They are well known as a food item on the coast of New England in the Western Atlantic Ocean; however, the range extends much farther north to Canada and south to the Southern states.

This species has become invasive on the Pacific Coast of North America, including Alaska, Canada and the continental United States.

[4] Mya arenaria has a calcium carbonate shell that is thin and easily broken, hence the name "soft-shells" (as opposed to its beach-dwelling neighbors in some regions, the thick-shelled quahog).

In New England the soft-shell clam is preyed heavily upon by northern moon snails and invasive green crabs.

Before cooking, it is generally recommended that clams be stored in saltwater for a few hours to facilitate the expulsion of sand from their digestive tracts.