CALDWELL, Idaho — Caldwell residents living northeast of Aviation Way and south of Homedale Road have limited grocery options as the city's population has grown nearly 30% since 2020, according to COMPASS data.
Now, two new stores are expected to open by the end of 2027.
For many Caldwell residents, getting to a grocery store is not as simple as a short trip down the street.
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Kim Mitchell, a stay-at-home mom, said the distance adds up quickly.
"The one Albertsons that's in Caldwell is still a ten-to-twelve-minute drive down the road," Mitchell said.
The USDA Food Access Atlas classifies a large majority of Caldwell as "low food access and low income." That designation means the area has a poverty rate of 20% or higher, or a family income lower than the metropolitan average, and a significant portion of residents must travel a mile or more to a chain grocery store.
From Aviation Way, it is one mile to the nearest grocery stores, the Walmart and Grocery Outlet on Cleveland Boulevard, leaving residents in homes east of that corridor with limited options inside city limits.
Residents south of Homedale Road face a similar situation, with the nearest options being the Walmart Market on Ustick Road or the Supercenter on Cleveland Boulevard.
Daniel Torres, Caldwell's economic development director, said the city is actively working to improve access.
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"We're trying to do everything we can to make sure that everyone has good access to these grocery facilities," Torres said.
Torres said population growth is part of what is now drawing grocery retailers to the area. Caldwell's population has grown nearly 30% since 2020, according to COMPASS data.
"The subdivisions have come there, and now they've hit a certain metric where there's enough rooftops nearby," Torres said. "And now it makes financial sense for the grocery store to come in."
Torres said the city wants new stores to be located in neighborhoods with the greatest need, to be walkable, and to create opportunities for local businesses.
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"We're trying to do it in a way that maintains the quality of life that we have," Torres said.
Fred Meyer and Albertsons are both set to open Caldwell locations by the end of 2027.
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