County food-access profile · Virginia
Bristol city, VA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Bristol city 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).
- 25.3%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 22.1%
- on SNAP
- 17K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
25.3% of Bristol city residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 4 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
- 11.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 18.0%
- 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 Bristol city's low-access share at 25.3%, above the national share. 3 of the county's 4 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 4,518 people. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,468 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 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
All 4 census tracts in Bristol city, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Bristol city vs. other Virginia counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Virginia
- Bristol city
Bristol city, VA
25.3 % low-access
- Accomack 2.2
Accomack County, VA
2.2 % low-access
- Albemarle
Albemarle County, VA
11.9 % low-access
- Alexandria city 0
Alexandria city, VA
0 % low-access
- Alleghany
Alleghany County, VA
16.4 % low-access
- Amelia
Amelia County, VA
16.5 % 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 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| 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% |
About 22.1% of Bristol city households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 25.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 22.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,599 households here.
- 11.7% 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 Bristol city
above the national share
3 of Bristol city's 4 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 75.0% of all its tracts.
An estimated 4,518 residents, roughly 25.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 2,468 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 1 tract (25.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers 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 retailers.
Other Counties in Virginia
Compare Bristol city vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Food access nationally, Virginia in context
Bristol city sits inside Virginia (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 Bristol city has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Bristol city? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Bristol city? ▼
Is Bristol city a food desert? ▼
What share of Bristol city 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.