The Food Deserts of Rural America

When a town doesn’t have a grocery store, it means people don’t have access to food. But grocery stores also play an essential social and economic role in rural places. Community stores are trying to fill in the void.

2 minute read

November 13, 2019, 1:00 PM PST

By Camille Fink


Rural Texas

Matthew Rutledge / Flickr

Jack Healy writes about the growing problem of food deserts in small towns across the country as grocery stores shut down and dollar stores proliferate. "The loss of grocery stores can feel like a cruel joke when you live surrounded by farmland. About 5 million people in rural areas have to travel 10 miles or more to buy groceries, according to the Department of Agriculture."

Some communities are responding by starting up what are referred to as "community stores," essentially co-ops that are stocked with staples but also sell locally produced products. A few states offer financial assistance, such as tax credits and loans, for small-town markets in food deserts. "But mostly, the people setting up crowd-funding sites to buy vegetable coolers and negotiating wholesale rates with huge grocery chains say they are stumbling around with little assistance and no map," says Healy.

In additional to the financial challenges, organizers say getting these operations off the ground is not easy. For one, they have to convince residents to stop shopping at Walmart and dollar stores, and they have to find wholesalers who will provide them the stock they need. But, they say, grocery stores are key to keeping these towns alive. "Their exodus has left rural towns worried about how they can hold on to families, businesses and their future if there is nowhere to buy even a banana," notes Healy.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Historic homes in St. Augustine, Florida.

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs

Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

March 18, 2025 - Newsweek

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

Close-up of rear car bumper in traffic on freeway.

Research Shows More Roads = More Driving

A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.

March 23, 2025 - Road Capacity as a Fundamental Determinant of Vehicle Travel

Cars parked and plugged in at an EV charging lot in Santa Monica, California surrounded by palm trees.

EV Chargers Now Outnumber Gas Pumps by Nearly 50% in California

Fast chargers still lag behind amidst rapid growth.

March 28 - Inside EVs

Construction workers on a suspended platform are installing thermal insulation on the facade of a modern apartment building, improving energy efficiency and reducing heat loss during cold weather.

Affordable Housing Renovations Halt Mid-Air Amidst DOGE Clawbacks

HUD may rescind over a billion dollars earmarked for green building upgrades.

March 28 - Bloomberg CityLab

Sign above entrance of United States Department of Transportation.

Has Anyone at USDOT Read Donald Shoup?

USDOT employees, who are required to go back to the office, will receive free parking at the agency’s D.C. offices — flying in the face of a growing research body that calls for pricing parking at its real value.

March 28 - Streetsblog USA