Signature · 34.1% SNAP (100th pct in VA)
Emporia city, VA
Emporia city stands out on SNAP (34.1%, +22 pts vs U.S.) with 3.4% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 3.4%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 34.1%
- on SNAP
- 6K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Emporia city, VA
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ADEQUATE 3.4% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -18.7 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 34.1% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 12.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Lancaster County ( -0.2 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Emporia city lands in the lower national band (3.4%, #2,889 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,889
- national by low-access %
- #109
- in VA
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 104
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 34.1% SNAP (100th pct in VA) (+22 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Emporia city compares nationally
Food access in Emporia city compares favorably nationally: its 3.4% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 8% of them (rank #2,891).
Emporia city's lower-band USDA tier split
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
By USDA urbanicity classification, Emporia city has 2 urban and 0 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.
Emporia city vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Highland
Highland 99.7%
99.7 % low-access
- Harrisonburg … 3.9
Harrisonburg … 3.9%
3.9 % low-access
- Smyth 3.8
Smyth 3.8%
3.8 % low-access
- Emporia city 3.4
Emporia city 3.4%
3.4 % low-access
- Lancaster 3.2
Lancaster 3.2%
3.2 % low-access
- Richmond 3.2
Richmond 3.2%
3.2 % low-access
- Dickenson 0
Dickenson 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 5,927 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 199 |
| Low-Access Share | 3.4%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 104 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 5,547 |
| Median Household Income | $51,899 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.8%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 736 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 34.1%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 12.5%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.6% |
Slim SNAP store book in Emporia city
Emporia city has 3 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 2 locations (67% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 2
- cornerstone market llc, emporia
- emporia family fare 615, emporia
Combination Grocery/Other · 1
- rose's express 73, emporia
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Virginia
One of 132 counties in Virginia, 6 are shown here.
Compare Emporia city vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Emporia city inside a lower low-access state context
Emporia city sits inside Virginia (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 Emporia city, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51595. 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.