County food-access profile · Pennsylvania
Delaware County, PA
Delaware 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.
- 15.9%
- low-access pop.
- 5
- food-desert tracts
- 13.3%
- on SNAP
- 579K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
15.9% of Delaware County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 143 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 39
- low-access tracts
- 13K
- food-desert residents
- 9.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 10.2%
- 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).
Delaware County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 15.9% per the USDA Atlas. 39 of the county's 143 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 88,614 residents who live far from a supermarket. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 13,331 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 Delaware County compares nationally
Delaware County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.9% low-access share that beats 35% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,046).
Delaware County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 143 census tracts in Delaware County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Delaware County vs. other Pennsylvania counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Pennsylvania
- Delaware
Delaware County, PA
15.9 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, PA
15.9 % low-access
- Allegheny
Allegheny County, PA
26.4 % low-access
- Armstrong 5.2
Armstrong County, PA
5.2 % low-access
- Beaver
Beaver County, PA
32.5 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, PA
22.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 143 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 558,979 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 39 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 5 |
| Low-Access Population | 88,614 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 13,331 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 579,222 |
| Median Household Income | $89,546 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.2%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 28,783 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.3%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.6%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.0% |
About 13.3% of Delaware County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 15.9% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 13.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 28,783 households here.
- 9.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 5 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 Delaware County
near the national share
5 of Delaware County's 143 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 3.5% of all its tracts.
A further 34 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 39.
An estimated 88,614 residents, roughly 15.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 13,331 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 104 tracts (72.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Delaware County
Delaware County has 388 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 162 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 162
- 4 brother mini market 2 inc, darby
- 5 points deli & market inc, chester
- 7 eleven 11321, broomall
- 7 eleven 11323, aston
- 7 eleven store 11320f, folcroft
- 7-eleven 21584d, ridley park
- 7-eleven store #1405-11317b 11317b, sharon hill
- 7-eleven store #20056f, clifton heights
- 7-eleven store 11328e, brookhaven
- 7-eleven store #20620e 20620e, upper darby
- 7-eleven store #20700g 20700g, lansdowne
- 7-eleven store #40150a 40150a, wayne
- 7days goodluck mini market inc, chester
- a m grocery store inc, darby
- amy's produce, brookhaven
- african delights store llc, darby
- aldan sunoco 3, aldan
- amazonas express inc, upper darby
- american convenience store 2 llc, upper darby
- american convenience store llc, upper darby
- aston corner mart, aston
- aujla grocery store inc, upper darby
- avenue market, inc., chester
- b&m food market inc, drexel hill
- chester shop & save food market, chester
- cjk market inc, upper darby
- chester best food market inc, chester
- chester food market 1 inc, chester
- choice food market, chester
- clifton heights suncoo, clifton heights
- convenience mix, upper darby
- cozy food market inc, chester
- crumlynne sunoco, crum lynne
- davis trading post 1 inc, norwood
- daily convenience store, upper darby
- delco deli inc, prospect park
- delmar sunoco food mart, folcroft
- dev corp 0, aldan
- dollar island mini mart, aldan
- dollar magic na, chester
- dollar world, upper darby
- drexel food market, drexel hill
- drexel hill fuels 69720, drexel hill
- eg food base market, chester
- eagle save mart 1, chester
- ez stop convenience store inc, upper darby
- folcroft market, folcroft
- folcroft deli market llc, folcroft
- freds mini market, darby
- guys deli, glenolden
- happy days food market i, sharon hill
- henry's convenience store, trainer
- j j pine deli grocery corporation, darby
- jay's food market, crum lynne
- jackpot conveneince llc, upper darby
- k & g mini market inc, darby
- karina food market inc, upper darby
- kens food market inc, upper darby
- king’s deli food mart inc, sharon hill
- knf market 6 1, chester
- koch food market llc, chester
- korner deli, upper darby
- lucky's variety store, upper darby
- la tienda de don pedro llc, upper darby
- lidl 1506, clifton heights
- lukoil gas, upper darby
- lupita grocery, upper darby
- main scoop, chester
- main street food market, darby
- major's folcroft market llc, lansdowne
- manicar international grocery store, upper darby
- maruti 1031 dba tristar food market, lansdowne
- massache & daughter african store, lansdowne
- media sunoco, media
- new dollar star, llc, lansdowne
- norwood one stop-dollar world, norwood
- oshun flowers shop, lansdowne
- pauls' sunoco, darby
- phll gas convenience inc, chester
- pantry 1 food mart, crum lynne
- pantry 1 food mart, wallingford
- peter's market, chester
- princess market inc, sharon hill
- quaker mart, marcus hook
- quick stop, upper darby
- quick stop 71 inc, clifton heights
- royal farms 192, upper chichester
- royal farms 195, broomall
- royal farms 202, ridley park
- royal farms 221, glenolden
- shree hari 7 days, llc 0, upper darby
- sixth st mini market inc, darby
- sks petroleum llc, clifton heights
- sky mini market inc, chester
- snack up, collingdale
- snacks on 3rd, chester
- speedway 6726, havertown
- speedway 6806, drexel hill
- state road convenience store, upper darby
- stop mini market inc, lansdowne
- sunoco a plus, broomall
- sunoco a plus, prospect park
- sunoco a plus, chester
- sunoco aplus, chester
- sunoco aplus, chester
- sunoco gas station 1, darby
- swiss farm 0007, brookhaven
- swiss farm 0014, milmont park
- swiss farms broomall, broomall
- swiss farms clifton heights, clifton heights
- swiss farms drexel hill, drexel hill
- swiss farms folsom, folsom
- swiss farms springfield, springfield
- tara gas llc, clifton heights
- tmae, inc, woodlyn
- ud dollar plus, inc, upper darby
- visoja corporation, upper darby
- wawa 100, media
- wawa 12, drexel hill
- wawa 154, springfield
- wawa 168, bryn mawr
- wawa 170, chadds ford
- wawa 198, glen mills
- wawa 212, drexel hill
- wawa 239, holmes
- wawa 254, essington
- wawa 257, wayne
- wawa 265, havertown
- wawa 269, glen mills
- wawa 291, strafford
- wawa 293, clifton heights
- wawa 35, woodlyn
- wawa 54, havertown
- wawa 8, broomall
- wawa 8027, aston
- wawa 8042, brookhaven
- wawa 8151, boothwyn
- wawa store 8108, collingdale
- wawa 8059, boothwyn
- wawa 8048, folsom
- wawa 8070, upper darby
- wawa 8082, media
- wawa 8086, newtown square
- wawa 8114, media
- wawa 8128, upper darby,
- wawa 8133, ridley park
- wawa food market 11, upper darby
- wawa food market 14, upper darby
- wawa food market 174, glenolden
- wawa food market 178, morton
- wawa food market 7, linwood
- wawa food market 73, lansdowne
- wawa food market 8007, folcroft
- wawa store 8081, folsom
- wawa store 8083, media
- wawa store 8084, springfield
- wawa store 8145, drexel hill
- wawa store 8148, media
- wawa store 8160, sharon hill
- wawa store 8166, woodlyn
- wei liu, sharon hill
- y & v mini market inc, darby
Combination Grocery/Other · 81
- blessing africa markets, chester
- consumers coop assn of swarthmore, swarthmore
- cvs 233, newtown square
- cvs pharmacy 1046, secane
- cvs pharmacy 1237, havertown
- cvs pharmacy 1296, drexel hill
- cvs pharmacy 147, havertown
- cvs pharmacy 2173, media
- cvs pharmacy 370, wayne
- cvs pharmacy 460, lansdowne
- cvs pharmacy 5462, broomall
- cvs pharmacy 675, glenolden
- cvs pharmacy 722, springfield
- cvs pharmacy 743, swarthmore
- cvs pharmacy 766, ridley park
- cvs pharmacy 828, aston
- cvs pharmacy 903, brookhaven
- cvs pharmacy 10377, ardmore
- cvs pharmacy 2000, boothwyn
- cvs pharmacy 2408, drexel hill
- cvs pharmacy 2582, springfield
- cvs pharmacy 2756, broomall
- cvs pharmacy 2785, woodlyn
- cvs pharmacy 2867, folsom
- cvs pharmacy 3142, lansdowne
- cvs pharmacy 4984, glen mills
- cvs pharmacy 6902, bryn mawr
- cvs pharmacy inc 7239, media
- dollar general 19271, lansdowne
- dollartree 10439, darby
- dollartree 10751, glenolden
- dollartree 8680, secane
- dollartree 8755, swarthmore
- dollar general 14849, upper darby
- dollar general 15369, sharon hill
- dollar general 16389, chester
- dollar general 19028, yeadon
- dollar general 22866, chester
- dollar general 23007, upper chichester
- dollar general 24161, clifton heights
- dollar general 30636, folcroft
- dollar general store 16680, chester
- dollar tree 1615, upper darby
- dollar tree 1620, broomall
- dollar tree 1633, sharon hill
- dollar tree 2250, lansdowne
- dollar tree 2372, drexel hill
- dollar tree 4314, darby
- dollar tree 4791, brookhaven
- dollar tree 4904, media
- dollar tree 524, marcus hook
- dollar tree 6004, chester
- dollar tree 6154, woodlyn
- dollar tree 8335, folsom
- dollar tree 8381, springfield
- dollar tree 8381, springfield
- dollar tree 8765, clifton heights
- family dollar 10094, upper darby
- family dollar 11361, linwood
- family dollar 11762, upper darby
- family dollar 11926, folcroft
- family dollar 1707, chester
- family dollar 2884, aston
- family dollar 6947, sharon hill
- family dollar 781, chester
- family dollar 7983, woodlyn
- family dollar 8745, holmes
- family dollar store 8074, upper chichester
- main street caribbean and african market, darby
- martindale's natural market 1, springfield
- sabzi mandi produce market, upper darby
- supreme dollar city, upper darby
- travers food market, lansdowne
- walgreens 03663, brookhaven
- walgreens 06331, springfield
- walgreens 04429, glenolden
- walgreens 04487, aston
- walgreens 11056, glen mills
- walgreens 12492, chadds ford
- what a crock meals to go, collingdale
- what a crock meals to go llc 01, brookhaven
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 5
- gentile's farm market co, inc, newtown square
- john's produce, garnet valley
- new eddystone produce inc, eddystone
- produce junction, glenolden
- produce junction-darby, darby
Farmers' Market · 2
- lansdowne farmers market, lansdowne
- swarthmore farmers market, swarthmore
Showing 250 of 388 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Compare Delaware County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Delaware County sits inside Pennsylvania (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 Delaware County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Delaware County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Delaware County? ▼
Is Delaware County a food desert? ▼
What share of Delaware 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.