PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Campbell County, VA

Campbell County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

8.1%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
12.3%
on SNAP
55K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

8.1% of Campbell County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
4.7%
households, no vehicle
10.8%
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).

Campbell County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.1% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 12 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 4,443 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,224 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

Campbell County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.1% low-access share that beats 16% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,637).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Campbell County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 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, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (66.7%) 2 tracts limited (16.7%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (16.7%) Adequate 67% Limited 17% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Campbell County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Campbell County vs. other Virginia counties

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

% 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 Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)54,842
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population4,443
Low-Access Share8.1%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,224

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Campbell County
IndicatorValue
Population55,312
Median Household Income$66,165
Poverty Rate10.8%below the national average
SNAP Households2,735
SNAP Participation Rate12.3%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.7%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.4%
SNAP participation in Campbell County 12.3%

About 12.3% of Campbell County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 8.1% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,735 households here.
  • 4.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Campbell County

near the national share

2 of Campbell County's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 16.7% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 4,443 residents, roughly 8.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,224 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Campbell County

Campbell County has 45 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 21 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 21

  • 555 express market inc, lynchburg
  • 7-eleven 20425j, lynchburg
  • altavista petrolium llc, altavista
  • apple market 506, rustburg
  • big horn market, lynchburg
  • campbell hwy market, lynchburg
  • community mini mart, gladys
  • express lane #3 3, lynchburg
  • fast stop 1, gladys
  • foster convenience, rustburg
  • goldys truck plaza, rustburg
  • quik-e foods 15, concord
  • quik-e foods 9, rustburg
  • ridgeview mart 1, evington
  • royal farms 243, rustburg
  • sheetz 754, concord
  • sunburst market, evington
  • templeton's market, lynchburg
  • tuckersmarket no, lynch station
  • virginia mart, lynchburg
  • wawa store 6625, lynchburg

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • cvs 7352, brookneal
  • cvs pharmacy 4285, lynchburg
  • cvs pharmacy 7525, altavista
  • dollar general 13900, rustburg
  • dollar general 3384, brookneal
  • dollar general 12402, concord
  • dollar general 17157, altavista
  • dollar general 20641, rustburg
  • dollar general 3689, altavista
  • dollar tree 2820, lynchburg
  • dollar tree 4055, altavista
  • family dollar 3122, rustburg
  • family dollar 8838, brookneal
  • family dollar store 10553, gladys

Supermarket · 5

  • dawson's grocery, inc., altavista
  • food lion 1236, brookneal
  • food lion 1548, rustburg
  • food lion 2539, altavista
  • food lion 2579, lynchburg

Super Store · 2

  • walmart 3768, altavista
  • walmart neighborhood market 3605, lynchburg

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • super amanecer 4, lynchburg

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • long mountain grocery, rustburg

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • davis farm fresh produce, lynchburg

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

Accomack County
2.2% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Albemarle County
11.9% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Alexandria city
0.0% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Alleghany County
16.4% low-access · 8.1% SNAP
Amelia County
16.5% low-access · 13.4% SNAP
Amherst County
11.3% low-access · 10.5% SNAP

Compare Campbell County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Campbell County sits inside Virginia (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? ▼
8.1% of residents in Campbell County, VA 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? ▼
12.3% of households in Campbell County receive SNAP, covering 2,735 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Campbell County? ▼
The poverty rate in Campbell County, VA is 10.8%, with a median household income of $66,165 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Campbell County a food desert? ▼
2 of Campbell County's 12 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? ▼
4.7% 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.