Signature · 4 LILA tracts (44.4% of tracts)

Cocke County, TN

Cocke County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (44.4% of the book) alongside 21.9% low-access.

21.9%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
18.8%
on SNAP
37K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 TN

USDA FARA access plate

County Cocke County, TN

LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-ELEVATED 21.9% low-access
  • PHOTO-FINISH -0.2 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-HEAVY 18.8% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 4.4% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 44% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Gibson County ( -0.4 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Cocke County ranks #1,529 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #33 of 93 counties in TN (21.9% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).

#1,529
national by low-access %
#33
in TN
5
low-access tracts
4K
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 (44.4% of tracts) .

How Cocke County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Cocke County's 21.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 51% of them and ranked #1,535 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Cocke County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

9 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Cocke County, TN USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (44.4%) 1 tracts limited (11.1%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (44.4%) Adequate 44% Limited 11% Severe 44% Food-access tier distribution: Cocke County, TN
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Cocke County has 1 urban and 8 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.

Cocke County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Tennessee, not a full county-board reprint

% 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 Cocke County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)35,662
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population7,827
Low-Access Share21.9%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,992

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Cocke County
IndicatorValue
Population36,813
Median Household Income$48,016
Poverty Rate21.9%well above the national average
SNAP Households2,913
SNAP Participation Rate18.8%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.4%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.0%

Thick SNAP store book in Cocke County

Cocke County has 54 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 33 locations (61% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 33

  • 440 truckstop, newport
  • 95 mart 13, newport
  • a & m grocery 1, cosby
  • big o's hartford 5, hartford
  • bybee market 1, bybee
  • city park grocery, newport
  • djs market & deli, cosby
  • donna jo's market, cosby
  • ez stop food mart 19, newport
  • hop-in 647, newport
  • in and out market 1, newport
  • in n out market, newport
  • j and s mini mart, del rio
  • k square mobil, newport
  • kenjo 6, newport
  • kennys market 5, newport
  • lanes market 1, newport
  • love's travel stop 796, newport
  • mike's market, newport
  • murphy usa 6574, newport
  • newport citgo, newport
  • newport market & deli 1, newport
  • newport shell, newport
  • orange mart, newport
  • parrottsville market and deli, parrottsville
  • quick stop market 32, newport
  • racetrac 2682, newport
  • shan's market, newport
  • stop n go market, newport
  • vardayak inc., parrottsville
  • webb's market, cosby
  • weigel's 80, newport
  • zoomerz 959, newport

Combination Grocery/Other · 15

  • cvs pharmacy 7246, newport
  • dollar general 10328, cosby
  • dollar general 19350, del rio
  • dollar general 4159, newport
  • dollar general 445, newport
  • dollar general 685, newport
  • dollar general 8702, newport
  • dollartree 8204, newport
  • dollar general 12905, parrottsville
  • dollar general 13726, newport
  • dollar general 17224, newport
  • dollar general 24355, cosby
  • dollar general 25541, newport
  • dollar tree 3157, newport
  • walgreens 10688, newport

Supermarket · 3

  • food city 604, newport
  • food city 614, newport
  • price less food 475, newport

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • newport bargain barn, newport

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • brock's open air market, newport

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 678, newport

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Tennessee

One of 94 counties in Tennessee, 6 are shown here.

Compare Cocke County vs Anderson County → · All Tennessee counties →

Nationwide peers for Cocke County's low-access or SNAP share

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Cocke County, both outside Tennessee so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside TN (21.9% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside TN (18.8% here).

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, Tennessee in context

Cocke County sits inside Tennessee (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 Cocke County, TN are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 47029. 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.