The Food Access Research Atlas presents a spatial overview of food access indicators for low-income and other census tracts using different measures of supermarket accessibility, provides food access data for populations within census tracts, and offers census-tract-level data on food access that can be downloaded for community planning or research purposes.This record was taken from the USDA Enterprise Data Inventory that feeds into the https://data.gov catalog. Data for this record includes the following resources: Interactive map GIS API Services Data file For complete information, please visit https://data.gov.

2015 USDA Food Desert areas for Florida defined by 2010 US Census tract. Based on LILATract_1And10 field census data. Developed by the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) as part of the Food Access Research Atlas.This service is intended for use with popups or at very large scales.This data layer is part of Florida’s Roadmap to Living Healthy web map produced by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness (DFNW).For technical assistance, contact the Florida's Roadmap to Healthy Living Administrator

Dataset is an overview of food access indicators for low-income and other census tracts using different measures of supermarket accessibility. This dataset provides food access data for populations within census tracts; and offers census-tract-level data on food access that can be used for community planning or research purposes.Data from USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) Food Access Research Atlas, 2019. Last updated 4/27/2021.See also USDA map service at https://gisportal.ers.usda.gov/server/rest/services/FARA/FARA_2019/MapServer.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT or Department) has identified processed, authoritative datasets to support the preliminary spatial analysis of equity considerations. This dataset from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), an authoritative source for Florida food desert data, is readily available for use in food accessibility analysis. This processed dataset is available at the United States Census Bureau tract-level; however, additional raw datasets from other sources can be used to identify equity considerations. Most of this raw data is available at the Census block group, parcel, or point-level—but additional processing is required to make suitable for spatial analysis. For more information, contact Dana Reiding with the FDOT Forecasting and Trends Office (FTO). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Deserts layer contains 2014 USDA Food Desert areas for Florida defined by 2010 Census tracts. This data layer is part of the Florida’s Roadmap to Living Healthy web map produced by the FDACS, Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness (DFNW). The layer is owned and managed by the Administrator of Florida's Roadmap to Healthy Living. Data Link: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=e325f8d682c245f8a34003ffb45b0438 Available Geography Levels: Tract Owner/Managed By: FDACS FDOT Point of Contact: Dana Reiding, ManagerForecasting and Trends OfficeFlorida Department of TransportationDana.Reiding@dot.state.fl.us605 Suwannee Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399850-414-4719

The Food Access Research Atlas (FARA), developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (USDA ERS), is a spatial dataset and mapping tool designed to analyze food access disparities. It provides census tract-level data on low-income and low-access areas, using metrics like proximity to supermarkets and vehicle availability. The dataset identifies regions where populations face barriers to affordable, healthy food, often termed "food deserts." FARA supports research, policy development, and community planning by offering customizable maps and downloadable data for U.S. census tracts. Key features include comparisons of food access between 2015 and 2019, alternative definitions of low-income thresholds, and geospatial APIs for integration into GIS systems. Unique aspects include contextual data on demographic factors (e.g., income, population density) and accessibility metrics, enabling nuanced analysis of food insecurity drivers. The tool also distinguishes between urban, suburban, and rural access challenges. Created to expand on earlier "Food Desert Locator" efforts, FARA aims to inform interventions addressing food system inequities. Its open-access data and user-friendly interface cater to researchers, policymakers, and local organizations seeking evidence-based solutions.

Presents a spatial overview of food access indicators for low-income and other census tracts using different measures of supermarket accessibility. Created by the USDA. Data as of 2011-2015 5 yr period averages. Metadata and current information available at: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas

After analyzing the map, there are some spatial concerns that need to be addressed. Most of the city has a trend of low median household income, and the least poor being in the central part of the city. The neighborhood of Jefferson in the eastern part of Denver is evidence of a food desert, as well as in the Lakeside suburb and Westwood (“Planting Seeds in Food Deserts: Neighborhood Gardens, Produce in Corner Stores” 2014) . One thing that really stood out to me was the lack of grocery stores in the eastern part of Denver, just bordering Aurora. This area is a food desert, and the average income of the area is below average. The wealthier neighborhoods are granted more sufficient access just near this part of Denver. We also see quality access to food towards the center of the city in the areas with lower income. The further we move outwards, the more and more the grocery stores start spreading out from a cluster form. From analyzing the map, it seems like living on the outskirts of Denver is where the lower income households will struggle with access to food

There are some very wealthy neighborhoods, specifically along Colorado Boulevard, where there are a lot of high quality grocery stores. This extensive street only has grocery stores located in the wealthy part of it. If we look north, towards the interstate, we see absolutely none located along Colorado Blvd. It is clear that the grocery stores were placed in the central part of Colorado Blvd, as opposed to the northern and southern parts where the average income is much lower. I believe this to be concrete evidence of a biased towards socioeconomic status.sources: “Planting Seeds in Food Deserts: Neighborhood Gardens, Produce in Corner Stores.” 2014. Accessed April 30. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14906833.

“USDA Economic Research Service - Food Access Research Atlas.” 2014. Accessed April 30. http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas#.U2A99le0RPW.

This map shows areas within the City of Scranton defined as Food Deserts. It also shows the location of retailers within the City of Scranton that accept the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP.Food DesertsThe 2009 USDA report measures the distance to the nearest healthy-food retailer, using the locations of supermarkets and large grocery stores as a proxy, by referencing 1-square-kilometer grids for geographical analysis. These grids come from the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) and are based on information from the 2000 Census of Population (SEDAC, 2006). These population data (including socioeconomic and demographic data), which are released at the block group level, are first allocated to blocks and then allocated aerially down to roughly 1-square-kilometer grids across the Continental United States. For each grid cell, the distance from its geographic center to the nearest supermarket or large grocery store is used to measure access for people who live in that grid. Grids that are farther than a specified distance from the nearest supermarket or large grocery store are considered areas of low access, and low-access areas with a large percentage of low-income population are noted in particular. Use of the grid-level data provides two important benefits for the analysis: first, the data provide greater accuracy in estimating where people and households are located than data on larger geographic areas, such as census tracts; thus, they provide better precision in measuring distance to stores. Second, the process of allocating census data to 1-square-kilometer grid cells transforms the irregular shapes and sizes of census geographies or other geographies, such as ZIP Codes, into regular grid cells. While the 1-square-kilometer grid-based measures increase the precision in measuring where people are and how far they are from sources of healthy food and provide consistency in defining geographic areas across the country, the SEDAC grids are not widely used geographic units. Currently, no standardized nomenclature exists to identify a specific grid (as counties, ZIP Codes, or census tracts can be identified), and they cannot easily be linked to other geocoded data. For this reason, the area-based definition of a food desert uses the census tract as the geographic unit of analysis because it is more commonly used and has a standardized numbering system. Census tracts are subdivisions of a county, containing between 1,000 and 8,000 people and ideally encompassing a population of about 4,000. In order to establish a consistent definition for national comparison, we define food deserts as low-income tracts in which a substantial number or proportion of the population has low access to supermarkets or large grocery stores. Low-income tracts are characterized by either a poverty rate equal to or greater than 20 percent, or a median family income that is 80 percent or less of the metropolitan area’s median family income (for tracts in metropolitan areas) or the statewide median family income (for tracts in nonmetropolitan areas). This definition of low-income tracts is used to designate tracts that are eligible for the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program. Low access is characterized by at least 500 people and/or 33 percent of the tract population residing more than 1 mile from a supermarket or large grocery in urban areas, and more than 10 miles in rural areas.SNAPSNAP authorized stores must meet one of two staple food requirements:Criterion A - staple food inventory; orCriterion B - staple food salesStaple foods are the basic foods that make up a significant portion of a person’s diet. They are usually prepared at home and eaten as a meal. They do not include prepared foods, heated foods, or accessory foods.Staple food categories:vegetables or fruitsdairy productsmeat, poultry, or fishbreads or cerealsCriterion AA store must have 3 stocking units of 3 different varieties for each staple food category on a continuous basis. For 2 staple food categories, there must be at least 1 perishable variety. Most stores are authorized under Criterion A.Criterion BA store must have more than 50 percent of its total gross retail sales from the sale of staple foods. Specialty stores, like butcher shops, are often authorized under Criterion B.Other Eligibility ConsiderationsFNS also takes other factors into account when determining the eligibility of your store. These are included but not limited to:Need for Access: Stores that do not meet Criterion A or Criterion B are still considered for authorization if they are in an area where SNAP clients have significantly limited access to food.Restaurants: Generally, SNAP does not allow participants to redeem benefits at restaurants. Your firm is considered a restaurant if more than 50% of your total gross retail sales come from sales of hot or cold prepared foods intended for immediate consumption. Only restaurants located in a State that operates the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) State Option can participate in SNAP.Co-Location: When multiple firms operating at the same location meet certain elements, FNS will consider them a single firm when determining eligibility for SNAP authorization.