PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Charlottesville city, VA

Charlottesville city'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.
1
food-desert tracts
9.9%
on SNAP
45K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

8.1% of Charlottesville city residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
11.0%
households, no vehicle
19.6%
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).

Charlottesville city's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.1% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 12 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,536 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,733 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 Charlottesville city compares nationally

Charlottesville city 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

Charlottesville city: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Charlottesville city, 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 Charlottesville city, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (75.0%) 2 tracts limited (16.7%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (8.3%) Adequate 75% Limited 17% Severe 8% Food-access tier distribution: Charlottesville city, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Charlottesville city 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 Charlottesville city
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)43,475
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population3,536
Low-Access Share8.1%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,733

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Charlottesville city
IndicatorValue
Population45,437
Median Household Income$74,824
Poverty Rate19.6%above the national average
SNAP Households1,967
SNAP Participation Rate9.9%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle11.0%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population6.6%
SNAP participation in Charlottesville city 9.9%

About 9.9% of Charlottesville city 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.
  • 9.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,967 households here.
  • 11.0% 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 Charlottesville city

near the national share

1 of Charlottesville city's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 8.3% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 3,536 residents, roughly 8.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,733 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (75.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Charlottesville city

Charlottesville city has 44 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 17 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 17

  • 7-eleven inc f 35273a, charlottesville
  • 7-eleven 16728g 16728g, charlottesville
  • 9th street market, charlottesville
  • browns market, charlottesville
  • cherry ave marketplace, charlottesville
  • easy mart, charlottesville
  • fas mart 3510, charlottesville
  • fas mart 3520, charlottesville
  • fas mart 3535, charlottesville
  • food master, charlottesville
  • prospect market and deli, charlottesville
  • quick mart, charlottesville
  • s fuel co, charlottesville
  • sunshine minimart, charlottesville
  • the market at 5th street 50, charlottesville
  • the market at preston, charlottesville
  • wawa store 8690, charlottesville

Combination Grocery/Other · 8

  • cvs pharmacy 1555, charlottesville
  • cvs pharmacy 1556, charlottesville
  • cvs pharmacy 4656, charlottesville
  • cvs pharmacy 67, charlottesville
  • dollar tree 7294, charlottesville
  • family dollar store 1135, charlottesville
  • integral yoga natural foods, charlottesville
  • matumaini african market, charlottesville

Medium Grocery Store · 5

  • afghan grand market, charlottesville
  • c'ville oriental market, charlottesville
  • everest grocery, charlottesville
  • ishtar market, charlottesville
  • market street market, charlottesville

Super Store · 5

  • harris teeter 177, charlottesville
  • harris teeter 332, charlottesville
  • kroger 359, charlottesville
  • kroger 239, charlottesville
  • whole foods market 10205, charlottesville

Small Grocery Store · 4

  • el tio, charlottesville
  • el tio variedades internacionales, charlottesville
  • la guadalupana, charlottesville
  • super amanecer, charlottesville

Farmers' Market · 3

  • charlottesville city market, charlottesville
  • farmers in the park, charlottesville
  • market central, charlottesville

Supermarket · 2

  • food lion 238, charlottesville
  • food lion 253, charlottesville

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 Charlottesville city vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Charlottesville city 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 Charlottesville city has low food access? ▼
8.1% of residents in Charlottesville city, 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 Charlottesville city? ▼
9.9% of households in Charlottesville city receive SNAP, covering 1,967 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Charlottesville city? ▼
The poverty rate in Charlottesville city, VA is 19.6%, with a median household income of $74,824 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Charlottesville city a food desert? ▼
1 of Charlottesville city'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 Charlottesville city households lack a vehicle? ▼
11.0% of households in Charlottesville city 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.