Signature · 4.3% SNAP (8th pct in VA)
Fairfax County, VA
Fairfax 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.
- 18.0%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 4.3%
- on SNAP
- 1.1M
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Fairfax County, VA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-MODERATE 18.0% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -4.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 4.3% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 1% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Grayson County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Fairfax County ranks #1,855 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #66 of 123 counties in VA (18.0% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #1,855
- national by low-access %
- #66
- in VA
- 92
- low-access tracts
- 17K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 4.3% SNAP (8th pct in VA) (-7.8 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Fairfax County compares nationally
Fairfax County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.0% low-access share that beats 41% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,863).
Fairfax County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
257 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Fairfax County has 252 urban and 5 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.
Fairfax County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Highland
Highland 99.7%
99.7 % low-access
- Roanoke city 18.7
Roanoke city 18.7%
18.7 % low-access
- Grayson 18.1
Grayson 18.1%
18.1 % low-access
- Fairfax 18
Fairfax 18%
18 % low-access
- Prince Edward 17.8
Prince Edward 17.8%
17.8 % low-access
- Virginia Beac… 17.5
Virginia Beac… 17.5%
17.5 % low-access
- Dickenson 0
Dickenson 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 257 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 1,081,726 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 92 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 195,194 |
| Low-Access Share | 18.0%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 16,977 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,147,837 |
| Median Household Income | $153,637 |
| Poverty Rate | 5.9%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 17,970 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 4.3%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.9% |
Other Counties in Virginia
One of 132 counties in Virginia, 6 are shown here.
Compare Fairfax County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Nationwide peers for Fairfax County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Fairfax County (4.3%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Virginia.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside VA (18.0% here).
- Mason County, WV · 18.0% low-access
- Mason County, WV · 18.0% low-access
- Le Flore County, OK · 18.0% low-access
- Le Flore County, OK · 18.0% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside VA (4.3% here).
- Rockwall County, TX · 4.3% SNAP
- Rockwall County, TX · 4.3% SNAP
- Cass County, NE · 4.3% SNAP
- Cass County, NE · 4.3% 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.
Food access nationally, Virginia in context
Fairfax County 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 Fairfax County, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51059. 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.