Signature · 16.5% SNAP (87th pct in NY)
Chemung County, NY
Chemung County stands out on SNAP (16.5%, +4.4 pts vs U.S.) with 24.9% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 24.9%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 16.5%
- on SNAP
- 82K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Chemung County, NY
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 24.9% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +2.8 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 16.5% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 9.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 14% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Saratoga County ( -0.5 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Chemung County ranks #1,299 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #13 of 60 counties in NY (24.9% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #1,299
- national by low-access %
- #13
- in NY
- 7
- low-access tracts
- 5K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 16.5% SNAP (87th pct in NY) (+4.4 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Chemung County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Chemung County's 24.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 58% of them and ranked #1,299 most-affected nationwide.
Chemung County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
22 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
Chemung County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (17 urban, 5 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 5 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Chemung County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in New York, not a full county-board reprint
- Putnam
Putnam 53.6%
53.6 % low-access
- Onondaga
Onondaga 26.7%
26.7 % low-access
- Chemung
Chemung 24.9%
24.9 % low-access
- Saratoga
Saratoga 24.4%
24.4 % low-access
- Rensselaer
Rensselaer 23.6%
23.6 % low-access
- Ulster
Ulster 23.4%
23.4 % low-access
- Kings 0
Kings 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 22 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 88,830 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 7 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 22,120 |
| Low-Access Share | 24.9%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 5,493 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 82,147 |
| Median Household Income | $63,716 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.3%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 5,824 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 16.5%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.8%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.4% |
Thick SNAP store book in Chemung County
Chemung County has 83 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 46 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
10 towns share the 83 authorized stores; Elmira holds 65% of them. 7 of the 10 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Beaver Dams, Breesport, Pine Valley, Wellsburg, Chemung, Pine City and 1 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Elmira | 54 | 7 |
| Horseheads | 15 | 3 |
| Big Flats | 3 | 1 |
| Beaver Dams | 2 | none |
| Breesport | 2 | none |
| Pine Valley | 2 | none |
| Wellsburg | 2 | none |
| Chemung | 1 | none |
| Pine City | 1 | none |
| Van Etten | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 46
- 7 eleven 35251h, elmira
- 7 eleven store #40138 40138, elmira
- 7 eleven store #40221 40221, elmira
- agt snack mart inc., elmira
- aces & eights general store, elmira
- ayra foods & beverages inc., elmira
- byrne dairy elmira 138, elmira
- byrne dairy fairgrounds 01, horseheads
- byrne dairy horeseheads 66, horseheads
- byrne dairy horsheads 126, elmira
- college ave convenient mart, elmira
- dandy mini mart 10, chemung
- dandy mini mart 11, big flats
- dandy mini mart 24, elmira
- dandy mini mart 26, wellsburg
- dandy mini mart 30, van etten
- dandy mini mart 34, breesport
- dandy mini mart 57, horseheads
- dandy mini mart 63, elmira
- dandy mini mart 68, elmira
- dandy mini mart 71, pine valley
- dandy mini mart 75, beaver dams
- eastside quick stop, elmira
- elmira food mart inc, elmira
- elmira heights deli inc, elmira
- elmiras stop & shop, elmira
- gerows dairy store, horseheads
- good habits, elmira
- gorrdon llc - 7 eleven 35122a 35122a, elmira
- joe's kwik mart 462, elmira
- lake road food mart inc, horseheads
- lake street mini mart, elmira
- lucky 7 deli c n y, inc., elmira
- maggie lus llc, elmira
- maple ave. quick stop, elmira
- on the way, elmira
- quick and convenient, horseheads
- s & h food mart, llc/ sammy's quick stop, elmira
- smileys quick stop, elmira
- smileys quick stop 1, elmira
- smileys quick stop 2, elmira
- speedway 7589, elmira
- speedway 9928, horseheads
- speedway 9953, horseheads
- speedway 9967, horseheads
- subhan quickstop inc., elmira
Combination Grocery/Other · 22
- dollar tree 1415, elmira
- dollar tree 904, elmira
- dollar general 10705, horseheads
- dollar general 10820, elmira
- dollar general 11195, wellsburg
- dollar general 15843, pine valley
- dollar general 16566, breesport
- dollar general 19976, beaver dams
- dollar general 20329, pine city
- dollar general 20645, horseheads
- dollar general 24584, big flats
- dollar general 25090, elmira
- dollar general 8106, elmira
- dollar general 8364, elmira
- dollar general 8958, elmira
- dollar general 9657, elmira
- family dollar 10194, elmira
- family dollar 1724, elmira
- family dollar 3392, elmira
- family dollar 5066, elmira
- family dollar 5204, horseheads
- walgreens 10864, elmira
Super Store · 5
- jubilee foods, horseheads
- minier's, big flats
- sam's club 6431, elmira
- target 2158, elmira
- walmart supercenter 1976, horseheads
Supermarket · 5
- aldi 65058, elmira
- aldi 65059, horseheads
- tops pt, llc d/b/a tops pt 578, elmira
- wegmans 70, elmira
- weis markets 116, elmira
Farmers' Market · 2
- calmunity farms llc, elmira
- wisner market, elmira
Large Grocery Store · 1
- foodra inc, elmira
Seafood Specialty · 1
- maine harvest seafood, elmira
Small Grocery Store · 1
- renkos, elmira
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in New York
One of 61 counties in New York, 6 are shown here.
Compare Chemung County vs Albany County → · All New York counties →
Nationwide peers for Chemung County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Chemung County (16.5%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside New York.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NY (24.9% here).
- Burke County, NC · 24.9% low-access
- Taylor County, TX · 24.9% low-access
- Preston County, WV · 24.9% low-access
- Dane County, WI · 24.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NY (16.5% here).
- Ross County, OH · 16.5% SNAP
- Cherokee County, OK · 16.5% SNAP
- Adams County, MS · 16.5% SNAP
- Berkshire County, MA · 16.5% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
New York among Middle Atlantic states
New York ranks 3rd of 3 Middle Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (12.0%). Chemung County, at 24.9%, runs 12.9 pts above the New York rate.
- New Jersey 23.8%
- Pennsylvania 21.4%
- New York 12.0%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Chemung County, NY are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 36015. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.