Signature · 4 LILA tracts (44.4% of tracts)
Colleton County, SC
Colleton County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (44.4% of the book) alongside 38.0% low-access.
- 38.0%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 23.4%
- on SNAP
- 39K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Colleton County, SC
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 38.0% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +15.9 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 23.4% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 10.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 44% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Anderson County ( -1.9 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Colleton County sits in the upper national band (38.0%, #480 of 3,079) with 4 LILA tracts.
- #480
- national by low-access %
- #4
- in SC
- 6
- low-access tracts
- 7K
- 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: 4 LILA tracts (44.4% of tracts) .
How Colleton County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Colleton County's 38.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 85% of them and ranked #480 most-affected nationwide.
Colleton County's elevated USDA tier split
9 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
Colleton County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (7 rural, 2 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 2 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Colleton County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in South Carolina, not a full county-board reprint
- Beaufort
Beaufort 49%
49 % low-access
- Colleton
Colleton 38%
38 % low-access
- Anderson
Anderson 36.1%
36.1 % low-access
- Greenville
Greenville 35.7%
35.7 % low-access
- Spartanburg
Spartanburg 34%
34 % low-access
- Kershaw
Kershaw 33.5%
33.5 % low-access
- Barnwell 0
Barnwell 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 9 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 38,892 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 6 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 14,775 |
| Low-Access Share | 38.0%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 7,061 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 38,783 |
| Median Household Income | $51,114 |
| Poverty Rate | 19.6%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 3,837 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 23.4%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 10.4%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.3% |
Thick SNAP store book in Colleton County
Colleton County has 49 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 23 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
10 towns share the 49 authorized stores; Walterboro holds 67% of them. 8 of the 10 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Cottageville, Jacksonboro, Ruffin, Yemassee, Green Pond, Lodge and 2 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Walterboro | 33 | 5 |
| Cottageville | 4 | none |
| Edisto Island | 2 | 1 |
| Jacksonboro | 2 | none |
| Ruffin | 2 | none |
| Yemassee | 2 | none |
| Green Pond | 1 | none |
| Lodge | 1 | none |
| Round O | 1 | none |
| Smoaks | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 23
- cottageville express, cottageville
- circle k 2723876, round o
- cottageville fuel stop, cottageville
- crosco express 2, green pond
- kk mart, jacksonboro
- murphy usa 7260, walterboro
- nouria 101 palmetto boulevard 891, edisto island
- nouria 1539 bells highway 880, walterboro
- nouria 1796 snider highway 869, walterboro
- nouria 3304 robertson boulevard 874, walterboro
- nouria 775 bells highway 870, walterboro
- pak a sak too, walterboro
- parker's 73, walterboro
- pump market, walterboro
- quick store 4, smoaks
- quiktrip 7134, walterboro
- r & m convenience store llc, yemassee
- roadside grocery, yemassee
- s&g grocery, lodge
- speedy express, walterboro
- stop n go, walterboro
- stopngo express, walterboro
- the forks pit stop, walterboro
Combination Grocery/Other · 17
- bells seafood, walterboro
- cvs pharmacy 3585, walterboro
- dollar general 3162, walterboro
- dollar general 4862, walterboro
- dollar general 7560, cottageville
- dollar general 9260, walterboro
- dollar general 15480, walterboro
- dollar general 21695, walterboro
- dollar general 22368, ruffin
- dollar general 25650, walterboro
- dollar general store 17093, jacksonboro
- dollar tree 3543, walterboro
- family dollar 12162, cottageville
- family dollar 12234, ruffin
- family dollar 136, walterboro
- family dollar 6212, walterboro
- walgreens 09284, walterboro
Supermarket · 3
- food lion 2802, walterboro
- food lion 2838, edisto island
- h&d supermarket 25, walterboro
Seafood Specialty · 2
- baker's shrimp, walterboro
- williams seafood, walterboro
Super Store · 2
- walmart supercenter 1358, walterboro
- walterboro iga, walterboro
Farmers' Market · 1
- colleton museum and farmers market, walterboro
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- walterboro cash and carry, walterboro
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in South Carolina
One of 45 counties in South Carolina, 6 are shown here.
Compare Colleton County vs Abbeville County → · All South Carolina counties →
Counties near Colleton County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Colleton County, both outside South Carolina so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside SC (38.0% here).
- Hopewell city, VA · 38.0% low-access
- Lamar County, MS · 38.0% low-access
- Ingham County, MI · 38.0% low-access
- Lawrence County, AR · 38.0% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside SC (23.4% here).
- Coos County, OR · 23.4% SNAP
- Colfax County, NM · 23.4% SNAP
- Knott County, KY · 23.3% SNAP
- Desha County, AR · 23.3% 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.
South Carolina among South Atlantic states
South Carolina ranks 2nd of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (28.7%). Colleton County, at 38.0%, runs 9.3 pts above the South Carolina rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
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 Colleton County, SC are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 45029. 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.