Signature · 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts)
Ashe County, NC
Ashe County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of the book) alongside 22.2% low-access.
- 22.2%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 14.0%
- on SNAP
- 27K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Ashe County, NC
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 22.2% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH +0.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 33% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Iredell County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Ashe County ranks #1,504 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #38 of 100 counties in NC (22.2% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,504
- national by low-access %
- #38
- in NC
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- 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: 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts) .
How Ashe County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Ashe County's 22.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 52% of them and ranked #1,518 most-affected nationwide.
Ashe County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Ashe County has 1 urban and 5 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.
Ashe County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in North Carolina, not a full county-board reprint
- Hyde
Hyde 60.5%
60.5 % low-access
- Richmond 22.7
Richmond 22.7%
22.7 % low-access
- Rowan 22.7
Rowan 22.7%
22.7 % low-access
- Hertford 22.4
Hertford 22.4%
22.4 % low-access
- Ashe 22.2
Ashe 22.2%
22.2 % low-access
- Iredell 22.2
Iredell 22.2%
22.2 % low-access
- Greene 0.1
Greene 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 27,281 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 6,044 |
| Low-Access Share | 22.2%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,887 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 26,950 |
| Median Household Income | $56,866 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.5%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,709 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.0%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.4%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
SNAP retailers in Ashe County
Ashe County has 20 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 8 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 8
- 163 service and grocery, west jefferson
- creston superette inc., creston
- la tapatia 4 inc, jefferson
- millers country store, west jefferson
- murphy usa 7974, west jefferson
- r & l grocery, lansing
- run in 833, west jefferson
- speedway 7910, west jefferson
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- cvs pharmacy 7315, west jefferson
- dollar general 4890, west jefferson
- dollar general 13307, north jefferson
- dollar general 23542, glendale springs
- dollar general 24229, crumpler
- dollar general store 17263, warrensville
- dollar tree 2133, west jefferson
Supermarket · 2
- food lion 156, jefferson
- ingles markets 82, west jefferson
Farmers' Market · 1
- ashe county farmers market, west jefferson
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- cj's market, lansing
Super Store · 1
- walmart supercenter 3289, west jefferson
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in North Carolina
One of 99 counties in North Carolina, 6 are shown here.
Compare Ashe County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Nationwide peers for Ashe County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Ashe County, both outside North Carolina so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NC (22.2% here).
- Erie County, OH · 22.2% low-access
- Erie County, OH · 22.2% low-access
- Josephine County, OR · 22.2% low-access
- Josephine County, OR · 22.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NC (14.0% here).
- Schenectady County, NY · 14.0% SNAP
- Schenectady County, NY · 14.0% SNAP
- Trumbull County, OH · 14.0% SNAP
- Trumbull County, OH · 14.0% 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, North Carolina in context
Ashe County sits inside North Carolina (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 Ashe County, NC are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 37009. 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.