County food-access profile · Pennsylvania
Butler County, PA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Butler 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).
- 24.3%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 9.0%
- on SNAP
- 197K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
24.3% of Butler County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 44 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 17
- low-access tracts
- 6K
- food-desert residents
- 5.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 8.1%
- 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 Butler County's low-access share at 24.3%, above the national share. 17 of the county's 44 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 44,732 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,863 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 Butler County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Butler County's 24.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 57% of them and ranked #1,347 most-affected nationwide.
Butler County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 44 census tracts in Butler County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Butler County vs. other Pennsylvania counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Pennsylvania
- Butler
Butler County, PA
24.3 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, PA
15.9 % low-access
- Allegheny
Allegheny County, PA
26.4 % low-access
- Armstrong 5.2
Armstrong County, PA
5.2 % low-access
- Beaver
Beaver County, PA
32.5 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, PA
22.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 44 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 183,862 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 17 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 44,732 |
| Low-Access Share | 24.3%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 5,863 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 197,254 |
| Median Household Income | $89,843 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.1%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 7,285 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.0%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.5%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.8% |
About 9.0% of Butler County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 24.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 7,285 households here.
- 5.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 1 tract 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 Butler County
above the national share
1 of Butler County's 44 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 2.3% of all its tracts.
A further 16 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 17.
An estimated 44,732 residents, roughly 24.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 5,863 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 27 tracts (61.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Butler County
Butler County has 143 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 62 locations (43% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 62
- 7-eleven 35896j, evans city
- 7-eleven 40232h, butler
- 7-eleven store 40119t, seven fields
- 7-eleven store 2701 36148b, cranberry township
- aplus 40168h, butler
- b & e mini mart, renfrew
- bfs foods 51, butler
- bizkut convenience llc, butler
- bp mars, mars
- butler food mart, butler
- butler one stop inc, butler
- butler tobacco & grocery llc, butler
- casper's annandale station, hilliards
- coen markets 1228, valencia
- cranberry mini mart, cranberry township
- cranberry super mini mart, cranberry township
- ez stop, butler
- freedom market, llc., cranberry township
- fureys market, fenelton
- getgo 3019, cranberry township
- getgo 3030, butler
- getgo 3131, cranberry township
- getgo 3135, sarver
- getgo 3304, mars
- getgo 3305, mars
- getgo 3500, butler
- giant 916, mars
- giant penn 911 911, harmony
- giant penn 918, valencia
- hilltop minimart, butler
- kwik fill 278, butler
- kwik fill 282, prospect
- last minit mart, portersville
- laziza market inc, butler
- love's travel stop 731, slippery rock
- oneida valley grocery llc, hilliards
- par mar store 57, saxonburg
- par mar store 58, sarver
- petrolia mini mart, inc., petrolia
- pilot travel center 81, portersville
- planet mart 20, mars
- planet mart 21, butler
- quick stop butler, butler
- rebel 911, zelienople
- saxon country market, llc, saxonburg
- sheetz 121, harrisville
- sheetz 133, cranberry twp
- sheetz 217, butler
- sheetz 250, butler
- sheetz 335, butler
- sheetz 402, sarver
- sheetz 521, cranberry township
- sheetz 549, butler
- sheetz 618, butler
- sheetz 75, slippery rock
- sheetz 756, valencia
- sheetz 784, cranberry township
- speedway 2922, lyndora
- ta barkeyville 067, harrisville
- uniexpress, evans city
- university korner, butler
- whitestown market, butler
Combination Grocery/Other · 44
- adams township getgo 3304, adams township
- cvs 2589, mars
- cvs pharmacy 4029, cranberry twp
- dollar general 14300, butler
- dollar general 18160, butler
- dollar general 18994, karns city
- dollar general 19698, eau claire
- dollar general 2758, butler
- dollar general 3322, butler
- dollar general 7458, slippery rock
- dollar general 8249, saxonburg
- dollar general 8585, chicora
- dollar general 8757, butler
- dollar general 8978, butler
- dewalts health food store, butler
- dollar general 13218, harrisville
- dollar general 14687, prospect
- dollar general 15723, butler
- dollar general 16803, slippery rock
- dollar general 16976, butler
- dollar general 21205, parker
- dollar general 21207, sarver
- dollar general 21740, fenelton
- dollar general 24160, slippery rock
- dollar general 24233, harmony
- dollar general 24487, evans city
- dollar general 25254, butler
- dollar general 30798, slippery rock
- dollar general 30880, butler
- dollar general 31173, slippery rock
- dollar general store 17413, sarver
- dollar genral 18120, portersville
- dollar tree 186, cranberry township
- dollar tree 233, butler
- dollar tree 4263, harmony
- dollar tree 6591, slippery rock
- dollar tree 8483, mars
- dollartree 6349, butler
- family dollar 12641, butler township
- family dollar store 4262, butler
- frankferd farms foods, saxonburg
- walgreens 10894, butler
- walgreens 11812, cranberry twp
- walgreens 11865, zelienople
Super Store · 18
- butler farm mkt inc, renfrew
- clearview giant eagle 1208, butler
- costco wholesale 0328, cranberry township
- cranberry giant eagle 1665, cranberry twp
- cranberry shop n save, cranberry township
- fresh thyme market 453cra, cranberry township
- giant eagle 42, seven fields
- giant eagle buffalo township 23, sarver
- moraine pointe giant eagle 1209, butler
- northgate bi-lo, harmony
- sam's club 4859, butler
- slippery rock giant eagle 670, slippery rock
- sprankle's neighborhood market, saxonburg
- target store 1259, cranberry twp
- target store 1414, butler
- the sharp shopper, inc., butler
- walmart supercenter 1770, cranberry twp
- walmart supercenter 1885, butler
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 5
- elluinger's meats, zelienople
- henry's meat market, cranberry township
- mckruit meat packing, cabot
- schnurs country market, butler
- thoma meat market, saxonburg
Supermarket · 5
- aldi 69011, valencia
- aldi 69013, harmony
- aldi 69039, butler
- aldi 70, cranberry township
- aldi 95, butler
Large Grocery Store · 4
- fairground market, prospect
- henry's market, harrisville
- prospect corner store, prospect
- slater's meats and more, karns city
Small Grocery Store · 2
- ace of evans city, evans city
- broses superette 7242854177, butler
Delivery Route · 1
- the produce cart, butler
Farmers' Market · 1
- cranberry town square market, cranberry township
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- holy kow llc, portersville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Compare Butler County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Butler County sits inside Pennsylvania (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 Butler County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Butler County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Butler County? ▼
Is Butler County a food desert? ▼
What share of Butler County 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.