County food-access profile · North Carolina
Cabarrus County, NC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Cabarrus 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).
- 31.7%
- low-access pop.
- 7
- food-desert tracts
- 10.3%
- on SNAP
- 236K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
31.7% of Cabarrus County residents live in a low-access area, and 7 of its 37 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 19
- low-access tracts
- 15K
- food-desert residents
- 4.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 9.3%
- 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 Cabarrus County's low-access share at 31.7%, above the national share. 19 of the county's 37 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 56,366 people. 7 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 14,719 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 Cabarrus County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Cabarrus County's 31.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 73% of them and ranked #833 most-affected nationwide.
Cabarrus County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 37 census tracts in Cabarrus County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Cabarrus County vs. other North Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in North Carolina
- Cabarrus
Cabarrus County, NC
31.7 % low-access
- Alamance
Alamance County, NC
25 % low-access
- Alexander
Alexander County, NC
20.4 % low-access
- Alleghany 4.3
Alleghany County, NC
4.3 % low-access
- Anson 8.4
Anson County, NC
8.4 % low-access
- Ashe
Ashe County, NC
22.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 37 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 178,011 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 19 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 7 |
| Low-Access Population | 56,366 |
| Low-Access Share | 31.7%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 14,719 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 236,133 |
| Median Household Income | $89,005 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.3%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 8,695 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.3%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.0%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.7% |
About 10.3% of Cabarrus County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 31.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 8,695 households here.
- 4.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 7 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 Cabarrus County
above the national share
7 of Cabarrus County's 37 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 18.9% of all its tracts.
A further 12 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 19.
An estimated 56,366 residents, roughly 31.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 14,719 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 18 tracts (48.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Cabarrus County
Cabarrus County has 157 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 63 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 63
- 2701868.0 1868, concord
- 7-eleven 37110h, concord
- 7-eleven 41140h, concord
- 7-eleven 42368h, kannapolis
- 7-eleven #35550b 35550b, concord
- 7-eleven #41347a 41347a, huntersville
- aj's food mart, mount pleasant
- b&d mart 17390, midland
- branchview express, concord
- coddle creek grocery 3, davidson
- cabarrus corner store, concord
- circle k 1490, concord
- circle k 1492, concord
- circle k 2706616, harrisburg
- circle k 2721524, concord
- circle k 272860, concord
- circle k 5103, concord
- circle k 8378, harrisburg
- circle k store 8387, mount pleasant
- circle k stores inc 3951, concord
- city food mart, concord
- danny's enterprises llc, concord
- express food mart, kannapolis
- family v mini mart, concord
- flowers bakery outlet 488, concord
- flowers bakery outlet 740, concord
- gate service station 417, charlotte
- gate service station 418, concord
- goodguys mart & tobacco, concord
- han-dee hugo's 229, kannapolis
- han-dee hugo's 232, kannapolis
- han-dee hugo's 233, kannapolis
- k & m corner stop, concord
- kens's quick stop, concord
- la pequena mexican store, kannapolis
- murphy express 8738, concord
- murphy usa 5525, kannapolis
- odell grocery 6, concord
- pilot travel center 56, kannapolis
- prime express kannapolis, concord
- quiktrip 1003, kannapolis
- quiktrip 1012, concord
- quiktrip 1021, concord
- quiktrip 1022, kannapolis
- quiktrip 1025, concord
- quiktrip 1030, concord
- quiktrip 1031, harrisburg
- quiktrip 1044, kannapolis
- quiktrip 1023, concord
- raceway bp 3, concord
- sam's mini stop, concord
- sam's union stop, concord
- sams mart 95, harrisburg
- sara food mart, concord
- shoprite markets 107, kannapolis
- shoprite markets #10, concord
- speedway 7974, midland
- speedway 7984, kannapolis
- speedway 7985, kannapolis
- speedway 7987, concord
- speedway 7988, concord
- the mills mart, concord
- yaya mini mart, kannapolis
Combination Grocery/Other · 44
- cvs pharmacy 1643, davidson
- cvs pharmacy 2749, concord
- cvs pharmacy 3435, concord
- cvs pharmacy 3529, kannapolis
- cvs pharmacy 3856, concord
- cvs pharmacy 5463, charlotte
- cvs pharmacy 7054, harrisburg
- dollar general 17858, concord
- dollar general 18115, concord
- dollar general 2829, kannapolis
- dollar general 3424, kannapolis
- dollar general 6096, mt pleasant
- dollar general 8159, kannapolis
- dollartree 8955, kannapolis
- dollartree 9376, concord
- dollar general 10100, kannapolis
- dollar general 11597, kannapolis
- dollar general 19644, kannapolis
- dollar general 20459, gold hill
- dollar general 20542, concord
- dollar general 23379, concord
- dollar general 9221, concord
- dollar tree 1104, kannapolis
- dollar tree 1501, concord
- dollar tree 3022, harrisburg
- dollar tree 33, concord
- dollar tree 4065, concord
- dollar tree 4861, kannapolis
- dollar tree 5609, concord
- dollar tree 7975, concord
- family dollar 11877, concord
- family dollar 1798, mount pleasant
- family dollar 251, concord
- family dollar 6600, kannapolis
- family dollar 737, concord
- family dollar 95, kannapolis
- safari global market charlotte, concord
- walgreen 04870, concord
- walgreen 04871, kannapolis
- walgreen 07699, concord
- walgreens 07767, concord
- walgreens 10253, concord
- walgreens 11446, harrisburg
- walgreens 15253, kannapolis
Supermarket · 23
- aldi 44031 44031, harrisburg
- aldi 66083, kannapolis
- aldi 66095, concord
- barbee ventures, llc, concord
- earth fare 165, concord
- food lion 1284, kannapolis
- food lion 1453, concord
- food lion 1552, concord
- food lion 1621, concord
- food lion 203, concord
- food lion 2625, concord
- food lion 377, concord
- food lion 6, kannapolis
- food lion 740, mt pleasant
- food lion 755, kannapolis
- food lion 998, concord
- food lion 2214, harrisburg
- lowes food store 210, harrisburg
- la mexicana, kannapolis
- lowes foods 282, concord
- publix 1490, concord
- publix 1555, harrisburg
- sysco food services of charlotte 48, concord
Super Store · 14
- bj's membership club 134, concord
- compare foods supermarket 840, concord
- harris teeter 046, charlotte
- harris teeter 068, concord
- harris teeter 202, concord
- harris teeter 190, concord
- harris teeter 92, harrisburg
- lidl 1163, concord
- sam's club 4797, kannapolis
- target store t-2169, concord
- walmart neighborhood market 6586, concord
- walmart store 2005, kannapolis
- walmart supercenter 1027, concord
- walmart supercenter 4574, concord
Medium Grocery Store · 7
- cruse meat processing, concord
- cancun supermarket, kannapolis
- la palma, concord
- la palma supermarket na, concord
- mi refugio supermarket, concord
- mipais latino supermaket inc, concord
- united food mart 3, concord
Farmers' Market · 2
- piedmont farmer's market, concord
- the farm at dover vineyards, concord
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- mark plott inc dba farm fresh market, kannapolis
Large Grocery Store · 1
- super mercado lupitas inc, concord
Seafood Specialty · 1
- td seafood market, kannapolis
Small Grocery Store · 1
- los tres hermanos mini market corp, concord
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in North Carolina
Compare Cabarrus County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, North Carolina in context
Cabarrus County sits inside North Carolina (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 Cabarrus County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Cabarrus County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Cabarrus County? ▼
Is Cabarrus County a food desert? ▼
What share of Cabarrus 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.