Signature · 3 LILA tracts (75% of tracts)
Bristol city, VA
Bristol city's signature pressure is desert tracts: 3 LILA tracts (75% of the book) alongside 25.3% low-access.
- 25.3%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 22.1%
- on SNAP
- 17K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Bristol city, VA
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 25.3% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +3.2 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 22.1% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 11.7% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 75% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Hanover County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Bristol city ranks #1,265 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #38 of 123 counties in VA (25.3% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #1,265
- national by low-access %
- #38
- in VA
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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: 3 LILA tracts (75% of tracts) .
How Bristol city compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Bristol city's 25.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,273 most-affected nationwide.
Bristol city: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Bristol city has 4 urban and 0 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Bristol city low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Highland
Highland 99.7%
99.7 % low-access
- Spotsylvania 25.5
Spotsylvania 25.5%
25.5 % low-access
- Winchester ci… 25.4
Winchester ci… 25.4%
25.4 % low-access
- Bristol city 25.3
Bristol city 25.3%
25.3 % low-access
- Hanover 25.3
Hanover 25.3%
25.3 % low-access
- Hampton city 25
Hampton city 25%
25 % low-access
- Dickenson 0
Dickenson 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 17,835 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,518 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.3%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,468 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 16,849 |
| Median Household Income | $50,404 |
| Poverty Rate | 18.0%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,599 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 22.1%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 11.7%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.0% |
Thick SNAP store book in Bristol city
Bristol city has 32 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 18 locations (56% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 18
- ambica llc, bristol
- andys market, bristol
- ballpark corner market, bristol
- e z stop, bristol
- fas mart 409, bristol
- go market 1, bristol
- go market 2, bristol
- gold star 1, bristol
- hillbilly food store, bristol
- ian's market #143, bristol
- ian's market #144, bristol
- pantry point, bristol
- quick stop market 38, bristol
- quickee mart, bristol
- roadrunner market 6002, bristol
- royal farms 480, bristol
- sheetz 599, bristol
- stateline tobacco, bristol
Combination Grocery/Other · 8
- cvs pharmacy 7365, bristol
- dollartree 10777, bristol
- dollar general 21, bristol
- dollar general 30192, bristol
- dollar general 3530, bristol
- dollar general store 16675, bristol
- family dollar store 76, bristol
- walgreens 09046, bristol
Supermarket · 3
- food city 821, bristol
- food city 816, bristol
- price less foods 467, bristol
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- jr's produce, bristol
Small Grocery Store · 1
- hillbilly food store, bristol
Super Store · 1
- kroger 335, bristol
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 Bristol city vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Nationwide peers for Bristol city's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Bristol city, both outside Virginia so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside VA (25.3% here).
- Cowlitz County, WA · 25.3% low-access
- Cowlitz County, WA · 25.3% low-access
- Calumet County, WI · 25.3% low-access
- Calumet County, WI · 25.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside VA (22.1% here).
- Haskell County, OK · 22.2% SNAP
- Chowan County, NC · 22.2% SNAP
- Tattnall County, GA · 22.2% SNAP
- Dodge County, GA · 22.2% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Virginia in context
Bristol city sits inside Virginia (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
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 Bristol city, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51520. 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.