County food-access profile · South Carolina
Anderson County, SC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Anderson County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 36.1%
- low-access pop.
- 9
- food-desert tracts
- 10.6%
- on SNAP
- 210K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
36.1% of Anderson County residents live in a low-access area, and 9 of its 39 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 22
- low-access tracts
- 23K
- food-desert residents
- 5.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 14.6%
- 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).
USDA data puts Anderson County's low-access share at 36.1%, above the national share. 22 of the county's 39 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 67,513 people. 9 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 23,050 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 Anderson County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Anderson County's 36.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 82% of them and ranked #551 most-affected nationwide.
Anderson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 39 census tracts in Anderson County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Anderson County vs. other South Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in South Carolina
- Anderson
Anderson County, SC
36.1 % low-access
- Abbeville
Abbeville County, SC
20.4 % low-access
- Aiken
Aiken County, SC
29.1 % low-access
- Allendale 2.3
Allendale County, SC
2.3 % low-access
- Bamberg
Bamberg County, SC
27.1 % low-access
- Barnwell 0
Barnwell County, SC
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 39 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 187,126 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 22 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 9 |
| Low-Access Population | 67,513 |
| Low-Access Share | 36.1%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 23,050 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 210,478 |
| Median Household Income | $66,651 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.6%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 8,864 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.6%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.7%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
About 10.6% of Anderson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 36.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 8,864 households here.
- 5.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 9 tracts 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 Anderson County
above the national share
9 of Anderson County's 39 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 23.1% of all its tracts.
A further 13 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 22.
An estimated 67,513 residents, roughly 36.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 23,050 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 17 tracts (43.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Anderson County
Anderson County has 230 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 117 locations (51% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 117
- 7-eleven 36835j, pelzer
- 7-eleven 36836j, belton
- 7-eleven 36837k, anderson
- 7-eleven 36838j, piedmont
- 7-eleven 36848j, anderson
- 7-eleven 36850h, anderson
- 7-eleven 36854h, pelzer
- 7-eleven 36855h, greenville
- 7-eleven 41792h, anderson
- 7-eleven store 38992h, piedmont
- 7-eleven 36845a, anderson
- 81 marathon, anderson
- amoco, anderson
- anderson bp, anderson
- bk world shop no, anderson
- beaverdam quick stop, williamston
- belton exxon, belton
- belton mart, belton
- brightmart exxon, anderson
- carolina corner, belton
- corner stop 31, anderson
- ez trip, williamston
- east side convenience store, anderson
- energy market 4014, anderson
- fant street bp, anderson
- fast fuel 9, williamston
- flowers bakery outlet 526, anderson
- food mart, anderson
- gas express llc d/b/a circle k #851 851, anderson
- gas express llc d/b/a circle k ck 852, pendleton
- happy store, anderson
- high volume 2, anderson
- hot spot 2022, honea path
- jai sai high volume, anderson
- janci mart, piedmont
- k p foodmart, anderson
- kent kwik 707, townville
- kwik stop 0, pendleton
- liberty food mart, anderson
- love's travel stops & country stores, inc 387, fair play
- lucky corner mart, anderson
- lv's convenience store 1, anderson
- m j food mart, iva
- m mart, easley
- md food mart 1, anderson
- miracle mart, anderson
- murphy express 8706, anderson
- murphy usa 8672, anderson
- murray stop, anderson
- old hundred grill & grocery, pelzer
- one stop 29, belton
- one stop food mart, anderson
- palm pantry 5, anderson
- pelzer food mart, pelzer
- pilot travel center 63, piedmont
- power trac 10, anderson
- power trac 11, honea path
- power trac 12, piedmont
- power trac 13, anderson
- power trac 14, piedmont
- power trac 9, anderson
- quick point, anderson
- quiktrip 1109, anderson
- quiktrip 1117, piedmont
- quiktrip 1127, pendleton
- quiktrip 1130, piedmont
- quiktrip 1106, anderson
- quiktrip 1107, anderson
- quiktrip 1108, anderson
- quiktrip 1116, anderson
- rc mart, starr
- racetrac 2639 2639, anderson
- raceway 6750, anderson
- raceway 6752 6752, piedmont
- ran energy market, townville
- redi mart, starr
- saluda quick stop, williamston
- sarojpatel llc, anderson
- savastop, starr
- save more, anderson
- shell, easley
- short stop, anderson
- slabtown variety store, pendleton
- speedy mart, pendleton
- spinx 133, anderson
- spinx 135, piedmont
- spinx 225, honea path
- spinx 248, anderson
- spinx 256, anderson
- spinx 263, greenville
- stop n go, anderson
- stop a minit 28, anderson
- stop-a-minit 1, honea path
- stop-a-minit 11, anderson
- stop-a-minit 13, belton
- stop-a-minit 14, anderson
- stop-a-minit 2, honea path
- stop-a-minit 20, anderson
- stop-a-minit 23, anderson
- stop-a-minit 26, iva
- stop-a-minit 32, liberty
- stop-a-minit 35, starr
- stop-a-minit 36, belton
- stop-a-minit 4, honea path
- stop-a-minit 8, anderson
- stop-a-minit 9, anderson
- stop-a-minit 24, anderson
- surfside store, anderson
- swami foods, anderson
- the villager, anderson
- thomas food mart, anderson
- v go mart, anderson
- v-go mart, piedmont
- whitner street grocery, anderson
- williamson curb market, williamston
- xpress fuel, pendleton
- zeke's country store, pendleton
Combination Grocery/Other · 75
- bob and lisas produce, piedmont
- cvs pharmacy 3838, anderson
- cvs pharmacy 3846, anderson
- cvs pharmacy 7351, piedmont
- cvs pharmacy 3541, anderson
- cvs pharmacy 3571, west pelzer
- cvs pharmacy 3599, pendleton
- cvs pharmacy 4111, anderson
- cvs pharmacy 5536, belton
- cvs pharmacy 7538, honea path
- dollar general 0163, pendleton
- dollar general 0236, honea path
- dollar general 10122, easley
- dollar general 10850, anderson
- dollar general 1297, anderson
- dollar general 14268, pendleton
- dollar general 22445, anderson
- dollar general 3020, belton
- dollar general 3574, anderson
- dollar general 4382, williamston
- dollar general 7288, iva
- dollar general 8033, piedmont
- dollar general 9929, townville
- dollar tree plus 8992, iva
- dollartree 10, anderson
- dollartree 10079, anderson
- dollartree 8666, anderson
- dollartree 9586, anderson
- dollartree 9912, anderson
- dollar general 11728, anderson
- dollar general 12337, pelzer
- dollar general 14568, starr
- dollar general 14868, williamston
- dollar general 15576, anderson
- dollar general 17077, anderson
- dollar general 17604, anderson
- dollar general 20104, anderson
- dollar general 20534, pendleton
- dollar general 21421, belton
- dollar general 22808, belton
- dollar general 23250, belton
- dollar general 23531, anderson
- dollar general 24189, townville
- dollar general 25234, belton
- dollar general 2920, anderson
- dollar general 30283, anderson
- dollar general 30744, starr
- dollar general 31137, honea path
- dollar general 4531, greenville
- dollar general store 17974, pelzer
- dollar tree 1073, anderson
- dollar tree 6701, anderson
- dollar tree 7452, williamston
- dollar tree 7843, honea path
- family dollar store 1006, honea path
- family dollar store 6781, iva
- family dollar 11482, anderson
- family dollar 121, pelzer
- family dollar 12289, anderson
- family dollar 3281, anderson
- family dollar 4121, anderson
- family dollar 8279, williamston
- family dollar 91, anderson
- family dollar store 10009, williamston
- family dollar store 256, anderson
- family dollar store 8730, anderson
- family dollar store 933, belton
- rose's 560, anderson
- walgreen 02452, anderson
- walgreens 10869, anderson
- walgreens 11563, anderson
- walgreens 11654, piedmont
- walgreens 12979, greenville
- walgreens 17330, williamston
- zeke's produce, starr
Supermarket · 18
- aldi 76076, anderson
- aldi 76079, anderson
- aldi 76110, piedmont
- food lion 2869, anderson
- food lion 2208, anderson
- food lion 2816, pelzer
- food lion 2827, honea path
- food lion 2828, anderson
- food lion 2861, pendleton
- ingles markets 16, belton
- ingles markets 239, anderson
- ingles markets 240, anderson
- ingles markets 39, anderson
- ingles markets 73, piedmont
- la unica supermarket internacional, anderson
- publix 0360, anderson
- publix 0563, anderson
- save-a-lot 45157, anderson
Super Store · 7
- anderson quality foods llc, anderson
- sam's club 6463, anderson
- target store t-1198, anderson
- walmart 644, anderson
- walmart neighborhood market 4443, anderson
- walmart supercenter 3192, greenville
- walmart supercenter 396, anderson
Medium Grocery Store · 5
- drennon produce, iva
- international food and deli, llc 2, anderson
- mexico lindo 1, anderson
- mi rancho supermercado, anderson
- sam's curb market, anderson
Farmers' Market · 2
- anderson county farmers market, anderson
- carolina fresh market & more 203-73, pelzer
Small Grocery Store · 2
- almart express, anderson
- tienda hernandez llc, williamston
Delivery Route · 1
- meat monsters, anderson
Food Buying Co-op · 1
- foodshare anderson, anderson
Large Grocery Store · 1
- the deals galore ii, williamston
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- harper's meat house llc, anderson
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in South Carolina
Compare Anderson County vs Abbeville County → · All South Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, South Carolina in context
Anderson County sits inside South Carolina (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Anderson County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Anderson County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Anderson County? ▼
Is Anderson County a food desert? ▼
What share of Anderson County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.