County food-access profile · Tennessee
Bradley County, TN
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Bradley 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).
- 32.9%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 11.7%
- on SNAP
- 111K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
32.9% of Bradley County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 19 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 12
- low-access tracts
- 12K
- food-desert residents
- 5.3%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.7%
- 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 Bradley County's low-access share at 32.9%, above the national share. 12 of the county's 19 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 32,535 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 12,241 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 Bradley County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Bradley County's 32.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 76% of them and ranked #748 most-affected nationwide.
Bradley County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 19 census tracts in Bradley County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Bradley County vs. other Tennessee counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Tennessee
- Bradley
Bradley County, TN
32.9 % low-access
- Anderson 10.9
Anderson County, TN
10.9 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, TN
23 % low-access
- Benton 12.6
Benton County, TN
12.6 % low-access
- Bledsoe 4.7
Bledsoe County, TN
4.7 % low-access
- Blount
Blount County, TN
30.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 19 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 98,963 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 12 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 32,535 |
| Low-Access Share | 32.9%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 12,241 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 111,065 |
| Median Household Income | $66,552 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.7%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 4,973 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.7%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.5% |
About 11.7% of Bradley County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 32.9% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 11.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,973 households here.
- 5.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 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 Bradley County
above the national share
6 of Bradley County's 19 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 31.6% of all its tracts.
A further 6 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 12.
An estimated 32,535 residents, roughly 32.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 12,241 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 7 tracts (36.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Bradley County
Bradley County has 119 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 69 locations (58% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 69
- almart supermarket, cleveland
- ance 11, cleveland
- benton pike market 0, cleveland
- buddy's corner market, cleveland
- charleston 1, charleston
- charleston 2, charleston
- charleston exxon 4233365003, charleston
- circle k 4703629, cleveland
- circle k 4703630, cleveland
- circle k 4703632, cleveland
- circle k 4703633, cleveland
- circle k 4703638, cleveland
- circle k 4703639, cleveland
- cleveland country mart, cleveland
- country grocery & tobacco outlet, cleveland
- dalton pike corp, cleveland
- dalton pike market, cleveland
- ez stop food mart 28, mcdonald
- eagle express, cleveland
- eagle mart inc., cleveland
- exit corner, cleveland
- harry's 1, cleveland
- harry's 12, cleveland
- harry's 15, cleveland
- harry's 16, cleveland
- harry's 17, cleveland
- harry's 18, cleveland
- harry's 20, cleveland
- harry's 21, cleveland
- harry's 25, cleveland
- harry's 36, cleveland
- harry's 37, cleveland
- harry's 38, cleveland
- harry's 39, cleveland
- harry's 42, cleveland
- harry's 54, charleston
- harry's 8, cleveland
- harrys 14, georgetown
- island oasis 2, cleveland
- island oasis 3, cleveland
- island oasis 4, cleveland
- island oasis 5, cleveland
- island oasis 6, cleveland
- jay verai inc 0, cleveland
- kanji, old fort
- kk fuel stop, cleveland
- la esmeralda market, cleveland
- los gumaros, cleveland
- love's travel stops & country stores, inc 364, charleston
- mapco express, inc. 3655, cleveland
- mapco express, inc. 3665, old fort
- mcdonald quick stop, mc donald
- misha yana inc dba abc c store 1, cleveland
- mr. zip 561, cleveland
- murphy usa 5682, cleveland
- murphy usa 7026, cleveland
- one stop shop, cleveland
- pilot travel center 481, mcdonald
- quick check #2, cleveland
- quick check 3, cleveland
- quick check market, cleveland
- racetrac 2545, cleveland
- racetrac 2547, cleveland
- riddhi & viko llc dba food mart 2, cleveland
- speedway 7126 7126, cleveland
- speedway 7135, cleveland
- speedway 7162, cleveland
- sunrise food mart, cleveland
- weigels 1110, cleveland
Combination Grocery/Other · 30
- cvs pharmacy 3206, cleveland
- cvs pharmacy 3784, cleveland
- dollar general 13818, cleveland
- dollar general 2248, cleveland
- dollar general 4781, cleveland
- dollar general 6355, charleston
- dollar general 6756, cleveland
- dollartree 9476, cleveland
- dollartree 9646, cleveland
- dollartree plus 9078, cleveland
- dollar general 10285, cleveland
- dollar general 10501, georgetown
- dollar general 11521, cleveland
- dollar general 14567, cleveland
- dollar general 15633, cleveland
- dollar general 16742, mcdonald
- dollar general 17107, cleveland
- dollar general 1723, cleveland
- dollar general 19706, cleveland
- dollar general 22486, cleveland
- dollar general 25304, cleveland
- dollar general 30723, cleveland
- dollar tree 150, cleveland
- dollar tree 3761, cleveland
- family dollar store 284, cleveland
- family dollar store 314, cleveland
- walgreen 07540, cleveland
- walgreens 11732, cleveland
- walgreens 12049, cleveland
- walgreens 4201, cleveland
Supermarket · 8
- aldi 70089, cleveland
- aldi 70110, cleveland
- food lion 0941, cleveland
- food city 712, cleveland
- food city 739, cleveland
- food city 743, cleveland
- publix 1356, cleveland
- save a lot, cleveland
Small Grocery Store · 4
- carniceria y restaurante rivero llc, cleveland
- la luna market, cleveland
- tienda la economica llc, cleveland
- tienda y tortilleria villatoro, cleveland
Large Grocery Store · 3
- discovery outlet, cleveland
- grocery outlet 2, cleveland
- piggly wiggly 6, charleston
Super Store · 3
- target t-2367, cleveland
- walmart 698, cleveland
- walmart s/c 5263, cleveland
Bakery Specialty · 1
- chihuahua's tortillas & bakery 01, cleveland
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- super carniecria loa 9, cleveland
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Tennessee
Compare Bradley County vs Anderson County → · All Tennessee counties →
Food access nationally, Tennessee in context
Bradley County sits inside Tennessee (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 Bradley County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Bradley County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Bradley County? ▼
Is Bradley County a food desert? ▼
What share of Bradley 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.