PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Georgia

Bartow County, GA

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Bartow 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).

30.3%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
8.7%
on SNAP
113K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 GA

The food-access picture

30.3% of Bartow County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 15 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
12K
food-desert residents
2.7%
households, no vehicle
10.3%
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 Bartow County's low-access share at 30.3%, above the national share. 6 of the county's 15 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 30,340 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 11,712 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 Bartow County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Bartow County's 30.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 71% of them and ranked #912 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Bartow County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 15 census tracts in Bartow 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 Bartow County, GA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 15 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (60.0%) 2 tracts limited (13.3%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (26.7%) Adequate 60% Limited 13% Severe 27% Food-access tier distribution: Bartow County, GA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Bartow County vs. other Georgia counties

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

% 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 Bartow County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts15
Atlas Population (2010 basis)100,157
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population30,340
Low-Access Share30.3%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population11,712

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Bartow County
IndicatorValue
Population113,113
Median Household Income$82,243
Poverty Rate10.3%below the national average
SNAP Households3,559
SNAP Participation Rate8.7%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle2.7%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.9%
SNAP participation in Bartow County 8.7%

About 8.7% of Bartow County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 30.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 8.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,559 households here.
  • 2.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Bartow County

above the national share

4 of Bartow County's 15 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 26.7% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.

An estimated 30,340 residents, roughly 30.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 11,712 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (60.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Bartow County

Bartow County has 100 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 55 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 55

  • 216 s tenn llc, cartersville
  • acworth food mart llc, acworth
  • adairsville supermarket, adairsville
  • bp food mart, cartersville
  • bp food mart, cartersville
  • camille's corner, adairsville
  • chevron food mart, cartersville
  • chevron food mart, acworth
  • circle k 2723554, cartersville
  • circle k 2723639, cartersville
  • circle k 2723653, cartersville
  • circle k 2723675, cartersville
  • circle k 2723683, cartersville
  • citgo food mart, cartersville
  • cross road food mart, cartersville
  • dollar & beyond, adairsville
  • emerson mini mart, emerson
  • fast track food mart, adairsville
  • gas n go, cartersville
  • get n fly food mart, cartersville
  • grab & go, adairsville
  • hickory burnt food mart, cartersville
  • joys market, cartersville
  • kingston grocery, kingston
  • lakeside crossing, acworth
  • laxmijii food mart llc, cartersville
  • lee's grocery, acworth
  • love's travel stop 359, cartersville
  • mapco express, inc. 3600, adairsville
  • malik foodmart inc, cartersville
  • marathon food mart, cartersville
  • murphy usa 5503, cartersville
  • mystik, cartersville
  • neelkanth101211 llc, cartersville
  • pilot travel center 67, cartersville
  • quicktrip 792, cartersville
  • quiktrip 757, adairsville
  • quick mart, cartersville
  • quiktrip 1727, emerson
  • quiktrip 1749, cartersville
  • quiktrip 1771, cartersville
  • race trac 652, cartersville
  • racetrac 2512, cartersville
  • racetrac 2551, adairsville
  • racetrac2631 2631, cartersville
  • ryda food mart, rydal
  • speedway 7209, cartersville
  • shamo investments, cartersville
  • shell food mart, cartersville
  • shell food mart, cartersville
  • sugar valley kwik mart, cartersville
  • ta cartersville 0146, cartersville
  • texaco food mart, cartersville
  • texaco west ave, cartersville
  • zamar chevron, cartersville

Combination Grocery/Other · 30

  • cvs pharmacy 3086, cartersville
  • cvs pharmacy 8976, cartersville
  • dollar general 1884, cartersville
  • dollar general 19736, taylorsville
  • dollar general 2081, cartersville
  • dollar general 6124, emerson
  • dollar general 8457, kingston
  • dollar general 9588, taylorsville
  • dollar general 9720, acworth
  • dollar general 10395, cartersville
  • dollar general 11363, cartersville
  • dollar general 11996, euharlee
  • dollar general 15193, cartersville
  • dollar general 15446, rydal
  • dollar general 18135, cartersville
  • dollar general 20025, cartersville
  • dollar general 21151, cartersville
  • dollar general 23441, white
  • dollar general 25255, cartersville
  • dollar general 30765, cartersville
  • dollar general 8382, white
  • dollar general store 18103, acworth
  • dollar general store 4186, adairsville
  • dollar tree 500, cartersville
  • dollar tree 525, cartersville
  • family dollar 4155, adairsville
  • family dollar store 8496, conyers
  • moreliana grocery, cartersville
  • walgreens 15180, cartersville
  • walgreens 17686, cartersville

Supermarket · 6

  • aldi 76028, cartersville
  • food lion 1696, adairsville
  • food city 218, cartersville
  • ingles markets 476, cartersville
  • ingles markets 76, cartersville
  • publix 0554, cartersville

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • el tikal convenience, cartersville
  • loa enterprises corporation, cartersville
  • tienda la mexicana, cartersville

Super Store · 3

  • kroger 629, carterville
  • target store 969, cartersville
  • walmart 615, cartersville

Farmers' Market · 1

  • cartersville farmers market, cartersville

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • burgers market, cartersville

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • findley's butcher shop cartersville 2, cartersville

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Georgia

Appling County
47.8% low-access · 19.6% SNAP
Atkinson County
23.5% low-access · 26.2% SNAP
Bacon County
3.3% low-access · 20.9% SNAP
Baker County
61.3% low-access · 15.2% SNAP
Baldwin County
24.6% low-access · 16.2% SNAP
Banks County
1.8% low-access · 9.0% SNAP

Compare Bartow County vs Appling County → · All Georgia counties →

Food access nationally, Georgia in context

Bartow County sits inside Georgia (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 Bartow County has low food access? ▼
30.3% of residents in Bartow County, GA 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 Bartow County? ▼
8.7% of households in Bartow County receive SNAP, covering 3,559 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Bartow County? ▼
The poverty rate in Bartow County, GA is 10.3%, with a median household income of $82,243 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Bartow County a food desert? ▼
4 of Bartow County's 15 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 Bartow County households lack a vehicle? ▼
2.7% of households in Bartow 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.