County food-access profile · Virginia
Culpeper County, VA
Culpeper County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 11.9%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 9.8%
- on SNAP
- 54K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
11.9% of Culpeper County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
- 3.9%
- households, no vehicle
- 7.9%
- 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).
Culpeper County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 11.9% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 8 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 5,576 residents who live far from a supermarket. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,345 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 Culpeper County compares nationally
Culpeper County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 11.9% low-access share that beats 25% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,353).
Culpeper County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 8 census tracts in Culpeper County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Culpeper County vs. other Virginia counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Virginia
- Culpeper
Culpeper County, VA
11.9 % low-access
- Accomack 2.2
Accomack County, VA
2.2 % low-access
- Albemarle
Albemarle County, VA
11.9 % low-access
- Alexandria city 0
Alexandria city, VA
0 % low-access
- Alleghany
Alleghany County, VA
16.4 % low-access
- Amelia
Amelia County, VA
16.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 8 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 46,689 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 5,576 |
| Low-Access Share | 11.9%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,345 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 54,397 |
| Median Household Income | $100,049 |
| Poverty Rate | 7.9%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,849 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.8%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.9%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.1% |
About 9.8% of Culpeper County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 11.9% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,849 households here.
- 3.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 3 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 Culpeper County
near the national share
3 of Culpeper County's 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 37.5% of all its tracts.
An estimated 5,576 residents, roughly 11.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,345 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 5 tracts (62.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Culpeper County
Culpeper County has 31 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 15 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 15
- 3 star food mart, culpeper
- 7-eleven 19049h, culpeper
- 7-eleven inc f 10644a, culpeper
- 7-eleven inc f 34511a, amissville
- 7-eleven inc f 34513a, culpeper
- 7-eleven store 10661a, culpeper
- 7-eleven store, inc. 17206f, culpeper
- 7-eleven 28523a 28523a, culpeper
- e & c enterprises va512, culpeper
- legacy markets culpeper, culpeper
- mosby meadow market, culpeper
- murphy usa 7645, culpeper
- reuwers grocery, rixeyville
- stop in food stores 8069, culpeper
- westover supermarket, culpeper
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- cvs 1566, culpeper
- dollar general 0606, culpeper
- dollar tree 913, culpepper
- family dollar store 3911, culpeper
- the ole country store and bakery, culpeper
- walgreens 11675, culpeper
- walgreens 17547, culpeper
Supermarket · 4
- aldi 80055 80055, culpeper
- martins food market 6454, culpeper
- safeway 1538, culpeper
- weis markets 305, culpeper
Super Store · 3
- lidl 1053, culpeper
- target stores 2250, culpeper
- walmart supercenter 2136, culpeper
Farmers' Market · 1
- culpeper downtown farmers market, culpeper
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- mecca halal processing inc, culpeper
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Virginia
Compare Culpeper County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Food access nationally, Virginia in context
Culpeper County sits inside Virginia (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Culpeper County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Culpeper County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Culpeper County? ▼
Is Culpeper County a food desert? ▼
What share of Culpeper County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.