PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Kentucky

Campbell County, KY

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

39.1%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
6.2%
on SNAP
93K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KY

The food-access picture

39.1% of Campbell County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 25 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

12
low-access tracts
8K
food-desert residents
5.7%
households, no vehicle
11.1%
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 Campbell County's low-access share at 39.1%, above the national share. 12 of the county's 25 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 35,334 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 8,044 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 Campbell County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Campbell County's 39.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 86% of them and ranked #435 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Campbell County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 25 census tracts in Campbell 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 Campbell County, KY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 13 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 11 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 25 tracts evaluated. 13 tracts adequate (52.0%) 11 tracts limited (44.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (4.0%) Adequate 52% Limited 44% Severe 4% Food-access tier distribution: Campbell County, KY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Campbell County vs. other Kentucky counties

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

% 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 Campbell County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts25
Atlas Population (2010 basis)90,336
Low-Access Tracts12
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population35,334
Low-Access Share39.1%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population8,044

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Campbell County
IndicatorValue
Population93,426
Median Household Income$77,567
Poverty Rate11.1%below the national average
SNAP Households2,445
SNAP Participation Rate6.2%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.7%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.6%
SNAP participation in Campbell County 6.2%

About 6.2% of Campbell County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 39.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 6.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,445 households here.
  • 5.7% 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 Campbell County

above the national share

1 of Campbell County's 25 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 4.0% of all its tracts.

A further 11 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 12.

An estimated 35,334 residents, roughly 39.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 8,044 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 13 tracts (52.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Campbell County

Campbell County has 60 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 29 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 29

  • ameristop food mart, bellevue
  • bp silvergrove, highland heights
  • circle k 4703207, newport
  • circle k 4703208, alexandria
  • circle k 4703320, dayton
  • cold spring mini mart, cold spring
  • dayton marathon, dayton
  • ft thomas shell, fort thomas
  • joe's kwik marts 806, highland heights
  • kwick food mart llc 1, melbourne
  • mcintosh grocery, newport
  • meijer gas station 168, cold spring
  • mt olivet 1st stop 96, southgate
  • newport mart llc - newportmart, newport
  • one stop fuel mart, llc, bellevue
  • prince carry out n/a, newport
  • r&m petroleum, alexandria
  • rickbob 2 corporation, fort thomas
  • speedway 5550, newport
  • shell food mart, cold spring
  • shiv sankar corp, newport
  • south side deli mart 29025, fort thomas
  • speedway 7407, highland heights
  • speedway 7408, alexandria
  • speedway 9583 9583, newport
  • speedway 9601, alexandria
  • speedway 9721, cold spring
  • thorntons llc 264555, highland heights
  • uma inc dba ameristop food mart, wilder

Combination Grocery/Other · 17

  • dollar general 10865, alexandria
  • dollar general 2718, newport
  • dollar general 12281, silver grove
  • dollar general 13252, alexandria
  • dollar general 30001, alexandria
  • dollar tree 3103, newport
  • dollar tree 3446, alexandria
  • family dollar 2981, bellevue
  • family dollar 5077, newport
  • family dollar 5192, dayton
  • united dairy farmers 132, wilder
  • united dairy farmers 148, bellevue
  • united dairy farmers 160, wilder
  • united dairy farmers 167, alexandria
  • walgreens 7346, newport
  • walgreens 11495, alexandria
  • walgreens 4284, highland heights

Super Store · 8

  • fresh thyme market 801nwp, newport
  • kroger 359, bellevue
  • kroger 410, cold spring
  • kroger 946, cold springs
  • kroger 423, newport
  • meijer 168, cold spring
  • target t-2483, newport
  • walmart supercenter 1961, alexandria

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • churchill market, newport
  • hansman's corner market and deli, dayton
  • la placita tienda latina, newport

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 61085 61085, newport
  • crossroads iga 757, california

Farmers' Market · 1

  • fort thomas farmers market, fort thomas

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Kentucky

Adair County
6.5% low-access · 16.9% SNAP
Allen County
21.7% low-access · 14.1% SNAP
Anderson County
7.8% low-access · 7.5% SNAP
Ballard County
0.0% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Barren County
15.5% low-access · 16.3% SNAP
Bath County
1.7% low-access · 19.6% SNAP

Compare Campbell County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →

Food access nationally, Kentucky in context

Campbell County sits inside Kentucky (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 Campbell County has low food access? ▼
39.1% of residents in Campbell County, KY 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 Campbell County? ▼
6.2% of households in Campbell County receive SNAP, covering 2,445 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Campbell County? ▼
The poverty rate in Campbell County, KY is 11.1%, with a median household income of $77,567 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Campbell County a food desert? ▼
1 of Campbell County's 25 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 Campbell County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.7% of households in Campbell 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.