Map 1: Areas in King County at risk for food insecurity

Map 2: Areas in Seattle at risk for food insecurity with areas that lack transit access to grocery stores

Figures:  
• Map 1: Areas in King County at risk for food insecurity  – 
• Map 2: Areas in Seattle at risk for food insecurity with areas that lack transit access to grocery stores

Data Discussion

The Indicator Defined

Geographic proximity to grocery stores affects access to healthy and nutritious food. Neighborhoods lacking grocery stores and/or transit options have lower access to fresh food and higher food insecurity.

Data Interpretation/Evaluation

To see where food insecure households are located, Seattle King County Acting Food Policy Council developed and mapped food insecurity index values, factors which have all been shown to influence food insecurity including: income, ethnicity, employment, and education. The results demonstrate that households with risk factors associated with food insecurity are located close to downtown Seattle and along major transportation routes, primarily highways and inland, while neighborhoods with fewer risk factors are more often located along the waterfronts (Map 1).

Using data on grocery store locations and mass transit route and schedule information in Seattle, Seattle King County Acting Food Policy Council calculated travel times from homes to supermarkets to estimate of the accessibility of supermarkets for households that rely on transit for shopping trips. The results show that certain areas in Seattle lack adequate transit services to support grocery store access by households at high risk for food insecurity (Map 2).

Households with lower risk are located in wealthier residential neighborhoods with poor transit accessibility, while poorer communities are often located in areas with more commercial development, which are closer to transit. Neighborhoods where food access may be a significant problem are primarily in the southern areas of Seattle.

While some areas at risk of food insecurity are served by grocery stores, several other areas are not. In areas that are not well served by grocery stores, food insecure households likely face economic and social barriers as well as geographic barriers. Lack of grocery stores may make these households dependent on local convenience stores, or require long trips to distant grocery stores, or both. Residents in areas without grocery stores are more likely to depend on automobiles to access food.

 Policy opportunities to address food access in Seattle and King County include:

• Coordinate location of bus routes, bus stops, and schedules to increase geographic access to grocery stores.

• Examine impact of the cost to use transit on access to food and explore subsidization of bus fare for households with high risk factors.

• Strategically locate grocery stores to maximize efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, and limit greenhouse gas emissions.

• Explore incentives for developers to locate grocery stores in areas lacking access.

• Explore incentives for convenience stores to stock healthy options (e.g. fresh fruits and vegetables).

• Coordinate and link agencies within local government to collaboratively examine risk factors associated with food insecurity and access.

• Identify and modify existing policies that contribute to lack of food access, including zoning policies.

Data Source and Limitations

More research and information is needed to provide a clearer picture of the extent of food insecurity in Seattle and King County and to help identify appropriate responses.

Data and the data discussion for this indicator were excerpted by Sustainable Seattle from the report Mapping Food Insecurity and Access in Seattle and King County.

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