PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Albemarle County, VA

Albemarle 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.

11.9%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
4.6%
on SNAP
115K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

11.9% of Albemarle County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 22 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
4.9%
households, no vehicle
7.7%
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).

Albemarle County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 11.9% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 22 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 11,787 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,490 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 Albemarle County compares nationally

Albemarle County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 11.9% low-access share that beats 25% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,353).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Albemarle County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 22 census tracts in Albemarle 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 Albemarle County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 18 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 22 tracts evaluated. 18 tracts adequate (81.8%) 3 tracts limited (13.6%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (4.5%) Adequate 82% Limited 14% Severe 5% Food-access tier distribution: Albemarle County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Albemarle 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 Albemarle County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts22
Atlas Population (2010 basis)98,970
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population11,787
Low-Access Share11.9%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,490

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Albemarle County
IndicatorValue
Population114,919
Median Household Income$104,392
Poverty Rate7.7%well below the national average
SNAP Households2,100
SNAP Participation Rate4.6%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.9%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population6.9%
SNAP participation in Albemarle County 4.6%

About 4.6% of Albemarle County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 11.9% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 4.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,100 households here.
  • 4.9% 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 Albemarle County

near the national share

1 of Albemarle County's 22 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 4.5% of all its tracts.

A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 11,787 residents, roughly 11.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,490 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 18 tracts (81.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Albemarle County

Albemarle County has 57 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 27 locations (47% of the total), followed by super store.

Convenience Store · 27

  • 7-eleven 11136k, charlottesville
  • 7-eleven 35272j, charlottesville
  • 7-eleven 36085j, charlottesville
  • 7-eleven 39801a, charlottesville
  • 7elevenstore 16543h, charlottesville
  • b b corner store & deli, charlottesville
  • barracks road market, charlottesville
  • caul's grocery, north garden
  • fas mart 3516, crozet
  • fas mart 3542, charlottesville
  • fas mart 3543, charlottesville
  • flowers bakery outlet 396, charlottesville
  • green mountain country store 1, scottsville
  • hop-in 1, charlottesville
  • in & out market, esmont
  • james river market place, scottsville
  • oakhill market and deli, charlottesville
  • stop in food stores 8064, charlottesville
  • stop in food stores 8067, charlottesville
  • stop in food stores 8070, charlottesville
  • sheetz 728, charlottesville
  • speedway 4653, charlottesville
  • speedway 4654, charlottesville
  • the market at mill creek (exxon) 83, charlottesville
  • wawa 8659, charlottesville
  • wawa 8667, charlottesville
  • wawa store 8660, charlottesville

Super Store · 8

  • costco wholesale 1184, charlottesville
  • crozet great valu, crozet
  • giant food 251, charlottesville
  • harris teeter 132, charlottesville
  • kroger 334, charlottesville
  • sam's club 6365, charlottesville
  • target store 1858, charlottesville
  • walmart supercenter 1780, charlottesville

Combination Grocery/Other · 7

  • cvs pharmacy 10746, charlottesville
  • cvs pharmacy 1551, charlottesville
  • dollar general 0431, crozet
  • dollar general 462, scottsville
  • dollar tree 152, charlottesville
  • dollar tree 3118, charlottesville
  • walgreens 17626, charlottesville

Supermarket · 7

  • aldi 80041, charlottesville
  • food lion 1186, charlottesville
  • food lion 1536, charlottesville
  • food lion 2697, scottsville
  • food lion 864, charlottesville
  • trader joe's 661, charlottesville
  • wegmans 127, charlottesville

Medium Grocery Store · 4

  • african market place llc, charlottesville
  • amigo mercado latino, charlottesville
  • kabul mart, charlottesville
  • medina market, charlottesville

Farmers' Market · 2

  • anderson's seafood and catering, charlottesville
  • local food hub market, charlottesville

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • indian bazar, charlottesville
  • la favorita incorporated 0, charlottesville

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

Accomack County
2.2% low-access · 12.5% 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 Albemarle County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Albemarle 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 Albemarle County has low food access? ▼
11.9% of residents in Albemarle 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 Albemarle County? ▼
4.6% of households in Albemarle County receive SNAP, covering 2,100 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Albemarle County? ▼
The poverty rate in Albemarle County, VA is 7.7%, with a median household income of $104,392 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Albemarle County a food desert? ▼
1 of Albemarle County's 22 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 Albemarle County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.9% of households in Albemarle 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.