Are there any food deserts in the US?

December 28, 2025 •

3 min read

According to a 2025 USDA estimate, nearly 19 million people in the United States live in a food desert, a low-income area with limited access to affordable, nutritious food. This widespread issue affects both urban and rural communities, often with significant implications for public health, economic opportunity, and social equity across the nation.

Quick Summary

This article explores the reality of food deserts in the US, defining them by USDA standards, examining their root causes, and differentiating them from food swamps. It also covers the health impacts of limited food access and outlines community-led and policy-based solutions to address this critical issue.

Key Points

Yes, food deserts exist in the US: According to the USDA, millions of Americans reside in low-income areas with limited access to affordable, nutritious food.
Low-income and low-access are the defining metrics: The USDA classifies census tracts as food deserts based on income levels and the distance to the nearest supermarket.
Food deserts are a systemic problem: Contributing factors include historical practices like supermarket redlining, socioeconomic inequality, and transportation barriers, not just natural shortages.
The health impacts are severe: Residents often rely on convenience stores offering less nutritious options, which leads to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
Solutions include a mix of policy and community action: Initiatives range from federal assistance programs and financing for grocery stores to local efforts like mobile markets and urban gardens.
Food deserts differ from food swamps: While deserts lack healthy options, food swamps are defined by an overabundance of unhealthy, processed food, with both environments posing health risks.

Yes, food deserts are a persistent issue in the US

Despite being a country with vast food resources, the United States faces a significant and widespread problem with unequal food access. Millions of Americans reside in communities officially designated as food deserts by the USDA, meaning they are low-income areas with limited proximity to large grocery stores or supermarkets that offer a wide variety of fresh and affordable food options.

The USDA's definition of a food desert

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines a food desert based on two key criteria:

Low-income population: The census tract must meet specific low-income thresholds.
Low-access to supermarkets: A significant number or share of residents must live more than one mile from a supermarket in an urban area or more than 10 miles away in a rural area.

These criteria emphasize that food access is linked to both physical distance and socioeconomic conditions. Residents in these areas often rely on stores with less healthy options, such as convenience stores and fast-food restaurants.

Root causes and contributing factors

Food deserts stem from complex, systemic issues. Key factors include:

Supermarket redlining: Large grocery chains have historically avoided or left low-income, minority neighborhoods.
Transportation barriers: Many residents lack personal vehicles and face challenges with public transportation to distant grocery stores.
Concentrated poverty: Areas with high poverty rates may be less attractive to large grocery retailers.
Socioeconomic factors: Systemic inequality, particularly affecting minority communities, contributes to the concentration of food deserts.

Food desert vs. food swamp: A critical distinction

Food deserts and food swamps describe different food environments.


Feature	Food Desert	Food Swamp
Defining Characteristic	Limited access to healthy food retailers.	Abundance of unhealthy food options.
Availability	Scarcity of fresh produce.	Overabundance of processed foods.
Location	Often in low-income areas.	Can exist even with supermarket access.
Primary Health Risk	Malnutrition, dietary deficiencies.	Obesity, metabolic disease.

Some suggest the term 'food apartheid' better highlights the structural inequalities involved.

Addressing the problem: Solutions in action

Efforts to improve food access involve various approaches.

Government policies and programs

Federal Food Assistance Programs: SNAP and WIC provide support, though with eligibility limitations.
Healthy Food Financing Initiatives: These programs offer incentives for businesses to open healthy food retailers in underserved areas.
Improved Public Transportation: Optimizing routes to include access to food sources is crucial.

Innovative community-led initiatives

Mobile Markets: Bringing fresh produce directly to residents via refrigerated trucks.
Urban Farms and Community Gardens: Enabling residents to grow their own food.
Farmers' Market Programs: Making fresh, local produce more affordable by accepting SNAP benefits.
Support for Corner Stores: Encouraging local stores to stock healthier options.

Conclusion: A complex challenge with a path forward

In conclusion, food deserts are a real and significant issue in the US, driven by systemic factors rather than mere geographic chance. These areas face severe health consequences, including increased rates of chronic illnesses. However, a range of solutions, from policy interventions to community-based initiatives, are working towards improving food access and fostering a more equitable food system.

What are food deserts? An in-depth exploration: https://www.foodispower.org/access-health/food-deserts/

Frequently Asked Questions

The USDA defines a food desert as a low-income census tract where a significant number or share of residents have low access to a supermarket or large grocery store. This typically means being more than one mile away in urban areas or 10 miles in rural areas.

Estimates vary, but recent data indicates that nearly 19 million people in the U.S. live in a food desert, residing in low-income and low-access areas.

A food desert is an area with limited or no access to fresh, healthy food retailers. In contrast, a food swamp is a neighborhood saturated with fast-food restaurants and convenience stores offering primarily unhealthy, processed food options.

Residents of food deserts are often at a higher risk of developing chronic health conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes due to a lack of access to fresh produce and nutrient-rich foods.

Food deserts occur in both urban and rural areas. While a one-mile distance is the urban threshold, the rural standard is ten miles, reflecting different transportation realities.

Food deserts are often caused by systemic issues like supermarket redlining, where large chains avoid low-income areas, as well as economic factors, transportation barriers, and historical social inequities.

Solutions include a mix of government policies like healthy food financing initiatives and community-driven efforts such as mobile markets, urban gardens, and programs that make farmers' markets accessible to low-income residents.