PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Georgia

Catoosa County, GA

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

36.7%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
11.8%
on SNAP
69K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 GA

The food-access picture

36.7% of Catoosa County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
4.3%
households, no vehicle
9.9%
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 Catoosa County's low-access share at 36.7%, above the national share. 6 of the county's 11 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 23,444 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 6,175 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 Catoosa County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Catoosa County's 36.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 83% of them and ranked #531 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Catoosa County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in Catoosa 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 Catoosa County, GA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (45.5%) 5 tracts limited (45.5%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (9.1%) Adequate 45% Limited 45% Severe 9% Food-access tier distribution: Catoosa County, GA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Catoosa County vs. other Georgia counties

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

% 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 Catoosa County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)63,942
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population23,444
Low-Access Share36.7%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population6,175

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Catoosa County
IndicatorValue
Population68,634
Median Household Income$74,639
Poverty Rate9.9%below the national average
SNAP Households3,146
SNAP Participation Rate11.8%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.3%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.8%
SNAP participation in Catoosa County 11.8%

About 11.8% of Catoosa County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 36.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,146 households here.
  • 4.3% 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 Catoosa County

above the national share

1 of Catoosa County's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 9.1% of all its tracts.

A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.

An estimated 23,444 residents, roughly 36.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 6,175 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (45.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Catoosa County

Catoosa County has 62 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 33 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 33

  • aaa convenience & food, fort oglethorpe
  • cherokee valley market, ringgold
  • circle k 2723553, ringgold
  • circle k 2723555, rossville
  • circle k 2723561, ringgold
  • circle k 2723615, ringgold
  • circle k 2723622, ringgold
  • circle k store 2709347, ringgold
  • cornerstone market #2, rossville
  • cornerstone market #3, rossville
  • dhyan, ringgold
  • dj's country market, ringgold
  • flowers bakery outlet 50001362, ringgold
  • fort mart, fort oglethorpe
  • harry's 47, fort oglethorpe
  • kankus express 353, ringgold
  • mapco express, inc. 3502, ringgold
  • mapco express, inc. 3634, ringgold
  • mapco express, inc. 3638, ringgold
  • mapco express, inc. 3643, rossville
  • murphy usa 6702, fort oglethorpe
  • page market, rossville
  • paul place #4, ringgold
  • pauls place, ringgold
  • pit stop 7, ringgold
  • quiktrip 7073, ringgold
  • race trac 354, ringgold
  • ringgold foodmart, ringgold
  • short stop market, tunnel hill
  • sunrise market, rossville
  • sunrise market 39, ringgold
  • sunrise market 9, rossville
  • tigermart 41065h, ringgold

Combination Grocery/Other · 15

  • cvs pharmacy 7885, ringgold
  • cvs pharmacy 3760, fort oglethorpe
  • cvs pharmacy 7745, ringgold
  • dollar general 5706, ringgold
  • dollar general 11676, ringgold
  • dollar general 12832, rossville
  • dollar general 24572, tunnel hill
  • dollar general store 3861, ringgold
  • dollar tree 231, fort oglethorpe
  • dollar tree 8446, ringgold
  • family dollar 1027, ringgold
  • family dollar 263, fort oglethorpe
  • walgreens 10247, ringgold
  • walgreens 12921, fort oglethorpe
  • walgreens 7567, ft oglethorpe

Supermarket · 8

  • aldi 60026 60026, fort oglethorpe
  • food lion 2543, ringgold
  • food city 214, ringgold
  • food city 249, fort oglethorpe
  • grocery outlet 29, ringgold
  • houchens save-a-lot 501, fort oglethorpe
  • ingles markets 101, ringgold
  • publix super market 1641, ringgold

Super Store · 4

  • costco wholesale 1083, ringgold
  • dollar general market 9815, fort oglethorpe
  • walmart 1458, fort oglethorpe
  • walmart neighborhood market 3635, fort oglethorpe

Farmers' Market · 2

  • rabbit valley farmers market, ringgold
  • stable 41 farmers market nafmnp, fort oglethorpe

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Georgia

Appling County
47.8% low-access · 19.6% SNAP
Atkinson County
23.5% low-access · 26.2% SNAP
Bacon County
3.3% low-access · 20.9% SNAP
Baker County
61.3% low-access · 15.2% SNAP
Baldwin County
24.6% low-access · 16.2% SNAP
Banks County
1.8% low-access · 9.0% SNAP

Compare Catoosa County vs Appling County → · All Georgia counties →

Food access nationally, Georgia in context

Catoosa County sits inside Georgia (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 Catoosa County has low food access? ▼
36.7% of residents in Catoosa County, GA 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 Catoosa County? ▼
11.8% of households in Catoosa County receive SNAP, covering 3,146 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Catoosa County? ▼
The poverty rate in Catoosa County, GA is 9.9%, with a median household income of $74,639 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Catoosa County a food desert? ▼
1 of Catoosa County's 11 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 Catoosa County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.3% of households in Catoosa 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.