Signature · 49.1% low-access (93rd pct)
Columbia County, WA
Columbia County sits in the upper national band on low-access (49.1%, +27 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 49.1%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 14.1%
- on SNAP
- 4K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Columbia County, WA
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-SEVERE 49.1% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +27.0 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Ferry County ( -0.5 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Columbia County sits in the upper national band (49.1%, #214 of 3,079).
- #214
- national by low-access %
- #2
- in WA
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 580
- 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: 49.1% low-access (93rd pct) (+27 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Columbia County compares nationally
Columbia County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 49.1% low-access share outpaces 93% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #214 most-affected nationwide.
Columbia County's elevated USDA tier split
1 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 1 of Columbia County's tracts are urban in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 1-mile test, the stricter of the two distance thresholds.
Columbia County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Washington, not a full county-board reprint
- Douglas
Douglas 55.5%
55.5 % low-access
- Columbia
Columbia 49.1%
49.1 % low-access
- Ferry
Ferry 48.6%
48.6 % low-access
- Adams
Adams 41.7%
41.7 % low-access
- Kitsap
Kitsap 40.7%
40.7 % low-access
- San Juan 0
San Juan 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 4,078 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,004 |
| Low-Access Share | 49.1%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 580 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 4,014 |
| Median Household Income | $71,810 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.3%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 263 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.1%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.6% |
Slim SNAP store book in Columbia County
Columbia County has 5 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 4 locations (80% of the total), followed by supermarket.
Where the store book sits, by town
All 5 authorized stores are in Dayton, 1 of them grocery-grade (supermarket or large/medium grocery).
Convenience Store · 4
- pdq food mart, dayton
- steve's cash grocery, dayton
- the dayton food mart, dayton
- the general store, dayton
Supermarket · 1
- dayton mercantile, dayton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Washington
One of 38 counties in Washington, 6 are shown here.
Compare Columbia County vs Adams County → · All Washington counties →
Washington among Pacific states
Washington ranks 3rd of 5 Pacific states by population-weighted low-access (23.1%). Columbia County, at 49.1%, runs 26.0 pts above the Washington rate.
- Alaska 30.9%
- Hawaii 26.7%
- Washington 23.1%
- Oregon 16.9%
- California 13.3%
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 Columbia County, WA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 53013. 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.