Are Food Deserts Growing?

Yes, food deserts are growing across the United States, driven by supermarket closures, economic shifts, and transportation gaps. According to the USDA, the number of low-income areas with limited access to fresh food increased by roughly 12 percent between 2010 and 2019, and the pandemic accelerated those trends. Understanding where and why these areas expand is the first step to reversing the pattern.

What Exactly Defines a Food Desert?

The USDA defines a food desert as a low-income census tract where at least 500 people or one-third of the population lives more than one mile (in urban areas) or ten miles (in rural areas) from a supermarket or grocery store. The definition also requires a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher. These zones are often served only by convenience stores, gas stations, or fast‑food outlets, which stock few fresh fruits, vegetables, or lean proteins.

Food deserts are not the same as food swamps—areas where unhealthy options outnumber healthy ones. But both terms describe environments where making nutritious choices is difficult. Government agencies, researchers, and community groups rely on the USDA’s Food Access Research Atlas to track changes over time.

Are Food Deserts Actually Growing in the United States?

Data from the USDA Economic Research Service shows that the number of low‑income, low‑access tracts rose from about 6,500 in 2010 to more than 7,300 in 2019. That increase represents millions more Americans who must travel farther for fresh food. The COVID‑19 pandemic deepened the problem: many urban supermarkets closed permanently, and rural stores struggled to stay open.

Key factors behind the growth include:

• Supermarket chain consolidation—when a large chain closes a store, a replacement rarely opens in the same low‑income neighborhood.
• Rising rent and property costs push grocery stores to wealthier areas.
• Transportation funding cuts that reduce bus routes to existing stores.
• Inflation and supply chain issues that shrink profit margins for small‑format grocers.

Recent census data also shows that rural food deserts are expanding as mom‑and‑pop stores close. The USDA reported that in 2022, nearly 2 million rural households had no vehicle and lived more than 10 miles from a supermarket.

Which Communities Are Most Affected?

Food deserts disproportionately affect Black and Latino neighborhoods, rural counties, and communities with high poverty rates. Research from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that predominantly Black neighborhoods have half as many supermarkets as predominantly white ones, even after controlling for income.

• Urban areas: Low‑income neighborhoods and public housing projects often lack a full‑service grocery store within a walkable distance.
• Rural areas: Small towns with declining populations lose their only grocery store, leaving residents with long drives or expensive gas.
• Seniors and disabled individuals: Limited mobility makes it near impossible to reach faraway stores.
• Families without cars: Households that rely on public transit face extra time and cost burdens.

One common mistake is assuming all food deserts look the same. Urban deserts might have corner stores, while rural deserts have none. The local context matters a lot for choosing solutions.

What Causes Food Deserts to Expand?

Several economic and social forces push food deserts to grow:

1. Supermarket closures and consolidation. Large chains like Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons often shutter underperforming stores in low‑income areas. A single closure can turn a food‑secure area into a desert overnight.
2. Gentrification and rising rents. As neighborhoods become more desirable, landlords raise rents, pushing out grocery stores that serve long‑term residents. New upscale markets rarely lower prices enough for low‑income shoppers.
3. Transportation barriers. When bus routes are cut or fares increase, the effective distance to a supermarket grows. Even a store five miles away can be out of reach without reliable transit.
4. Economic decline and population loss. Rural towns that lose jobs and residents cannot support a grocery store, so the last one closes.
5. Policy neglect. Zoning laws may discourage grocery store construction in low‑income areas, and public investment in food access often lags behind other priorities.

These causes interact. A store closing in a poor neighborhood leads to more abandoned storefronts, which further discourages new investment.

How Do Food Deserts Affect Public Health?

Living in a food desert is linked to higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Without easy access to fresh produce, whole grains, and lean meat, residents rely on processed and shelf‑stable items that are high in sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats.

Stress also plays a role. When you need to take two buses just to buy a head of lettuce, you are less likely to maintain a balanced diet. Children in food deserts have higher rates of dental cavities and iron deficiency because of excessive sugary drinks and snacks.

What Are the Best Strategies to Reduce Food Deserts?

A single solution is rarely enough. The most effective approaches combine local action, private investment, and government support.

• Community gardens and urban farms transform vacant lots into sources of fresh produce. They also build social ties.
• Mobile markets and produce stands bring fresh food directly to underserved neighborhoods on a regular schedule.
• Grocery store incentive programs like the Healthy Food Financing Initiative offer grants and loans to open stores in low‑income areas.
• Public transit improvements extend bus routes or provide free shuttles to supermarkets on certain days.
• Meal delivery and subscription services connect residents with fresh ingredients without leaving home.

For individuals, joining a community‑supported agriculture (CSA) share or ordering from online grocers that accept SNAP can help bridge the gap. Small steps add up.

Can Urban Farming and Home Gardening Help?

Growing your own food is one of the most direct ways to get fresh produce in a food desert. Even a small balcony or backyard can yield tomatoes, peppers, greens, and herbs. Raised beds make gardening accessible for people with poor soil or mobility issues. Starting seeds indoors extends the growing season.

Recommended tools for home gardeners in food‑limited areas:

• raised garden bed kit – easy assembly, fits small spaces
• seed starting kit – lights and trays for early crops
• compost bin – turns kitchen scraps into nutrient‑rich soil

Urban farming initiatives also create job opportunities and can supply local farmers markets. In cities like Detroit and Philadelphia, networks of community gardens now sell surplus produce to neighbors at affordable prices.

What Role Do Food Banks and Delivery Services Play?

Emergency food providers are a critical backstop. Feeding America, the largest hunger‑relief organization, distributes billions of pounds of food each year, much of it fresh produce. Many food banks now operate mobile pantries that visit food deserts weekly.

Online grocery delivery has expanded rapidly, and services like Amazon Fresh now accept SNAP benefits in many states. For seniors or people with disabilities, ordering groceries online removes the transportation barrier entirely. Using food storage containers helps keep bulk purchases fresh when you can only shop once or twice a month.

Meal‑kit companies also offer affordable options. While they are not cheap enough for every budget, they provide pre‑portioned fresh ingredients that reduce food waste and make cooking easier for people who lack kitchen flexibility.

Are Food Deserts Growing Despite Government Programs?

Current programs like SNAP (food stamps) and WIC (for women, infants, and children) increase purchasing power but do not solve the access problem. If there is no store nearby to buy apples or milk, a SNAP card offers little help. In many food deserts, the only stores that accept SNAP are convenience stores with limited healthy choices.

Government investment has improved some areas. The Healthy Food Financing Initiative has helped open over 1,000 new grocery stores in underserved communities. Yet funding remains uneven, and many applications go unfunded. The Food as Medicine movement, which includes produce prescription programs, is gaining traction but still small in scale.

To truly stop food deserts from growing, policy must address the root causes: zoning that favors big‑box stores over small grocers, lack of public transit, and economic disinvestment. Community‑led planning often yields better results than top‑down solutions.

How Can You Tell if Your Area Is a Food Desert?

You can check the USDA’s Food Access Research Atlas online. Enter an address or zip code, and the map will show low‑income and low‑access tracts. Look for:

• Low‑income designation – poverty rate of 20% or more.
• Low‑access designation – at least 500 people or 33% of the population more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from a supermarket.

Common signs of a food desert without using the map:

• No full‑service grocery store within a 20‑minute walk or a 15‑minute drive.
• Multiple fast‑food restaurants and convenience stores but no produce stand.
• Few or no fresh vegetables in corner stores, and prices are often double the regional average.

If your area qualifies, consider reaching out to local officials or community organizations. Even one small produce stand or a community garden can make a difference.

What Simple Actions Can Individuals Take?

You do not have to wait for large‑scale changes. Here are steps anyone can take:

• Support farmers markets that accept SNAP and offer matching programs for low‑income shoppers.
• Join or start a community garden – many cities offer free land and tools.
• Request a grocery store – write to chains and your local council. A few voices can spark a feasibility study.
• Carpool or organize a shopping trip with neighbors to split gas and time.
• Use grocery delivery if you have internet access; check which services accept SNAP in your state.

Seasonal eating helps too. When you buy what grows locally, costs drop and freshness improves. Learn to store and preserve summer produce for winter months.

A common mistake is thinking you need a big investment to start gardening. A few pots on a windowsill can supply fresh herbs year‑round. Every bit of home‑grown food reduces reliance on distant supermarkets.

Are Food Deserts Growing? The Reality and the Path Forward

The data confirms that food deserts are growing, especially in communities already burdened by poverty and poor health. But the trend is not inevitable. When residents, businesses, and policymakers combine efforts—investing in urban farms, mobile markets, better transit, and targeted grocery incentives—access improves. As food deserts continue to grow, communities, policymakers, and individuals must work together to create sustainable access to healthy food. Small actions matter. Checking your own area’s status, supporting local food initiatives, and growing even a few vegetables can be part of a larger shift toward food justice for everyone.

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