PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Tennessee

Bedford County, TN

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

23.0%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
10.2%
on SNAP
52K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 TN

The food-access picture

23.0% of Bedford County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
3.0%
households, no vehicle
12.6%
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 Bedford County's low-access share at 23.0%, above the national share. 4 of the county's 9 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 10,365 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 4,022 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 Bedford County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Bedford County's 23.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 54% of them and ranked #1,451 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Bedford County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Bedford 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 Bedford County, TN USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (55.6%) 2 tracts limited (22.2%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (22.2%) Adequate 56% Limited 22% Severe 22% Food-access tier distribution: Bedford County, TN
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Bedford County vs. other Tennessee counties

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

% 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 Bedford County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)45,058
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population10,365
Low-Access Share23.0%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,022

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Bedford County
IndicatorValue
Population52,237
Median Household Income$67,225
Poverty Rate12.6%below the national average
SNAP Households1,997
SNAP Participation Rate10.2%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.0%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.5%
SNAP participation in Bedford County 10.2%

About 10.2% of Bedford County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 23.0% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 10.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,997 households here.
  • 3.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Bedford County

above the national share

2 of Bedford County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 22.2% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 10,365 residents, roughly 23.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 4,022 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (55.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Bedford County

Bedford County has 55 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 25 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 25

  • a&a inc of bc, shelbyville
  • beechgrove market, beechgrove
  • circle k 4703708, shelbyville
  • circle k 4703719, shelbyville
  • discount food mart, shelbyville
  • depot street market, shelbyville
  • express food and fuel, shelbyville
  • express mart, shelbyville
  • flat creek market, shelbyville
  • murphy usa 7803, shelbyville
  • quik mart 9, shelbyville
  • racetrac 2590, shelbyville
  • serv-n-go 17, shelbyville
  • serv-n-go 20, shelbyville
  • serv-n-go 21, unionville
  • serv-n-go 3, shelbyville
  • serv-n-go 5, shelbyville
  • soniya discount food mart, shelbyville
  • speedway 7131, shelbyville
  • speedy market, shelbyville
  • t & m market, shelbyville
  • tortilleria gonzalez, shelbyville
  • wartrace country store, wartrace
  • wedge market 18, shelbyville
  • whiteside market, shelbyville

Combination Grocery/Other · 15

  • cvs pharmacy 6400, shelbyville
  • dollar general 0890, shelbyville
  • dollar general 18966, wartrace
  • dollar general 3051, shelbyville
  • dollartree 9647, shelbyville
  • dollar general 11823, shelbyville
  • dollar general 11991, unionville
  • dollar general 19699, shelbyville
  • dollar general 20136, shelbyville
  • dollar general 22652, shelbyville
  • dollar general 24889, shelbyville
  • dollar general 25669, shelbyville
  • dollar tree 2087, shelbyville
  • roses 484, shelbyville
  • walgreen 09945, shelbyville

Large Grocery Store · 3

  • palmer foodservice, shelbyville
  • shelbyville super mercado, shelbyville
  • united grocery outlet 17, shelbyville

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • aguascalientes market 1, shelbyville
  • los amigos supermercado, shelbyville
  • shelbyville supermercado, shelbyville

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • el eden, shelbyville
  • tienda chapin llc, shelbyville
  • tienda guatemala demetrio, shelbyville

Super Store · 3

  • dollar general market 12005, shelbyville
  • kroger 559, shelbyville
  • walmart supercenter 656, shelbyville

Supermarket · 2

  • food lion 0886, shelbyville
  • shelbyville piggly wiggly 575, shelbyville

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • potts' meats, wartrace

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Tennessee

Anderson County
10.9% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Benton County
12.6% low-access · 15.8% SNAP
Bledsoe County
4.7% low-access · 18.1% SNAP
Blount County
30.1% low-access · 5.9% SNAP
Bradley County
32.9% low-access · 11.7% SNAP
Campbell County
13.8% low-access · 18.5% SNAP

Compare Bedford County vs Anderson County → · All Tennessee counties →

Food access nationally, Tennessee in context

Bedford County sits inside Tennessee (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 Bedford County has low food access? ▼
23.0% of residents in Bedford County, TN 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 Bedford County? ▼
10.2% of households in Bedford County receive SNAP, covering 1,997 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Bedford County? ▼
The poverty rate in Bedford County, TN is 12.6%, with a median household income of $67,225 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Bedford County a food desert? ▼
2 of Bedford County's 9 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 Bedford County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.0% of households in Bedford 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.