PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Accomack County, VA

Most of Accomack County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

2.2%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
12.5%
on SNAP
33K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

2.2% of Accomack County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

1
low-access tracts
298
food-desert residents
6.1%
households, no vehicle
13.9%
below poverty line

Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA, 1-and-10-mile measure).

By the USDA's measure, Accomack County fares better than most: just 2.2% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 1 of the county's 9 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 727 people who live far from a supermarket, and 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 298 low-income residents.

How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts

The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.

How Accomack County compares nationally

Food access in Accomack County compares favorably nationally: its 2.2% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 6% of them (rank #2,954).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Accomack County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Accomack County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Accomack County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (88.9%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (11.1%) Adequate 89% Limited 0% Severe 11% Food-access tier distribution: Accomack County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Accomack County vs. other Virginia counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Virginia

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Accomack County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)33,164
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population727
Low-Access Share2.2%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population298

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Accomack County
IndicatorValue
Population33,335
Median Household Income$58,993
Poverty Rate13.9%near the national average
SNAP Households1,805
SNAP Participation Rate12.5%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.1%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population3.9%
SNAP participation in Accomack County 12.5%

About 12.5% of Accomack County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 2.2% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,805 households here.
  • 6.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).

USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).

What the food-access data shows for Accomack County

below the national share

1 of Accomack County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.1% of all its tracts.

An estimated 727 residents, roughly 2.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 298 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (88.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Accomack County

Accomack County has 38 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 15 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 15

  • corner mart, belle haven
  • corner mart es04, onancock
  • corner mart es05, nelsonia
  • corner mart es06, temperanceville
  • corner mart es07, oak hall
  • corner mart es08, new church
  • corner mart es09, chincoteague island
  • onley goose creek 18, onley
  • ridge road pit stop, chincoteague island
  • royal farms 103, parksley
  • royal farms 105, nelsonia
  • royal farms 134, onley
  • royal farms 30, wallops island
  • royal farms 79, new church
  • shore stop 202, chincoteague island

Combination Grocery/Other · 10

  • cvs pharmacy 1570, onley
  • dollar general 0481, parksley
  • dollar general 0506, chincoteague
  • dollar general 15072, painter
  • dollar general 19689, mappsville
  • dollar general 3670, onley
  • dollar tree 6716, onley
  • family dollar 7048, oak hall
  • family dollar store 5156, chincoteague island
  • roses 256, onley

Seafood Specialty · 3

  • gary howard seafood, inc, chincoteague island
  • susan's seafood, new church
  • taylor seafood, onley

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • blue crab grocery, tangier
  • caribbean mita market, parksley
  • el remolino, inc, onley

Supermarket · 3

  • food lion 2555, oak hall
  • food lion 490, onley
  • island foods great valu, chincoteague island

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • el crucero tienda mexicana, belle haven
  • great market the hacienda 1, parksley

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • el cruzero tienda hispana, hallwood

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 4378, onley

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

Albemarle County
11.9% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Alexandria city
0.0% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Alleghany County
16.4% low-access · 8.1% SNAP
Amelia County
16.5% low-access · 13.4% SNAP
Amherst County
11.3% low-access · 10.5% SNAP
Appomattox County
7.4% low-access · 15.3% SNAP

Compare Accomack County vs Albemarle County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Accomack County sits inside Virginia (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Accomack County has low food access? ▼
2.2% of residents in Accomack County, VA live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Accomack County? ▼
12.5% of households in Accomack County receive SNAP, covering 1,805 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Accomack County? ▼
The poverty rate in Accomack County, VA is 13.9%, with a median household income of $58,993 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Accomack County a food desert? ▼
1 of Accomack County's 9 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Accomack County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.1% of households in Accomack County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
Data Sources & Methodology

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs

Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →

Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).

Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.