Signature · 1.7% low-access (5th pct)
Caldwell County, KY
Caldwell County lands in the lower national band on low-access (1.7%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 1.7%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 14.0%
- on SNAP
- 13K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Caldwell County, KY
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ADEQUATE 1.7% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -20.4 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.7% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Bath County (+ 0.0 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Caldwell County lands in the lower national band (1.7%, #2,975 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,975
- national by low-access %
- #96
- in KY
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 73
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 1.7% low-access (5th pct) (-20.4 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Caldwell County compares nationally
Food access in Caldwell County compares favorably nationally: its 1.7% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 5% of them (rank #2,975).
Caldwell County's lower-band USDA tier split
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 3 of Caldwell County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Caldwell County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Kentucky, not a full county-board reprint
- Robertson
Robertson 74.8%
74.8 % low-access
- Cumberland 1.9
Cumberland 1.9%
1.9 % low-access
- Rowan 1.8
Rowan 1.8%
1.8 % low-access
- Caldwell 1.7
Caldwell 1.7%
1.7 % low-access
- Bath 1.7
Bath 1.7%
1.7 % low-access
- Clinton 1.6
Clinton 1.6%
1.6 % low-access
- Ballard 0
Ballard 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 12,984 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 217 |
| Low-Access Share | 1.7%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 73 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 12,618 |
| Median Household Income | $59,583 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.1%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 701 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.0%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.7%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.7% |
SNAP retailers in Caldwell County
Caldwell County has 17 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 7 locations (41% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
2 towns share the 17 authorized stores; Princeton holds 88% of them. 1 of the 2 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Fredonia.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Princeton | 15 | 4 |
| Fredonia | 2 | none |
Convenience Store · 7
- blue spring market, princeton
- casey's 3330, princeton
- circle k 4703356, princeton
- fredonia food market, fredonia
- ideal market 15, princeton
- max's 110, princeton
- pleasant valley bulk food llc, princeton
Combination Grocery/Other · 5
- cvs pharmacy 4637, princeton
- dollar general 8687, princeton
- dollar general 11689, fredonia
- dollar general 23074, princeton
- dollar tree 5454, princeton
Super Store · 2
- ruler 322, princeton
- walmart 204, princeton
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- h c newsom's store, princeton
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- b & h butcher block, princeton
Supermarket · 1
- food giant 518, princeton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Kentucky
One of 119 counties in Kentucky, 6 are shown here.
Compare Caldwell County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →
Counties near Caldwell County's lower low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Caldwell County, both outside Kentucky so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside KY (1.7% here).
- Kent County, MD · 1.7% low-access
- Huntingdon County, PA · 1.7% low-access
- Russell County, VA · 1.7% low-access
- Marquette County, WI · 1.7% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside KY (14.0% here).
- Wayne County, IL · 14.0% SNAP
- Shelby County, IL · 14.0% SNAP
- Howell County, MO · 14.0% SNAP
- Schenectady County, NY · 14.0% 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.
Kentucky among East South Central states
Kentucky ranks 4th of 4 East South Central states by population-weighted low-access (19.8%). Caldwell County, at 1.7%, runs 18.1 pts below the Kentucky rate.
- Tennessee 27.2%
- Mississippi 26.4%
- Alabama 24.5%
- Kentucky 19.8%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Caldwell County, KY are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 21033. 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.