County food-access profile · South Carolina
Charleston County, SC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Charleston 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).
- 20.8%
- low-access pop.
- 13
- food-desert tracts
- 6.4%
- on SNAP
- 420K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
20.8% of Charleston County residents live in a low-access area, and 13 of its 85 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 33
- low-access tracts
- 21K
- food-desert residents
- 5.9%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.3%
- 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 Charleston County's low-access share at 20.8%, above the national share. 33 of the county's 85 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 72,787 people. 13 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 20,972 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 Charleston County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Charleston County's 20.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 48% of them and ranked #1,622 most-affected nationwide.
Charleston County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 85 census tracts in Charleston County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Charleston County vs. other South Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in South Carolina
- Charleston
Charleston County, SC
20.8 % low-access
- Abbeville
Abbeville County, SC
20.4 % low-access
- Aiken
Aiken County, SC
29.1 % low-access
- Allendale 2.3
Allendale County, SC
2.3 % low-access
- Anderson
Anderson County, SC
36.1 % low-access
- Bamberg
Bamberg County, SC
27.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 85 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 350,209 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 33 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 13 |
| Low-Access Population | 72,787 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.8%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 20,972 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 420,264 |
| Median Household Income | $88,494 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.3%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 11,493 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.4%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.9%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.5% |
About 6.4% of Charleston County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 20.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 6.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 11,493 households here.
- 5.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 13 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 Charleston County
above the national share
13 of Charleston County's 85 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 15.3% of all its tracts.
A further 20 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 33.
An estimated 72,787 residents, roughly 20.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 20,972 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 52 tracts (61.2%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Charleston County
Charleston County has 330 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 161 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 161
- 3543 dorchester road, north charleston
- 4 as grocery, charleston
- 7-eleven 40371h, charleston
- 7-eleven 40370h, charleston
- 7-eleven 40375h, mount pleasant
- 7-eleven 40380, north charleston
- 7-eleven 40473h, ladson
- 7-eleven 41886h, awendaw
- 7-eleven 42182h, north charleston
- a and r quick stop, north charleston
- ahz market, hollywood
- aplus 40485h, mount pleasant
- aplus 40510h, mount pleasant
- aplus 40374h, mount pleasant
- aplus 40477h, north charleston
- aplus 40479h, north charleston
- aplus 40391, charleston
- aplus 40483h, north charleston
- aviation exxon, north charleston
- b & m family grocery, north charleston
- big daddy deals, north charleston
- bp gas station 1, mount pleasant
- circle k store 8089, mount pleasant
- circle k 2705130, mount pleasant
- circle k 2720839, folly beach
- circle k 2721520, charleston
- circle k 2721521, charleston
- circle k 2721522, mount pleasant
- circle k 272288, charleston
- circle k 2723186, charleston
- circle k 2723296, mount pleasant
- circle k 2723353, charleston
- circle k 2723354, north charleston
- circle k 2723355, charleston
- circle k 2723356, charleston
- circle k 2723691, north charleston
- circle k 2723692, north charleston
- circle k 2723693, north charleston
- circle k 2723694, charleston
- circle k 2723850, mount pleasant
- circle k 2723877, north charleston
- circle k 2723884, north charleston
- circle k 272492, isle of palms
- circle k 272498, charleston
- circle k 272797, north charleston
- circle k 272820, charleston
- circle k 272840, mount pleasant
- circle k 272845, north charleston
- circle k 272848, johns island
- circle k 272873, mount pleasant
- circle k 272874, mount pleasant
- circle k 272878, mc clellanville
- circle k 272880, charleston
- circle k 272881, ravenel
- circle k 272884, johns island
- circle k 272886, ravenel
- circle k 5120, charleston
- circle k 5121, charleston
- circle k 5122, mount pleasant
- circle k 5123, north charleston
- circle k 5124, charleston
- circle k 5125, charleston
- circle k 5126, charleston
- circle k 5363, charleston
- college corner, charleston
- college market, charleston
- college of charleston the market, charleston
- coming street grocery, charleston
- community market, north charleston
- deep 5, ladson
- discount store, north charleston
- dodge store 8603, johns island
- dollar mart, north charleston
- dorchester mart, north charleston
- dorchester mini mart, north charleston
- e&d caribbean mini mart no, north charleston
- east montague market, north charleston
- euro foods bakery cafe 1, charleston
- fama and debi community store, north charleston
- flowers bakery outlet 701, north charleston
- fuel mart, north charleston
- green pantry, north charleston
- greens market, charleston
- joe's kwik mart 7010, charleston
- joe's kwik mart 7011, charleston
- joe's kwik mart 7013, johns island
- joe's kwik mart 7015, north charleston
- joe's kwik mart 7017, north charleston
- k k mart, ladson
- krishna indian & american grocery, north charleston
- knights market, north charleston
- knights tobacco & convenience store, north charleston
- kwik stop food mart, charleston
- kwik stop food mart, charleston
- kwik stop food mart #3, charleston
- kwikmart, ladson
- larry's convenience store, north charleston
- li'l cricket 3873, charleston
- linda's tienda mexicana, johns island
- loop mart 15, north charleston
- los cuatro hermanos market, north charleston
- marthas quick stop, charleston
- mckeever grocery 1, north charleston
- meldi food mart, north charleston
- miller food mart, summerville
- mo mart, north charleston
- mobile 001, north charleston
- murphy express 8552, north charleston
- northwood food mart, north charleston
- nouria 2410 highway 174 878, edisto island
- olde village market & deli, north charleston
- om sai, charleston
- opie drive-thru grocery, mount pleasant
- pantry point 1, north charleston
- pantry point 2, charleston
- parker's 105, charleston
- parker's 79, charleston
- parker's 87, johns island
- parker's 96, north charleston
- pilot travel center 1082, north charleston
- quick and easy, north charleston
- quick stop mart, north charleston
- refuel 1014, mount pleasant
- refuel 1015, mount pleasant
- refuel 1017, charleston
- refuel 1060, charleston
- refuel 50, sullivans island
- reid street market, charleston
- rivers mart of north charleston, north charleston
- rosemont pantry, north charleston
- s & h convenience store, north charleston
- s&s river market llc, north charleston
- sunoco 2673 2673, north charleston
- saigon oriental market, north charleston
- scotchman 3102, mount pleasant
- scotchman 3165, charleston
- scotchman 3166, mount pleasant
- scotchman 3167, charleston
- scotchman 3870, north charleston
- shaktiman llc, north charleston
- shop & go, north charleston
- spar knights market, charleston
- speedway 2836, johns island
- speedway 2847, north charleston
- spinx 350, north charleston
- spinx 351, north charleston
- spinx 354, ladson
- spinx 356, ladson
- spinx 368, charleston
- spinx 370, johns island
- spinx 371, mount pleasant
- stop n go, charleston
- sunoco 2661 2661, ladson
- sunoco 2671 2671, north charleston
- sunoco 2674 2674, north charleston
- sunoco 2676 2676, north charleston
- syke's eastside market, charleston
- tortilleria y abarrotes azteca, north charleston
- unique vapors, north charleston
- veerraja llc, charleston
- xpress mart # 2, charleston
Combination Grocery/Other · 77
- african market and grocery, north charleston
- cvs pharmacy 1039, charleston
- cvs pharmacy 2243, charleston
- cvs pharmacy 3560, charleston
- cvs pharmacy 3801, charleston
- cvs pharmacy 4263, mount pleasant
- cvs pharmacy 443, charleston
- cvs pharmacy 483, charleston
- cvs pharmacy 528, johns island
- cvs pharmacy 529, johns island
- cvs pharmacy 5553, mount pleasant
- cvs pharmacy 5845, mount pleasant
- cvs pharmacy 626, north charleston
- cvs pharmacy 7159, mount pleasant
- cvs pharmacy 7795, mount pleasant
- cvs pharmacy 11003, mount pleasant
- cvs pharmacy 3870, charleston
- cvs pharmacy 3977, n charleston
- cvs pharmacy 5555, santee
- cvs pharmacy 7695, ravenel
- dollar general 10558, ravenel
- dollar general 11215, charleston
- dollar general 11246, charleston
- dollar general 14098, awendaw
- dollar general 14281, north charleston
- dollar general 1600, north charleston
- dollar general 1605, charleston
- dollar general 19241, charleston
- dollar general 3218, north charleston
- dollar general 3629, north charleston
- dollar general 7975, north charleston
- dollar general 8376, johns island
- dollar tree 1153, n charleston
- dollartree 10640, james island
- dollartree 10660, charleston
- dollartree 10871, charleston
- dollartree 7211, north charleston
- dollar general 11559, mc clellanville
- dollar general 17111, hollywood
- dollar general 22928, north charleston
- dollar general 24411, north charleston
- dollar general store 16682, johns island
- dollar general store 17211, johns island
- dollar tree 3219, north charleston
- dollar tree 434, charleston
- dollar tree 5202, north charleston
- family dollar store 5561, hollywood
- family dollar 10013, north charleston
- family dollar 10602, charleston
- family dollar 11195, north charleston
- family dollar 11749, north charleston
- family dollar 12092, north charleston
- family dollar 259, n charleston
- family dollar 369, charleston
- family dollar 4159, north charleston
- family dollar 5573, charleston
- family dollar 5680, north charleston
- family dollar 8905, north charleston
- family dollar store 10866, north charleston
- family dollar store 2112, johns island
- family dollar store 2737, ravenel
- family dollar store 6418, charleston
- family dollar store 9274, north charleston
- h & l asian market, north charleston
- rose's express 622, north charleston
- walgreens 11270, n charleston
- walgreens 12635, johns island
- walgreens 12782, charleston
- walgreens 15024, north charleston
- walgreens 15072, mount pleasant
- walgreens 15442, mt pleasant
- walgreens 15512, charleston
- walgreens 15630, james island
- walgreens 17043, charleston
- walgreens 18147, charleston
- walgreens 6076, charleston
- walgreens 7156, mount pleasant
Medium Grocery Store · 4
- bombay bazar, north charleston
- carniceria la esperanza 1, north charleston
- guadalajara supermarket 2, north charleston
- india spice market, charleston
Large Grocery Store · 3
- cash and carry, n charleston
- el molino supermarket 2, north charleston
- la mexicana supermarket, north charleston
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- burbage meats, charleston
- discount meat market, north charleston
- murray's meats, north charleston
Delivery Route · 1
- lowcountry street grocery, charleston
Farmers' Market · 1
- o. freeman farm, johns island
Showing 250 of 330 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in South Carolina
Compare Charleston County vs Abbeville County → · All South Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, South Carolina in context
Charleston County sits inside South 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 Charleston County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Charleston County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Charleston County? ▼
Is Charleston County a food desert? ▼
What share of Charleston 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.