PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Kentucky

Boyd County, KY

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

34.2%
low-access pop.
5
food-desert tracts
17.3%
on SNAP
48K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KY

The food-access picture

34.2% of Boyd County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 13 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

7
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
8.4%
households, no vehicle
16.9%
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 Boyd County's low-access share at 34.2%, above the national share. 7 of the county's 13 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 16,950 people. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 6,243 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 Boyd County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Boyd County's 34.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 79% of them and ranked #656 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Boyd County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 13 census tracts in Boyd 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 Boyd County, KY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 6 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 5 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 13 tracts evaluated. 6 tracts adequate (46.2%) 2 tracts limited (15.4%) 5 tracts severe / food desert (38.5%) Adequate 46% Limited 15% Severe 38% Food-access tier distribution: Boyd County, KY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Boyd County vs. other Kentucky counties

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

% 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 Boyd County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts13
Atlas Population (2010 basis)49,542
Low-Access Tracts7
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)5
Low-Access Population16,950
Low-Access Share34.2%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population6,243

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Boyd County
IndicatorValue
Population47,911
Median Household Income$61,118
Poverty Rate16.9%above the national average
SNAP Households3,341
SNAP Participation Rate17.3%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.4%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.2%
SNAP participation in Boyd County 17.3%

About 17.3% of Boyd County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 34.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 17.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,341 households here.
  • 8.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 5 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 Boyd County

above the national share

5 of Boyd County's 13 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 38.5% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 7.

An estimated 16,950 residents, roughly 34.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 6,243 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 6 tracts (46.2%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Boyd County

Boyd County has 54 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 30 locations (56% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 30

  • americas quickmart #18, catlettsburg
  • ashland quick stop n/a, ashland
  • b&m market llc, ashland
  • certified oil 4408, ashland
  • clark's pump-n-shop 1, ashland
  • clark's pump-n-shop 2, catlettsburg
  • clark's pump-n-shop 21, ashland
  • clark's pump-n-shop 23, ashland
  • clark's pump-n-shop 32, catlettsburg
  • clark's pump-n-shop 42, catlettsburg
  • clark's pump-n-shop 43, ashland
  • clark's pump-n-shop 49, ashland
  • clark's pump-n-shop 58, rush
  • clark's pump-n-shop 71, ashland
  • exxon tiger express 14, ashland
  • flowers bakery outlet 445, ashland
  • galleria tiger mart 13, ashland
  • j&r market llc, ashland
  • mud slingers country store, rush
  • par mar store 32 32, ashland
  • pilot travel center 660, cannonsburg
  • racers foodmart, ashland
  • speedway 9517, ashland
  • speedway 9550, ashland
  • speedway 9569, catlettsburg
  • speedway 9603, ashland
  • super quik food store 009, ashland
  • speedway 9924, ashland
  • summit smart stop 06, ashland
  • zip zone express 13, catlettsburg

Combination Grocery/Other · 16

  • cvs pharmacy 6347, ashland
  • dollar general 0337, ashland
  • dollar general 18188, ashland
  • dollar general 18940, ashland
  • dollar general 3383, ashland
  • dollar general 4960, ashland
  • dollartree 8202, ashland
  • dollar general 14731, catlettsburg
  • dollar general 22833, ashland
  • dollar tree 2304, ashland
  • dollar tree 4063, ashland
  • dollar tree 6744, ashland
  • family dollar 12414, catlettsburg
  • family dollar store 5682, ashland
  • opell meats, llc, catlettsburg
  • walgreens 19356, ashland

Super Store · 5

  • ashland food fair, ashland
  • kroger 783, ashland
  • kroger 796, ashland
  • walmart 2638, ashland
  • walmart supercenter 1426, ashland

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 009, ashland
  • houchens save a lot 120, ashland

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • white's custom meats inc., ashland

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Kentucky

Adair County
6.5% low-access · 16.9% SNAP
Allen County
21.7% low-access · 14.1% SNAP
Anderson County
7.8% low-access · 7.5% SNAP
Ballard County
0.0% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Barren County
15.5% low-access · 16.3% SNAP
Bath County
1.7% low-access · 19.6% SNAP

Compare Boyd County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →

Food access nationally, Kentucky in context

Boyd County sits inside Kentucky (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 Boyd County has low food access? ▼
34.2% of residents in Boyd County, KY 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 Boyd County? ▼
17.3% of households in Boyd County receive SNAP, covering 3,341 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Boyd County? ▼
The poverty rate in Boyd County, KY is 16.9%, with a median household income of $61,118 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Boyd County a food desert? ▼
5 of Boyd County's 13 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 Boyd County households lack a vehicle? ▼
8.4% of households in Boyd 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.