Signature · 8.2% SNAP (9th pct in PA)
Adams County, PA
Adams County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 15.9%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 8.2%
- on SNAP
- 106K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Adams County, PA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 15.9% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.2 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 8.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Delaware County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Adams County ranks #2,031 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #39 of 67 counties in PA (15.9% low-access).
- #2,031
- national by low-access %
- #39
- in PA
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 8.2% SNAP (9th pct in PA) (-3.9 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Adams County compares nationally
Adams County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.9% low-access share that beats 35% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,046).
Adams County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
23 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
By USDA urbanicity classification, Adams County has 8 urban and 15 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Adams County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Pennsylvania, not a full county-board reprint
- Chester
Chester 45.1%
45.1 % low-access
- Centre 16.1
Centre 16.1%
16.1 % low-access
- Adams 15.9
Adams 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Delaware 15.9
Delaware 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Somerset 15.9
Somerset 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Clarion 15.7
Clarion 15.7%
15.7 % low-access
- Wyoming 0.9
Wyoming 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 23 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 101,407 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 16,080 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 4,248 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 106,115 |
| Median Household Income | $84,092 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.2%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 3,350 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.2%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.5%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.2% |
Thick SNAP store book in Adams County
Adams County has 60 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 24 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 24
- 7-eleven 2405 28214b, new oxford
- 7-eleven store #19021e 19021e, gettysburg
- 7-eleven store #28228b 28228b, biglerville
- abhiaman llc, gettysburg
- american fuel, gettysburg
- arendtsville mini mart, arendtsville
- aspers mini mart, aspers
- chohan mini mart fairfield, fairfield
- citymart gettysburg, gettysburg
- gateway mini mart, gettysburg
- gettysburg sunoco, gettysburg
- gettysburg travel plaza, gettysburg
- royal farms 129, littlestown
- royal farms 420, gettysburg
- rutters 17, east berlin
- rutters 36, york springs
- rutters 46, east berlin
- rutters 58, abbottstown
- sheetz 141, littlestown
- sheetz 326, gettysburg
- sheetz 560, gettysburg
- sheetz 644, new oxford
- turkey hill minit markets 950066, mcsherrystown
- turkey hill minit markets 950247, new oxford
Combination Grocery/Other · 19
- cvs pharmcy 1921, gettysburg
- dollar general 0551, gettysburg
- dollar general 15215, east berlin
- dollar general 18918, new oxford
- dollar general 19391, gettysburg
- dollar general 15886, littlestown
- dollar general 16693, aspers
- dollar general 22984, new oxford
- dollar general 30186, gettysburg
- dollar general 31226, gettysburg
- dollar general 7329, new oxford
- dollar general 7506, fairfield
- dollar general 9779, hanover
- dollar general store 17192, biglerville
- dollar tree 1865, gettysburg
- dollar tree 7900, new oxford
- family dollar 8792, biglerville
- family dollar store 1076, new oxford
- family dollar store 2155, littlestown
Supermarket · 6
- aldi 71167, gettysburg
- food lion 2683, mcsherrystown
- giant food store 6267, gettysburg
- myers meat mkt inc, hanover
- weis markets 120, gettysburg
- weis markets 200, east berlin
Super Store · 4
- kennies mkt inc 51417, gettysburg
- kennies mkt inc 51419, littlestown
- kennie's markets, biglerville
- walmart 1537, gettysburg
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- butcher block, biglerville
- el mercado llc, abbottstown
Small Grocery Store · 2
- el rincon mexican store, new oxford
- lua's mexican store, york springs
Delivery Route · 1
- sponseller's egg co., hanover
Farmers' Market · 1
- adams county farmers' market association, gettysburg
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- bucher meats, biglerville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
One of 66 counties in Pennsylvania, 6 are shown here.
Compare Adams County vs Allegheny County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Nationwide peers for Adams County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Adams County (8.2%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Pennsylvania.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside PA (15.9% here).
- Ottawa County, OK · 15.9% low-access
- Ottawa County, OK · 15.9% low-access
- Murray County, OK · 15.9% low-access
- Murray County, OK · 15.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside PA (8.2% here).
- Kingfisher County, OK · 8.2% SNAP
- Kingfisher County, OK · 8.2% SNAP
- Newport County, RI · 8.2% SNAP
- Newport County, RI · 8.2% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Adams County sits inside Pennsylvania (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Adams County, PA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 42001. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.