Signature · 96 SNAP-authorized stores
Burke County, NC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Burke 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).
- 24.9%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 14.3%
- on SNAP
- 88K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Burke County, NC
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 24.9% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +2.8 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.3% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 17% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Alamance County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Burke County ranks #1,298 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #28 of 100 counties in NC (24.9% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #1,298
- national by low-access %
- #28
- in NC
- 7
- low-access tracts
- 9K
- 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: 96 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Burke County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Burke County's 24.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 58% of them and ranked #1,304 most-affected nationwide.
Burke County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
18 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Burke County has 8 urban and 10 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.
Burke County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in North Carolina, not a full county-board reprint
- Hyde
Hyde 60.5%
60.5 % low-access
- Wake
Wake 25.4%
25.4 % low-access
- Lincoln
Lincoln 25.3%
25.3 % low-access
- Davidson
Davidson 25.2%
25.2 % low-access
- Alamance
Alamance 25%
25 % low-access
- Burke
Burke 24.9%
24.9 % low-access
- Greene 0.1
Greene 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 18 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 90,912 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 7 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 22,646 |
| Low-Access Share | 24.9%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 9,096 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 87,795 |
| Median Household Income | $58,592 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.6%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 5,202 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.3%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.1% |
Thick SNAP store book in Burke County
Burke County has 96 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 48 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 48
- b & s variety, morganton
- brendletown grocery, morganton
- bypass beverage, morganton
- c&w convenience store, morganton
- citgo food mart, morganton
- carbon city quick mart inc., morganton
- chapin store, morganton
- country crossroads, morganton
- country market, morganton
- cubbard express 14, connelly springs
- cubbard express 3, hildebran
- discount beverage, morganton
- discount foods, rutherford college
- drexel quick mart, drexel
- family food mart, rutherford college
- fast stop, valdese
- flowers bakery outlet 765, morganton
- gate service station 401, morganton
- hildebran shell, hildebran
- hillbilly grocery, morganton
- jack b quick 10, morganton
- jack b quick 11, morganton
- jack b quick 6, valdese
- jerrys neighbourhood store, morganton
- knob superette, connelly springs
- kountry market, morganton
- midway mart, morganton
- minit saver market, morganton
- murphy express 8719, morganton
- nouria 1007 jamestown road 252, morganton
- oakhill grocery, morganton
- pit stop, morganton
- quality mart 22 1715, morganton
- rincon hispano, morganton
- royal mart 1, morganton
- run in 114, hildebran
- salem express, morganton
- sheetz 819, morganton
- shop & save 2 1, morganton
- shop n save, morganton
- shop n save, morganton
- shop and save, morganton
- speedway 7962, morganton
- speedway 7964, morganton
- super estrella, morganton
- super tienda maya, morganton
- thrifty mart, morganton
- zion convenience, morganton
Combination Grocery/Other · 28
- big lots 3188, morganton
- cvs pharmacy 3120, rutherford college
- cvs pharmacy 6401, morganton
- cvs pharmacy 7322, hildebran
- dollar general 0362, morganton
- dollar general 14620, morganton
- dollar general 18145, morganton
- dollar general 1926, valdese
- dollar general 7159, morganton
- dollar general 8004, morganton
- dollar general 8924, connelly springs
- dollar tree 888, morganton
- dollartree 6995, valdese
- dollar general 11174, morganton
- dollar general 11394, hildebran
- dollar general 12973, glen alpine
- dollar general 15518, morganton
- dollar general 15866, connelly springs
- dollar general 20019, connelly springs
- dollar general 23541, morganton
- dollar general 30123, nebo
- dollar general 31518, morganton
- dollar general store 16608, morganton
- dollar tree 6799, hildebran
- family dollar 9029, morganton
- mi pais my country inc., morganton
- walgreens 19006, morganton
- xieng khouang, valdese
Supermarket · 7
- aldi 77003 77003, morganton
- food lion 125, morganton
- food lion 1534, morganton
- food lion 2250, morganton
- food lion 2651, hildebran
- food lion 454, valdese
- food lion 865, morganton
Small Grocery Store · 6
- abarroteria zaculeu 2, morganton
- bingo food mart, morganton
- el barrio, morganton
- la esperanza 2 llc, morganton
- panaderia la guatemalteca, morganton
- this and that variety, rutherford college
Super Store · 2
- walmart neighborhood market 7304, morganton
- walmart supercenter 1060, morganton
Farmers' Market · 1
- morganton farmers market, morganton
Large Grocery Store · 1
- food matters markets inc, morganton
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- case farm fresh market, morganton
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- banana box grocery 3, valdese
Seafood Specialty · 1
- fisherman's catch, morganton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in North Carolina
One of 99 counties in North Carolina, 6 are shown here.
Compare Burke County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Nationwide peers for Burke County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Burke County, both outside North Carolina so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NC (24.9% here).
- Chemung County, NY · 24.9% low-access
- Chemung County, NY · 24.9% low-access
- Taylor County, TX · 24.9% low-access
- Taylor County, TX · 24.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NC (14.3% here).
- Fayette County, OH · 14.3% SNAP
- Fayette County, OH · 14.3% SNAP
- Somerset County, PA · 14.3% SNAP
- Somerset County, PA · 14.3% 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, North Carolina in context
Burke County sits inside North Carolina (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 Burke County, NC are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 37023. 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.