What do food deserts look like in Portland, Oregon? - Taking a look with GIS

 
Food deserts are officially defined as neighborhoods which have access difficulties to grocery stores while simultaneously being categorized as low-income. “Access difficulties” in the case of food deserts means living more than a mile away from the nearest grocery store, where nutritious foods can be purchased.

Living in a food desert does not necessarily mean that one is unable to find food, despite the way the name sounds. The focus here is on the word “nutritious,” which means having access to foods important for the maintenance of health, especially fruits and vegetables. A food desert may be labeled such because it is a geographic location where food is available, but none of it is fully nutritious. These venues may be places such as fast food restaurants, or gas stations where it is common for low quality food to be found. Regular consumption of these food products often leads to poor health, which impacts quality of life and can keep people in poverty.

So when it comes to food deserts, where does Portland come in? Below is a map of food deserts for the entire united states, focused on Portland. You can find a link to this application here: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas.aspx#.UUDJLTeyL28

For urban environments, the Green areas are Low-Income and Low-Access at one mile. This means that residents are more than one mile away from the nearest grocery store. The Orange areas Low-Income and Low-Access at 1 / 2 mile. This means that residents in this area are at least a half-mile away from the nearest grocery store.

According to Grist.org, Portland ranks #13 in a Top 51 Big City Walk Score rating, with 29% of all residents being able to regularly walk to a grocery store within 5 minutes. According to Grist, walk Scores are considered by city planners as a proxy for food deserts, though the Walk Score also measures other items as well. While ranking #13 out of 51 doesn’t sound too bad for Portland, it does ring some alarm bells that 71% of the population still doesn’t live within a 5 minute walk to a grocery store.

Mapping of food deserts is pivotal for tackling food access challenges. By overlaying demographic data, it highlights areas lacking fresh, healthy food. This informs targeted interventions, guiding the establishment of grocery stores and community initiatives. GIS analysis also aids in evaluating transportation infrastructure, ensuring residents can easily access nutritious food. Through evidence-based decision-making, GIS empowers communities, fostering equity in food distribution and informing policies for healthier societies.

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Want to Learn More about how Maps and GIS can aid in social Equity Programs? Use the link below to explore Tutorials on Racial and Social Equity Impacts by using ArcGIS.

Integrate Social Equity Analysis - esri.com