26 % low-access
- Aransas
Aransas County, TX
31.7 % low-access
- Archer
Archer County, TX
18.3 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 14,018 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,353 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.8%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,181 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 13,841 |
| Median Household Income | $39,239 |
| Poverty Rate | 38.4%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,430 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 31.3%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.8%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.8% |
About 31.3% of Zapata County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 16.8% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 31.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,430 households here.
- 8.8% 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 Zapata County
near the national share
2 of Zapata County's 3 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 66.7% of all its tracts.
An estimated 2,353 residents, roughly 16.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,181 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 1 tract (33.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Zapata County
Zapata County has 28 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 14 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 14
- 3g's grocery & drive inn, zapata
- 7 days express, zapata
- 7 days express 2, zapata
- 83 drive thru, zapata
- antojitos snacks, zapata
- costenos drive thru, zapata
- el tigre food store 01, zapata
- el pinche drive, zapata
- gutierrez gas & grocery, llc., san ygnacio
- hawks quik pic, zapata
- los pasteles bakery & coffee shop 1, zapata
- stripes 40901h, zapata
- valero corner store 2741540, zapata
- zapata drive in, zapata
Combination Grocery/Other · 8
- cvs pharmacy 10817, zapata
- dollar general 6021, zapata
- dt plus 9030, zapata
- dollar general 11955, zapata
- dollar general 15661, zapata
- dollar general 22823, zapata
- family dollar 12438, zapata
- family dollar 3427, zapata
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- d & e foodcraft center inc, zapata
- juniors dr in & mt mkt, zapata
Supermarket · 2
- lowes 155, zapata
- riverview family center 2, zapata
Bakery Specialty · 1
- its romi 1, zapata
Large Grocery Store · 1
- border town foods 9, zapata
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Texas
Compare Zapata County vs Anderson County → · All Texas counties →
Food access nationally, Texas in context
Zapata County sits inside Texas (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 Zapata County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Zapata County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Zapata County? ▼
Is Zapata County a food desert? ▼
What share of Zapata 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.