As spring unfolds across the United States and Earth Day approaches, interest in locally grown food is picking up once again. Farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer food outlets are not only hallmarks of the season but also serve as key pillars of healthy eating and local economic support—particularly at a time when rising food costs and new tariffs on imported goods have many consumers rethinking their grocery habits.
To better understand how Americans are engaging with local food, Trace One—a provider of PLM software for the food and beverage industry—conducted a national survey of U.S. adults. The survey explored shopping behaviors, attitudes toward farmers markets, and perceived benefits of buying local. Complementing the survey, this analysis also ranks U.S. cities and states based on access to local food markets, measured by the number of farmers markets, on-farm markets, and community supported agriculture (CSA) programs per 100,000 residents.
Health Is Top of Mind When It Comes to Food
Source: Trace One April 2025 Local Food Survey
As the impact of diet on health has become better understood, more Americans are making food choices with health in mind. According to the Trace One April 2025 Local Food Survey, nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults say health is either extremely important (26.0%) or very important (38.4%) when making decisions about what to eat. An additional 29.3% describe health as somewhat important, while fewer than 7% of respondents regard it as not very or not at all important.
Beyond nutrition labels and ingredients, many consumers are also thinking about how food sourcing relates to their wellbeing. When asked how often they consider where their food comes from in relation to their health, nearly half said they do so always (16.6%) or often (33.3%). An additional 29.3% responded occasionally, while only 5.4% never think about food origin in this context.
These responses suggest that for a large majority of consumers, food choice is not just about ingredients or nutrition labels—it’s also about where and how that food is produced.
Farmers Markets Are a Seasonal Staple for Many Americans
Source: Trace One April 2025 Local Food Survey
It’s no secret that farmers markets are a popular destination for consumers—but the level of engagement is notable. About one-quarter of adults (25%) say they shop at a farmers market weekly or more than once per week. Another 27% visit monthly or every other week, while a similar share (25.6%) report going a few times per season. Only 22.3% say they never shop at a farmers market, suggesting that the majority of Americans do support their local farmers at least occasionally during the peak growing season.
Despite strong interest, consumers remain price-sensitive. While a majority are willing to pay a little more for locally produced food, the increases are typically modest. The largest share—37.4%—are willing to pay up to 5% more, and 23.7% would pay up to 10% more. Only a small portion (7.1%) would pay beyond that, while nearly one-third (31.8%) said they are unwilling to pay any extra for local food items.
Farmers Markets Aren’t the Only Source for Local Food
Source: Trace One April 2025 Local Food Survey
While farmers markets are a popular destination for finding local food, they’re far from the only place where consumers shop for these items. In fact, the most common source is supermarkets, with 67.5% of adults saying they usually purchase local food there. This suggests that traditional retail channels still play a leading role in connecting consumers with locally-sourced options.
Not surprisingly, farmers markets are the next most common choice, with 42.9% of respondents reporting that they buy local food there. Other direct-to-consumer channels also play a role: about 20.4% of adults said they shop at farm stands or directly on farms, and a smaller share—just 4.1%—reported using community supported agriculture (CSA) programs.
Beyond these direct-to-consumer options, some Americans turn to food co-ops or specialty stores (12.1%) or online delivery services (11.0%) to find local food. Interestingly, only 9.5% of respondents said they don’t intentionally buy local food.
States With the Best Access to Local Food Markets
Source: Trace One analysis of USDA data
Access to local food markets varies widely across the United States. States in New England, the Upper Midwest, and the Mountain West dominate the top of the rankings. Vermont leads the nation with 20.1 farmers markets, on-farm markets, and CSA programs per 100,000 residents—nearly double the rate of the next highest state, Wyoming (12.2). Other high-ranking states include Minnesota (9.4) and New Hampshire (9.0), reflecting a strong presence of local food options in smaller, rural states with well-established farming communities.
At the other end of the spectrum, states with the lowest access to local food markets are more geographically clustered in the South and Southwest. Texas (1.1), Nevada (1.2), and Utah (1.3) rank at the bottom, with Florida (1.6) and Arizona (1.7) not far behind.
These state-level patterns are mirrored in metro-level data. Many of the top-ranking metro areas for local food access are located in the same high-performing states, particularly in New England. For example, Faribault-Northfield, MN ranks first among all U.S. metro areas with 20.6 markets and CSAs per 100,000 residents, followed by Torrington, CT (19.4) and Keene, NH (19.3).
For complete results on more than 200 metro areas and all 50 states, see The Farmers Market Report: How, Why, and Where Americans Shop for Local Food on Trace One.
Final Thoughts: Local Food Means More Than Just Health
Source: Trace One April 2025 Local Food Survey
While health is a major factor in food decisions, it’s far from the only reason consumers seek out local products. In fact, when asked to name the biggest benefit of buying local food, the most common response—cited by 38.2% of adults—was supporting local businesses. This reflects a strong desire to keep money within the local economy and support nearby producers, especially at a time when new trade policies have placed domestic sourcing top of mind.
Taken together, the findings show that Americans value local food not only for its quality and health benefits but also for its role in strengthening communities and supporting small businesses. These patterns point to a sustained interest in local sourcing, with implications for retailers, policymakers, and producers alike.
Methodology
Photo Credit: Igisheva Maria / Shutterstock
This analysis incorporates data from three primary sources: the USDA Local Food Directories, the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey (1-Year Estimates), and the Trace One April 2025 Local Food Survey, a proprietary survey of U.S. adults. Researchers evaluated access to local food markets by calculating the number of farmers markets, on-farm markets, and community supported agriculture (CSA) programs per 100,000 residents in each location. In addition to tracking access, the Trace One survey captured consumer attitudes toward farmers markets and local food, including perceptions of diet, shopping and spending habits, and the perceived benefits of buying local.
To ensure comparability across regions, only metropolitan and micropolitan areas with at least 10 total markets and CSAs were included. In the event of ties, the location with the higher absolute number of local food options was ranked higher. For additional context, metros were categorized by population size into three cohorts: small (less than 150,000 residents), midsize (150,000–349,999), and large (350,000 or more).
It is important to note that participation in the USDA directories is voluntary and self-reported by market operators. As such, some markets may not be captured; however, the dataset remains the most comprehensive centralized resource available.
For complete results, see The Farmers Market Report: How, Why, and Where Americans Shop for Local Food on Trace One.
