PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Kentucky

Christian County, KY

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

33.2%
low-access pop.
6
food-desert tracts
12.7%
on SNAP
72K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KY

The food-access picture

33.2% of Christian County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 18 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

9
low-access tracts
11K
food-desert residents
7.8%
households, no vehicle
17.1%
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 Christian County's low-access share at 33.2%, above the national share. 9 of the county's 18 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 24,555 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 10,745 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 Christian County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Christian County's 33.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 77% of them and ranked #728 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Christian County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 18 census tracts in Christian 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 Christian County, KY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 6 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 18 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (50.0%) 3 tracts limited (16.7%) 6 tracts severe / food desert (33.3%) Adequate 50% Limited 17% Severe 33% Food-access tier distribution: Christian County, KY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Christian County vs. other Kentucky counties

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

% 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 Christian County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts18
Atlas Population (2010 basis)73,955
Low-Access Tracts9
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)6
Low-Access Population24,555
Low-Access Share33.2%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population10,745

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Christian County
IndicatorValue
Population72,069
Median Household Income$55,494
Poverty Rate17.1%above the national average
SNAP Households3,269
SNAP Participation Rate12.7%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.8%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population6.4%
SNAP participation in Christian County 12.7%

About 12.7% of Christian County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 33.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,269 households here.
  • 7.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 6 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 Christian County

above the national share

6 of Christian County's 18 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 33.3% of all its tracts.

A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 9.

An estimated 24,555 residents, roughly 33.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 10,745 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Christian County

Christian County has 72 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 37 locations (51% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 37

  • 101 fuel stop, oak grove
  • 115 one stop market, oak grove
  • casey's 3286, hopkinsville
  • circle k 4703379, oak grove
  • circle k 4703346, hopkinsville
  • circle k 4703347, hopkinsville
  • coffman value plus, hopkinsville
  • dodge store 6401, hopkinsville
  • durangos market tienda mexicana llc, hopkinsville
  • dyno mart, hopkinsville
  • fivestar 4460, hopkinsville
  • golden bear #24, oak grove
  • hiroad 14, oak grove
  • hiroad 26, oak grove
  • huck's 309, hopkinsville
  • huck's 384, hopkinsville
  • huck's 386, crofton
  • huck's 403, hopkinsville
  • ideal market 27, crofton
  • la guadalupana, hopkinsville
  • love's travel stop 782, oak grove
  • maa umiya inc, hopkinsville
  • max's 102, hopkinsville
  • max's 111, hopkinsville
  • max's 115, oak grove
  • max's 118, hopkinsville
  • max's 119, hopkinsville
  • max's 120, hopkinsville
  • max's 124, hopkisnville
  • minit mart 4465, pembroke
  • murphy usa 5626, hopkinsville
  • north main marathon, hopkinsville
  • pilot travel center 439, oak grove
  • pilot travel center 49, oak grove
  • pilot travel center 662, oak grove
  • racetrac 2676, hopkinsville
  • skyline fuel, hopkinsville

Combination Grocery/Other · 22

  • dollar general 10567, crofton
  • dollar general 10899, hopkinsville
  • dollar general 1275, oak grove
  • dollar general 2697, hopkinsville
  • dollar general 7567, hopkinsville
  • dollar general 11690, pembroke
  • dollar general 12083, hopkinsville
  • dollar general 13765, hopkinsville
  • dollar general 20747, hopkinsville
  • dollar general 20801, hopkinsville
  • dollar general 21878, gracey
  • dollar general 22176, elkton
  • dollar general 25247, hopkinsville
  • dollar general 25903, hopkinsville
  • dollar general 31164, oak grove
  • dollar general 31743, hopkinsville
  • dollar general store 16851, hopkinsville
  • dollar tree 1382, hopkinsville
  • dollar tree 3838, oak grove
  • dollar tree 8534, hopkinsville
  • family dollar 12835, crofton
  • walgreens 6104, hopkinsville

Super Store · 4

  • kroger 522, hopkinsville
  • walmart 653, hopkinsville
  • walmart neighborbood market 5059, hopkinsville
  • walmart supercenter 3362, oak grove

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 019, hopkinsville
  • food giant 514, hopkinsville
  • food lion 1571, hopkinsville

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • dutch kuntry, pembroke
  • one stop asian market llc, oak grove

Farmers' Market · 1

  • hopkinsville christian downtown farmers market, hopkinsville

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • hampton premium meats, hopkinsville

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • rite-choice market, llc, crofton

Military Commissary · 1

  • fort campbell commissary 2707, fort campbell

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Kentucky

Adair County
6.5% low-access · 16.9% SNAP
Allen County
21.7% low-access · 14.1% SNAP
Anderson County
7.8% low-access · 7.5% SNAP
Ballard County
0.0% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Barren County
15.5% low-access · 16.3% SNAP
Bath County
1.7% low-access · 19.6% SNAP

Compare Christian County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →

Food access nationally, Kentucky in context

Christian County sits inside Kentucky (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 Christian County has low food access? ▼
33.2% of residents in Christian County, KY 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 Christian County? ▼
12.7% of households in Christian County receive SNAP, covering 3,269 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Christian County? ▼
The poverty rate in Christian County, KY is 17.1%, with a median household income of $55,494 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Christian County a food desert? ▼
6 of Christian County's 18 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 Christian County households lack a vehicle? ▼
7.8% of households in Christian 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.