PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Georgia

Bulloch County, GA

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

21.3%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
16.5%
on SNAP
83K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 GA

The food-access picture

21.3% of Bulloch County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
5.6%
households, no vehicle
23.0%
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 Bulloch County's low-access share at 21.3%, above the national share. 3 of the county's 12 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 14,945 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,925 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 Bulloch County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Bulloch County's 21.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 50% of them and ranked #1,581 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Bulloch County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Bulloch 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 Bulloch County, GA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (75.0%) 1 tracts limited (8.3%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (16.7%) Adequate 75% Limited 8% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Bulloch County, GA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Bulloch County vs. other Georgia counties

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

% 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 Bulloch County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)70,217
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population14,945
Low-Access Share21.3%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,925

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Bulloch County
IndicatorValue
Population82,683
Median Household Income$58,810
Poverty Rate23.0%well above the national average
SNAP Households5,085
SNAP Participation Rate16.5%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.6%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population7.3%
SNAP participation in Bulloch County 16.5%

About 16.5% of Bulloch County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 21.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 16.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,085 households here.
  • 5.6% 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 Bulloch County

above the national share

2 of Bulloch County's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 16.7% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 14,945 residents, roughly 21.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 5,925 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (75.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Bulloch County

Bulloch County has 95 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 61 locations (64% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 61

  • 301 food & gas, statesboro
  • 301 truck stop, register
  • buddy's truck store, statesboro
  • dixie food mart, statesboro
  • dn12 inc, statesboro
  • eagle mart 2, statesboro
  • fast and easy, statesboro
  • flash foods llc 274251, statesboro
  • flash foods, llc. 129, statesboro
  • flowers bakery outlet 41, statesboro
  • food mart, statesboro
  • g8 stop 1, statesboro
  • g8 stop 2, statesboro
  • garys food mart, statesboro
  • gas pro statesboro 6, statesboro
  • go mart and cafe, statesboro
  • h's food mart, statesboro
  • jay food mart, statesboro
  • jay hari inc, statesboro
  • k & j food mart, statesboro
  • kali food mart, statesboro
  • kevin's food mart, statesboro
  • lakeview point, statesboro
  • m j jalaram inc, statesboro
  • m&o3 inc 1, portal
  • middleground, statesboro
  • murphy usa 6759, statesboro
  • nouria 1609 fair road 753, statesboro
  • nouria 16500 highway 80 east 758, brooklet
  • nouria 17500 highway 301 north 769, statesboro
  • nouria 17792 highway 80 east 767, brooklet
  • nouria 17874 highway 67 770, statesboro
  • nouria 2298 northside drive west 849, statesboro
  • nouria 27215 highway 80 west 766, portal
  • nouria 565 northside drive east 505, statesboro
  • nouria 6640 highway 67 755, brooklet
  • parker's 111, statesboro
  • parker's 112, statesboro
  • parker's 20, statesboro
  • parker's 57, statesboro
  • parkers 41, statesboro
  • parkers 45, statesboro
  • parkers 47, statesboro
  • po jo's country store 3, statesboro
  • po jo's country store 5, statesboro
  • pojo's country store 1, register
  • quick food mart, statesboro
  • radhaykrishna inc 1, statesboro
  • sparker, statesboro
  • stilson country corner inc, stilson
  • sunny food mart, statesboro
  • ta express statesboro 418, register
  • the store at register, register
  • tobacco & more 2, statesboro
  • urmi, brooklet
  • vip stores, statesboro
  • zip n food 11, brooklet
  • zip n food 12, statesboro
  • zip n food 16, statesboro
  • zip n food 8, statesboro
  • zip-n-food # 1, brooklet

Combination Grocery/Other · 19

  • cvs pharmacy 6861, statesboro
  • dollar general 3375, statesboro
  • dollar general 4372, statesboro
  • dollar general 7615, brooklet
  • dollar general 8129, portal
  • dollar tree plus 8958, statesboro
  • dollar general 10385, statesboro
  • dollar general 12159, statesboro
  • dollar general 15662, statesboro
  • dollar general 17993, statesboro
  • dollar general 20718, statesboro
  • dollar general 23530, statesboro
  • dollar general store 17862, brooklet
  • dollar tree 1834, statesboro
  • dollar tree 7371, statesboro
  • family dollar 13876, portal
  • family dollar store 10436, statesboro
  • family dollar store 383, statesboro
  • walgreen 09257, statesboro

Supermarket · 8

  • aldi 76085, statesboro
  • ellis meat plant, statesboro
  • food lion 2825, statesboro
  • food world 792, statesboro
  • food world 793, statesboro
  • kens iga supermarket, brooklet
  • publix super markets, inc. 1733, statesboro
  • save a lot 21319, statesboro

Farmers' Market · 2

  • brooklet farmers market, brooklet
  • statesboro main street farmers market, statesboro

Super Store · 2

  • walmart 754, statesboro
  • walmart neighborhood market 2858, statesboro

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • sunrise produce, brooklet

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • mi san pedro 2, statesboro

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • the lucky hut seafood market, statesboro

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Georgia

Appling County
47.8% low-access · 19.6% SNAP
Atkinson County
23.5% low-access · 26.2% SNAP
Bacon County
3.3% low-access · 20.9% SNAP
Baker County
61.3% low-access · 15.2% SNAP
Baldwin County
24.6% low-access · 16.2% SNAP
Banks County
1.8% low-access · 9.0% SNAP

Compare Bulloch County vs Appling County → · All Georgia counties →

Food access nationally, Georgia in context

Bulloch County sits inside Georgia (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 Bulloch County has low food access? ▼
21.3% of residents in Bulloch County, GA 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 Bulloch County? ▼
16.5% of households in Bulloch County receive SNAP, covering 5,085 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Bulloch County? ▼
The poverty rate in Bulloch County, GA is 23.0%, with a median household income of $58,810 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Bulloch County a food desert? ▼
2 of Bulloch County's 12 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 Bulloch County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.6% of households in Bulloch 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.