Signature · 4 LILA tracts (66.7% of tracts)
Clay County, KY
Clay County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (66.7% of the book) alongside 25.2% low-access.
- 25.2%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 34.7%
- on SNAP
- 20K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Clay County, KY
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 25.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +3.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 34.7% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 13.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 67% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Jessamine County ( -0.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Clay County ranks #1,276 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #17 of 110 counties in KY (25.2% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,276
- national by low-access %
- #17
- in KY
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- 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: 4 LILA tracts (66.7% of tracts) .
How Clay County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Clay County's 25.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,282 most-affected nationwide.
Clay County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Clay County has 1 urban and 5 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.
Clay County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Kentucky, not a full county-board reprint
- Robertson
Robertson 74.8%
74.8 % low-access
- Madison 25.7
Madison 25.7%
25.7 % low-access
- Clay 25.2
Clay 25.2%
25.2 % low-access
- Jessamine 25
Jessamine 25%
25 % low-access
- Franklin 24.8
Franklin 24.8%
24.8 % low-access
- Laurel 24.5
Laurel 24.5%
24.5 % low-access
- Ballard 0
Ballard 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 21,730 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 5,481 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,993 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 19,921 |
| Median Household Income | $40,900 |
| Poverty Rate | 32.4%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,528 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 34.7%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 13.2%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 7.8% |
Thick SNAP store book in Clay County
Clay County has 30 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 13 locations (43% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 13
- alvin's, manchester
- bowling's town market 2, llc, manchester
- j d grocery, oneida
- manchester shell 2, manchester
- meldi llc, manchester
- r&r town market llc, oneida
- rite kwik, manchester
- russell house grocery, manchester
- smart stop cafe, manchester
- stop and go, manchester
- stop and go llc, manchester
- tmart 2, manchester
- wildcat food & fuel #2, manchester
Combination Grocery/Other · 11
- dollar general 18400, manchester
- dollar general 3879, manchester
- dollar general 20189, oneida
- dollar general 21565, manchester
- dollar general 23072, manchester
- dollar general 23811, manchester
- dollar general 30011, manchester
- dollar general 30653, manchester
- dollar tree 4769, manchester
- family dollar 574, manchester
- highway produce market, manchester
Super Store · 2
- manchester iga 9624, manchester
- walmart store 545, manchester
Supermarket · 2
- houchens save a lot 080, manchester
- houchens save a lot 082, manchester
Farmers' Market · 1
- clay co farmers market, manchester
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- h & m butchering, manchester
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Kentucky
One of 119 counties in Kentucky, 6 are shown here.
Compare Clay County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →
Nationwide peers for Clay County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Clay County, both outside Kentucky so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside KY (25.2% here).
- Jennings County, IN · 25.2% low-access
- Jennings County, IN · 25.2% low-access
- Marion County, IL · 25.2% low-access
- Marion County, IL · 25.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside KY (34.7% here).
- Bullock County, AL · 34.0% SNAP
- Washington County, NC · 33.9% SNAP
- Claiborne Parish, LA · 33.8% SNAP
- Anson County, NC · 33.8% 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.
Food access nationally, Kentucky in context
Clay County sits inside Kentucky (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 Clay County, KY are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 21051. 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.