County food-access profile · Pennsylvania
Berks County, PA
Berks County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 17.5%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 13.9%
- on SNAP
- 433K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
17.5% of Berks County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 90 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 24
- low-access tracts
- 14K
- food-desert residents
- 8.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.2%
- 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).
Berks County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 17.5% per the USDA Atlas. 24 of the county's 90 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 71,797 residents who live far from a supermarket. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 13,545 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 Berks County compares nationally
Berks County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.5% low-access share that beats 39% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,912).
Berks County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 90 census tracts in Berks County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Berks County vs. other Pennsylvania counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Pennsylvania
- Berks
Berks County, PA
17.5 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, PA
15.9 % low-access
- Allegheny
Allegheny County, PA
26.4 % low-access
- Armstrong 5.2
Armstrong County, PA
5.2 % low-access
- Beaver
Beaver County, PA
32.5 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, PA
22.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 90 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 411,442 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 24 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 71,797 |
| Low-Access Share | 17.5%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 13,545 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 433,015 |
| Median Household Income | $79,777 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.2%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 22,640 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.9%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.7%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.1% |
About 13.9% of Berks County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 17.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 13.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 22,640 households here.
- 8.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 3 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 Berks County
near the national share
3 of Berks County's 90 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 3.3% of all its tracts.
A further 21 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 24.
An estimated 71,797 residents, roughly 17.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 13,545 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 66 tracts (73.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Berks County
Berks County has 342 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 136 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 136
- 13st gulf express, reading
- 5th n buttonwood deli 1, reading
- 5th street gas, reading
- 7-eleven 40241j, reading
- 7-eleven store #40241a, reading
- 7-eleven store 17031g, reading
- a plus sunoco, reading
- aplus 40115h, bechtelsville
- aplus 40171h, reading
- aplus 40214, reading
- ash oil and gas inc 2, boyertown
- berlinville mart, boyertown
- birdsboro c store, birdsboro
- birdsboro mart, birdsboro
- bus stop shop and deli, reading
- caba grocery ii, reading
- cherry hill market, boyertown
- corner food mart, fleetwood
- dominican grocery, reading
- dr deli grocery, reading
- dollar zone of wyomissing 17, reading
- e & j grocery and deli, reading
- fleetwood food market 1, fleetwood
- friendly stops 2 inc., robesonia
- garcia-diaz grocery llc, reading
- guru sub and grocery store inc. no, reading
- hamburg market, hamburg
- jandy meat market 2 jandy 2, reading
- jeevandeep llc t/a buttonwood citgo, reading
- joe's kwik mart 1045, reading
- juncalito deli grocery llc, reading
- kenny grocery & sandwich shop, reading
- kramer patel kwik stop llc, shartlesville
- la virgen de la altagracia llc, reading
- laurel minimarket 1, reading
- love's travel stop 358, hamburg
- lukoil west reading, west reading
- macoris mini market, reading
- mena cibao deli & grocery, reading
- midway exxon food mart, bethel
- mittie mae's corner market, reading
- mr food 1, kutztown
- new 5th & spruce food market llc, reading
- new holland food mart, reading
- new leyenda deli & grocery, reading
- nitro gas inc, mt aetna
- oley mini mart, oley
- one of a kind grocery store llc, reading
- paulino's deli & grocery, reading
- pilot travel center 518, myerstown
- primavera mini market llc, reading
- quick mart, reading
- rafa & alvin deli grocery 1, reading
- redner's quick shoppe 301, reading
- redner's quick shoppe 312, bally
- redner's quick shoppe 325, fleetwood
- redner's quick shoppe 328, bernville
- redners quick shoppe 352, reading
- redners quick stop 74, reading
- redners warehouse market 45, reading
- renacer mini market, reading
- royal farms 402, douglassville
- rutter's 81, leesport
- rutter's 92, kutztown
- rutters 69, hamburg
- samir's, reading
- sheetz 226, reading
- sheetz 247, fleetwood
- sheetz 256, shoemakersville
- sheetz 273, reading
- sheetz 289, sinking spring
- sheetz 293, leesport
- sheetz 345, morgantown
- sheetz 603, bethel
- sheetz 655, reading
- smart mart #3, reading
- smart mart #4, douglassville
- speedway 6713, reading
- speedway 6731, reading
- speedway 6752, topton
- speedway 6753, fleetwood
- speedway 6771, wernersville
- speedway 6772, sinking springs
- speedway 6781, douglassville
- spring 950 inc, reading
- sukh oil inc, shoemakersville
- sunny's grocery and sandwich shop, reading
- sunny's sanwich mart, reading
- sunoco a-plus, reading
- sunoco mini mart 1, temple
- taxco food mart, strausstown
- the berkshire express, wyomissing
- the market at boyer's junction, fleetwood
- top star express 131, reading
- turkey hill minit market 950277, morgantown
- turkey hill minit market 950295, womelsdorf
- turkey hill minit market 950308, birdsboro
- turkey hill minit markets 950014, reading
- turkey hill minit markets 950031, reading
- turkey hill minit markets 950051, fleetwood
- turkey hill minit markets 950053, reading
- turkey hill minit markets 950054, reading
- turkey hill minit markets 950059, kutztown
- turkey hill minit markets 950061, reading
- turkey hill minit markets 950062, temple
- turkey hill minit markets 950099, boyertown
- turkey hill minit markets 950115, mohnton
- turkey hill minit markets 950119, blandon
- turkey hill minit markets 950120, reading
- turkey hill minit markets 950124, hereford
- turkey hill minit markets 950126, leesport
- turkey hill minit markets 950195, mohnton
- turkey hill minit markets 950233, reading
- turkey hill minit markets 950242, reading
- turkey hill minit markets 950244, reading
- turkey hill minit markets 950257, birdsboro
- turkey hill minit markets 950292, reading
- universal mart, laureldale
- wawa 147, reading
- wawa 153, reading
- wawa 166, reading
- wawa 274, reading
- wawa 282, douglassville
- wawa 286, sinking springs
- wawa 8010, reading
- warren st. sunoco, reading
- washington tower market, reading
- wawa 8051, hamburg
- wawa 8109, reading
- wawa 8119, leesport
- wawa 8129, morgantown,
- wawa 8155, hereford
- wawa store 8124, wyomissing
- wawa store 8179, robesonia
- wenger's bakery, reading
- winners markets, reading
Combination Grocery/Other · 60
- bb's grocery outlet, lp 4, morgantown
- cvs 10045, reading
- cvs 2969, womelsdorf
- cvs pharmacy 1301, kutztown
- cvs pharmacy 1319, shoemakersville
- cvs pharmacy 1321, reading
- cvs pharmacy 1769, leesport
- cvs pharmacy 1923, reading
- cvs pharmacy 3242, reading
- cvs pharmacy 4064, reading
- cvs pharmacy 5065, blandon
- cvs pharmacy 5734, reading
- cvs pharmacy 7838, douglassville
- dollar general 0497, hamburg
- dollar general 13695, boyertown
- dollar general 13791, blandon
- dollar general 18310, douglassville
- dollar general 19767, shartlesville
- dollar general 3968, morgantown
- dollar general 4919, mount penn
- dollar general 7212, reading
- dollar tree 1722, reading
- dollartree 11509, reading
- dollar general 10271, topton
- dollar general 1058, kutztown
- dollar general 11920, reading
- dollar general 13403, robesonia
- dollar general 14593, reading
- dollar general 15084, shillington
- dollar general 15282, bethel
- dollar general 15584, birdsboro
- dollar general 15647, leesport
- dollar general 20208, fleetwood
- dollar general 24028, womelsdorf
- dollar general 24213, lenhartsville
- dollar general 25686, mohrsville
- dollar tree 1339, reading
- dollar tree 1437, reading
- dollar tree 1649, shillington
- dollar tree 1682, reading
- dollar tree 2361, kutztown
- dollar tree 4658, temple
- dollar tree 5139, hamburg
- dollar tree 5954, reading
- dollar tree 7056, blandon
- dollar tree 7297, sinking spring
- dollar tree 9013, reading
- family dollar 11484, wernersville
- family dollar 11609, reading
- family dollar 11670, reading
- family dollar 8416, reading
- family dollar 8494, reading
- family dollar store 6825, reading
- family dollar store 7250, reading
- family dollar store 7455, reading
- friendly food mart, reading
- los primos grocery store, reading
- mertztown great valu market, mertztown
- ocean state job lot 608, reading
- walgreens 15937, shillington
Medium Grocery Store · 15
- brubaker bargains, womelsdorf
- burt's farms 426, bechtelsville
- carniceria la union mini market, reading
- dietrichs mts & country store, lenhartsville
- el encanto bakery inc, reading
- el puerto mexican store, reading
- fiesta charra, llc, temple
- fu chao, inc, reading
- jalisco supermarket corp, reading
- jamar groceries, kutztown
- max butcher shop co 1, reading
- pabavany food market inc, reading
- reading opera supermarket, reading
- santa rita grocery, reading
- santa rita grocery 2 santa rita, reading
Small Grocery Store · 14
- 15th & cotton st food market, reading
- a&j minimarket llc 1, reading
- blue marsh market, llc, bernville
- brendaly & estefania grocery, reading
- c & r grocery, reading
- citi sub & grocery store, reading
- caba grocery store, reading
- chestnut mini market 1, reading
- d karina deli grocery store, reading
- d'reyes mini market, reading
- el corillo d. llc, reading
- el encanto grocery inc, reading
- el gallito bakery corporation, reading
- elian mini market, reading
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 10
- hartranft poultry & seafood, reading
- leininger meats inc, reading
- mark martin meats, kutztown
- penn dutch poultry, reading
- sammys poultry, reading
- scrimager family meats, reading
- smoketown meats, llc., reading
- sprecher family meats, reading
- sprechers fresh meats, reading
- wegman's poultry, inc., reading
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 6
- country lane produce, reading
- farm traveler llc, reading
- hoober produce, inc., reading
- lbs. n ozs., reading
- olivia fruitown, reading
- paul keagy produce, reading
Large Grocery Store · 5
- decarlo's food market corpl., reading
- el puente mexican store, reading
- king food supermarket llc, reading
- national fresh supermarket, reading
- salinos leo & son, reading
Farmers' Market · 2
- west reading farmers market, west reading
- west reading farmers market, west reading
Seafood Specialty · 2
- adelphia seafood company, reading
- adelphia seafood company, reading
Showing 250 of 342 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Compare Berks County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Berks County sits inside Pennsylvania (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 Berks County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Berks County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Berks County? ▼
Is Berks County a food desert? ▼
What share of Berks 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.