Signature · 1 LILA tracts (100% of tracts)
Bath County, VA
Bath County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 1 LILA tracts (100% of the book) alongside 21.2% low-access.
- 21.2%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 10.3%
- on SNAP
- 4K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Bath County, VA
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 21.2% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.9 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-LIGHT 10.3% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.1% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 100% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Richmond city ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Bath County ranks #1,582 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #51 of 123 counties in VA (21.2% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #1,582
- national by low-access %
- #51
- in VA
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 496
- 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: 1 LILA tracts (100% of tracts) .
How Bath County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Bath County's 21.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 49% of them and ranked #1,582 most-affected nationwide.
Bath County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
1 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
All 1 of Bath County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Bath County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Highland
Highland 99.7%
99.7 % low-access
- Mecklenburg 21.8
Mecklenburg 21.8%
21.8 % low-access
- Bath 21.2
Bath 21.2%
21.2 % low-access
- Richmond city 21.1
Richmond city 21.1%
21.1 % low-access
- Warren 20.9
Warren 20.9%
20.9 % low-access
- Norfolk city 20.6
Norfolk city 20.6%
20.6 % low-access
- Dickenson 0
Dickenson 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 4,731 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,005 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.2%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 496 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 4,100 |
| Median Household Income | $56,184 |
| Poverty Rate | 23.8%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 188 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.3%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.1%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.0% |
Slim SNAP store book in Bath County
Bath County has 3 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 2 locations (67% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
2 towns share the 3 authorized stores; Hot Springs holds 67% of them. None of the towns has a supermarket or large/medium grocery on the SNAP list.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs | 2 | none |
| Millboro | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 12993, hot springs
- valley supermarket, hot springs
Convenience Store · 1
- millboro foodmart 0, millboro
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Virginia
One of 132 counties in Virginia, 6 are shown here.
Compare Bath County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Virginia among South Atlantic states
Virginia ranks 8th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (20.4%). Bath County, at 21.2%, runs 0.8 pts above the Virginia rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Bath County, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51017. 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.