PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Buckingham County, VA

Buckingham 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.

13.0%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
17.0%
on SNAP
17K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

13.0% of Buckingham County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 4 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
859
food-desert residents
6.8%
households, no vehicle
12.5%
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).

Buckingham County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 13.0% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 4 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 2,233 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 859 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 Buckingham County compares nationally

Buckingham County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 13.0% low-access share that beats 28% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,271).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Buckingham County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 4 census tracts in Buckingham 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 Buckingham County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 4 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (50.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (50.0%) Adequate 50% Limited 0% Severe 50% Food-access tier distribution: Buckingham County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Buckingham County vs. other Virginia counties

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

% 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 Buckingham County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts4
Atlas Population (2010 basis)17,146
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population2,233
Low-Access Share13.0%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population859

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Buckingham County
IndicatorValue
Population16,976
Median Household Income$60,828
Poverty Rate12.5%below the national average
SNAP Households1,065
SNAP Participation Rate17.0%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.8%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population12.8%
SNAP participation in Buckingham County 17.0%

About 17.0% of Buckingham County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 13.0% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 17.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,065 households here.
  • 6.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Buckingham County

near the national share

2 of Buckingham County's 4 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 50.0% of all its tracts.

An estimated 2,233 residents, roughly 13.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 859 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 2 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Buckingham County

Buckingham County has 18 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 11 locations (61% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 11

  • alis place - scottsville sunoco, scottsville
  • bryant's grocery & suppl, new canton
  • chuck stop 1, dillwyn
  • dillwyn food mart, dillwyn
  • fas mart 10, dillwyn
  • jax mart, new canton
  • millbrook country corner llc, farmville
  • n c mart, new canton
  • route 20 market, dillwyn
  • route 60 convenience, buckingham
  • the market at dillwyn, dillwyn

Combination Grocery/Other · 4

  • dollar general 1360, dillwyn
  • dollar general 17919, new canton
  • family dollar 13384, new canton
  • family dollar 6244, dillwyn

Farmers' Market · 1

  • buckingham farmers and artisans market, dillwyn

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • spring hollow market, dillwyn

Supermarket · 1

  • food lion 1576, dillwyn

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

Accomack County
2.2% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Albemarle County
11.9% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Alexandria city
0.0% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Alleghany County
16.4% low-access · 8.1% SNAP
Amelia County
16.5% low-access · 13.4% SNAP
Amherst County
11.3% low-access · 10.5% SNAP

Compare Buckingham County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Buckingham County sits inside Virginia (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 Buckingham County has low food access? ▼
13.0% of residents in Buckingham County, VA 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 Buckingham County? ▼
17.0% of households in Buckingham County receive SNAP, covering 1,065 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Buckingham County? ▼
The poverty rate in Buckingham County, VA is 12.5%, with a median household income of $60,828 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Buckingham County a food desert? ▼
2 of Buckingham County's 4 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 Buckingham County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.8% of households in Buckingham 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.