Signature · 5.6% SNAP (0th pct in PA)
Chester County, PA
Chester County sits in the upper national band on low-access (45.1%, +23 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 45.1%
- low-access pop.
- 7
- food-desert tracts
- 5.6%
- on SNAP
- 548K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Chester County, PA
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-SEVERE 45.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +23.0 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 7 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 5.6% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 6% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Forest County ( -5.7 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Chester County sits in the upper national band (45.1%, #283 of 3,079) with 7 LILA tracts.
- #283
- national by low-access %
- #1
- in PA
- 73
- low-access tracts
- 31K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 5.6% SNAP (0th pct in PA) (-6.5 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Chester County compares nationally
Chester County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 45.1% low-access share outpaces 91% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #284 most-affected nationwide.
Chester County's elevated USDA tier split
116 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 7 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Chester County has 96 urban and 20 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Chester County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Pennsylvania, not a full county-board reprint
- Chester
Chester 45.1%
45.1 % low-access
- Forest
Forest 39.4%
39.4 % low-access
- Dauphin
Dauphin 35.4%
35.4 % low-access
- Bucks
Bucks 34.6%
34.6 % low-access
- Sullivan
Sullivan 34.4%
34.4 % low-access
- Wyoming 0.9
Wyoming 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 116 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 498,886 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 73 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 7 |
| Low-Access Population | 224,887 |
| Low-Access Share | 45.1%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 30,895 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 547,840 |
| Median Household Income | $127,208 |
| Poverty Rate | 6.0%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 11,536 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.6%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.3%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.9% |
Thick SNAP store book in Chester County
Chester County has 240 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 12 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 89 locations (37% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 89
- 1st ave deli market, parkesburg
- 7-eleven 40156j, west chester
- 7-eleven 40286, elverson,
- 7-eleven 40287, wayne
- 7-eleven 40306, west grove
- 7-eleven store #40093a, chester springs
- 7-eleven store #40120a 40120a, west grove
- 7-eleven store #40202a 40202a, phoenixville
- 7-eleven store #40317a, downingtown
- 7-eleven store 2405-25070f 25070f, west chester
- aplus 40075h, pottstown
- aplus 40246, berwyn
- aplus 40308, avondale
- b&m deli food market inc, coatesville
- bridge food mart, phoenixville
- city convenience & lottery, kennett square
- coatesville supermarket, coatesville
- country side food mart and deli, west chester
- d town market inc, downingtown
- despensa guatelinda ii, spring city
- golden mart, coatesville
- gulf/circle k, devon
- honey brook express 1, honey brook
- hostetters market, oxford
- j & k super mart inc, coatesville
- joe's kwik marts 309, exton
- landhope farms #1 1, kennett square
- landhope farms #3, oxford
- lukoil, west chester
- max porting international inc, phoenixville
- neet, coatesville
- new london sunoco, landenberg
- oxford fuels 69439, oxford
- rdv convenient store, parkesburg
- rdv grocery mart, coatesville
- rick petroleum llc, valley forge
- royal farms 225, downingtown
- sai mart inc, coatesville
- save more, phoenixville
- sister market vi inc, coatesville
- speedway 6734, exton
- speedyz, honey brook
- star gas and diesel 1, kennett square
- star gas mart, landenberg
- turkey hill minit market 950193, spring city
- turkey hill minit markets 950082, cochranville
- turkey hill minit markets 950084, parkesburg
- turkey hill minit markets 950097, coatesville
- turkey hill minit markets 950109, downingtown
- turkey hill minit markets 950176, honey brook
- turkey hill minit markets 950177, coatesville
- turkey hill minit markets 950261, downingtown
- v mart, coatesville
- wawa 118, downingtown
- wawa 160, avondale
- wawa 201, chester springs
- wawa 203, west chester
- wawa 205, malvern
- wawa 208, frazer
- wawa 236, malvern
- wawa 245, downingtown
- wawa 25, west chester
- wawa 258, spring city
- wawa 263, parkesburg
- wawa 278, west chester
- wawa 289, nottingham
- wawa 295, pottstown
- wawa 34, kennett square
- wawa 57, paoli
- wawa 8011, thorndale
- wawa 8015, kennett square
- wawa 8033, lionville
- wawa 81, west chester
- wawa 85, exton
- wawa 88, west chester
- wawa 8068, west chester
- wawa 8091, malvern
- wawa 8094, coatesville
- wawa 8098, downingtown
- wawa food market 146, pottstown
- wawa food market 298, west chester
- wawa food market 8024, phoenixville
- wawa food market 8045, west chester
- wawa store 8140, ludwigs corner
- wawa store 8161, exton
- wawa store 8183, exton
- wawa store 8211, parkesburg
- west grove food market, west grove
- z brothers convenience store inc, coatesville
Combination Grocery/Other · 58
- amma indian grocery, malvern
- apna bazar, exton
- bevan's cold cuts, west chester
- brazil 2 go, phoenixville
- cvs 10371, west chester
- cvs 10399, parkesburg
- cvs 1401, phoenixville
- cvs 1805, coatesville
- cvs 276, west chester
- cvs 4020, nottingham
- cvs pharmacy 1159, west chester
- cvs pharmacy 2687, exton
- cvs pharmacy 399, paoli
- cvs pharmacy 948, west chester
- cvs pharmacy inc 1074, kennett square
- cvs pharmacy inc 2784, west grove
- cvs pharmacy 1048, pottstown
- cvs pharmacy 10694, exton
- cvs pharmacy 10896, wayne
- cvs pharmacy 2495, downingtown
- cvs pharmacy 3598, downingtown
- cvs pharmacy 3875, west chester
- cvs pharmacy 4772, spring city
- cvs pharmacy 7132, thorndale
- cvs pharmacy inc 2951, chester springs
- cvs pharmacy inc 5064, malvern
- cvs pharmacy inc 7183, landenberg
- corner butcher shop, downingtown
- dollar general 0968, oxford
- dollartree 9176, west chester
- dollartree 9255, downingtown
- dollartree 9309, kennett square
- dollar general 16068, coatesville
- dollar general 16239, nottingham
- dollar general 30095, parkesburg
- dollar general 327, coatesville
- dollar general store 16385, cochranville
- dollar tree 1657, thorndale
- dollar tree 1659, west chester
- dollar tree 1664, exton
- dollar tree 1711, phoenixville
- dollar tree 4125, exton
- dollar tree 4164, malvern
- dollar tree 5416, west chester
- dollar tree 6391, pottstown
- dollar tree 6484, coatesville
- dollar tree 6485, oxford
- dollar tree 8337, kennett square
- dollar tree 8617, exton
- dollar tree 8618, coatesville
- el zocalo inc., downingtown
- family dollar store 4529, coatesville
- walgreen 12034, westchester
- walgreens 02536, kennett square
- walgreens 06924, paoli
- walgreens 10388, phoenixville
- walgreens 11074, oxford
- walgreens 11323, avondale
Supermarket · 40
- acme 192, paoli
- acme 3767, downingtown
- acme 703, chester springs
- acme 721, phoenixville
- acme 882, west chester
- aldi 60109, malvern
- aldi 60160, west chester
- aldi 60164, thorndale
- acme market 730, avondale
- aldi 18, coatesville
- aldi 60017, exton
- colonial village meat mkt, west chester
- ctown, coatesville
- giant food store 6023, phoenixville
- giant food store 6045, west grove
- giant food store 6051, exton
- giant food store 6105, kennett square
- giant food store 6116, west chester
- giant food store 6291, west chester
- giant food store 6301, thorndale
- giant food store 6471, pottstown
- giant food store 6477, frazer
- giant food store 6478, exton
- giant food store 6505, west chester
- giant food store 6516, kennett square
- giant food store 6545, west chester
- gigante intl' market, avondale
- grocery outlet of kennett square 783, kennett square
- grocery outlet of parkesburg 758, parkesburg
- hnos lara llc, kennett square
- kimberton whole foods, downingtown
- kimberton whole foods, phoenixville
- redners markets inc 47, phoenixville
- redners warehouse market 10, oxford
- triple fresh market, e fallowfield
- trader joe's 632, wayne
- trader joe's berwyn 584, berwyn
- trader joe's exton 594, exton
- wegmans 46, malvern
- wegmans 50, downingtown
Super Store · 22
- b js wholesale club 86, downingtown
- bb's grocery outlet, lp 5, oxford
- bhavani food market, exton
- crop's fresh marketplace, downingtown
- grocery outlet of coatesville 708, coatesville
- hung vuong food market, berwyn
- kimberton whole foods inc 5000, malvern
- lidl 1484, exton
- shop rite of west chester, west chester
- shoprite of west chester 596, west chester
- target store 1134, exton
- target store 2496, exton
- target store 2537, malvern
- target store t2905, west chester
- target stores 1291, phoenixville
- target t3310, wayne
- walmart 2167, exton
- walmart 5795, oxford
- walmart supercenter 2945, parkesburg
- walmart supercenter 3501, elverson
- walmart supercenter 3541, kennett square
- whole foods market 10660, exton
Small Grocery Store · 12
- deanna's market, toughkenamon
- despensa guatelinda, phoenixville
- ebo's fresh grocery, berwyn
- el nayarit, kennett square
- el nevado llc tienda mexican san jose, west chester
- el venado j-10 inc, malvern
- frescos market, avondale
- la tienda mexicana 1, oxford
- los alquisiras carniceria y tienda, west chester
- lotus bazar 01, thorndale
- red dog market llc, pottstown
- tienda la fortaleza, west grove
Medium Grocery Store · 8
- alaia business corp-dba/latino mini market, phoenixville
- alquisieras mexican store, coatesville
- asian products market, exton
- coatesville community market, coatesville
- gong's market, malvern
- himalayan indian grocery & food, exton
- new garden farm market, kennettt square
- primos mini market llc, coatesville
Large Grocery Store · 5
- carniceria moroleon, west grove
- eby's store of honeybrook, honey brook
- hershey's farm market ii llc, parkesburg
- jack foresta's ctry meat mart inc, phoenixville
- royal india, malvern
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- asian halal meat 2, exton
- j & c fine meats, oxford
Delivery Route · 1
- fresh2you mobile market, exton
Farmers' Market · 1
- downingtown farmers market, downingtown
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- produce junction inc, exton
Seafood Specialty · 1
- gadaleto's seafood market, west chester
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
One of 66 counties in Pennsylvania, 6 are shown here.
Compare Chester County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Counties near Chester County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Chester County (5.6%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Pennsylvania.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside PA (45.1% here).
- Tyler County, TX · 45.1% low-access
- Tyler County, TX · 45.1% low-access
- Uvalde County, TX · 45.2% low-access
- Bullitt County, KY · 45.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside PA (5.6% here).
- Travis County, TX · 5.6% SNAP
- Travis County, TX · 5.6% SNAP
- Box Elder County, UT · 5.6% SNAP
- Box Elder County, UT · 5.6% 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.
Chester County inside a higher low-access state context
Chester County sits inside Pennsylvania (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
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 Chester County, PA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 42029. 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.