County food-access profile · Kentucky
Fayette County, KY
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Fayette County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 20.7%
- low-access pop.
- 12
- food-desert tracts
- 8.5%
- on SNAP
- 324K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
20.7% of Fayette County residents live in a low-access area, and 12 of its 82 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 30
- low-access tracts
- 21K
- food-desert residents
- 7.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 14.9%
- 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).
USDA data puts Fayette County's low-access share at 20.7%, above the national share. 30 of the county's 82 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 61,142 people. 12 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 20,831 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 Fayette County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Fayette County's 20.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 48% of them and ranked #1,634 most-affected nationwide.
Fayette County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 82 census tracts in Fayette County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Fayette County vs. other Kentucky counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Kentucky
- Fayette
Fayette County, KY
20.7 % low-access
- Adair 6.5
Adair County, KY
6.5 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, KY
21.7 % low-access
- Anderson 7.8
Anderson County, KY
7.8 % low-access
- Ballard 0
Ballard County, KY
0 % low-access
- Barren
Barren County, KY
15.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 82 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 295,803 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 30 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 12 |
| Low-Access Population | 61,142 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.7%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 20,831 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 323,725 |
| Median Household Income | $69,479 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.9%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 11,918 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.5%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.9% |
About 8.5% of Fayette County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 20.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 8.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 11,918 households here.
- 7.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 12 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 Fayette County
above the national share
12 of Fayette County's 82 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.6% of all its tracts.
A further 18 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 30.
An estimated 61,142 residents, roughly 20.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 20,831 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 52 tracts (63.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Fayette County
Fayette County has 251 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 126 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 126
- ah enterprises llc - allens food mart, lexington
- andover bp, lexington
- anniston mini mart, lexington
- asian food & groceries inc, lexington
- bp foodmart, lexington
- bluegrass mart, lexington
- broadway food mart, lexington
- broadway foodmart, lexington
- casey's 4662, lexington
- casey's 4664, lexington
- casey's 4665, lexington
- chevron station east main, lexington
- circle k 2723211, lexington
- circle k 4703214, lexington
- circle k 4703302, lexington
- clark's pump-n-shop 36, lexington
- clark's pump-n-shop 44, lexington
- clark's pump-n-shop 53, lexington
- clark's pump-n-shop 79, lexington
- clark's pump-n-shop 87, lexington
- clarks pump n shop 59, lexington
- clarks pump-n-shop 57, lexington
- clays mill shell 8, lexington
- cp food mart, lexington
- e-g america 4439, lexington
- e-g america 4440, lexington
- e-g america 4441, lexington
- e-g america 4442, lexington
- e-g america 4443, lexington
- e-g america 4444, lexington
- e-g america 4445, lexington
- e-g america 4446, lexington
- e-g america 4447, lexington
- e-g america 4448, lexington
- e-g america 4450, lexington
- e-g america 4451, lexington
- e-g america 4452, lexington
- e-g america 4454, lexington
- e-g america 4455, lexington
- estepps friendly shell, lexington
- eastland vape & grocery llc, lexington
- estepp's bp 1012, lexington
- estepp's citation 9, lexington
- estepp's friendly shell, inc. 2, lexington
- fast stop of lexington, lexington
- flowers bakery outlet 50001070, lexington
- foodland, lexington
- foodland market, lexington
- fruteria las veracruzanas, lexington
- gallops inc., lexington
- griffiths market, lexington
- h & m grocery, lexington
- huck's 319, lexington
- khaniya llc d/b/a- m&m grocery 1, lexington
- king mj food mart, llc, lexington
- kroger 808, lexington
- lane allen food mart, lexington
- lansdowne marathon, lexington
- lex express llc, lexington
- lexington food mart, lexington
- lexsun llc, lexington
- los hermanos market llc, lexington
- marathon, lexington
- marathon, lexington
- marathon food mart, lexington
- marathon market, lexington
- meijer gas station 161, lexington
- meijer gas station 184, lexington
- mini food mart, lexington
- minit mart 4449, lexington
- minit mart 4453, lexington
- mint mart, lexington
- murphy usa 7392, lexington
- mustangs mart #1, lexington
- naz three llc - marathon food mart, lexington
- nortenas latin market 1, lexington
- pdq kwik stop, lexington
- pali food mart, lexington
- pineda's discount brands, lexington
- polo shell, lexington
- redi mart 10, lexington
- ram 3 oil llc, lexington
- richmond rd bp 1, lexington
- s & r foods inc., lexington
- speedway 9395, lexington
- speedway 9658, lexington
- speedway 9667, lexington
- speedway 9704, lexington
- shazi mart llc, lexington
- skilar stop llc, lexington
- someshwara inc/eastland foodmart, lexington
- southland bp, lexington
- speedway 9332, lexington
- speedway 9334, lexington
- speedway 9393 9393, lexington
- speedway 9394, lexington
- speedway 9397, lexington
- speedway 9402, lexington
- speedway 9512, lexington
- speedway 9591, lexington
- speedway 9593, lexington
- speedway 9596, lexington
- speedway 9621, lexington
- speedway 9651, lexington
- speedway 9675, lexington
- speedway 9677, lexington
- speedway 9699, lexington
- speedway 9728, lexington
- superamerica 9398, lexington
- thriftway food mart #2, lexington
- thorntons 38, lexington
- thorntons 51, lexington
- thorntons 90, lexington
- thorntons llc 262048, lexington
- thorntons llc 262052, lexington
- thorntons llc 262053, lexington
- thorntons llc 262089, lexington
- unique foodmart llc, lexington
- village market and dollar, lexington
- waller food mart, lexington
- west main foodmart, lexington
- wildcat market, lexington
- winburn mini mart llc no, lexington
- woodhill food mart, lexington
- z market #2 inc., lexington
- z market 1 inc, lexington
Combination Grocery/Other · 49
- african food market limited, lexington
- asian market, lexington
- cvs pharmacy 6940, lexington
- cvs pharmacy 6942, lexington
- cvs pharmacy 7618, lexington
- cvs pharmacy 6941, lexington
- critchfields meats, lexington
- dollar general 14796, lexington
- dollar general 18131, lexington
- dollar general 4199, lexington
- dollar general 7089, lexington
- dollar tree 6788, lexington
- dollartree 8176, lexington
- dollartree 8968, lexington
- dollar general 10340, lexington
- dollar general 20954, lexington
- dollar general 4404, lexington
- dollar tree 1117, lexington
- dollar tree 2296, lexington
- dollar tree 327, lexington
- dollar tree 3293, lexington
- dollar tree 4611, lexington
- dollar tree 7458, lexington
- dollar tree 8052, lexington
- dollartree 8880, lexington
- dollartree 8881, lexington
- emo express, lexington
- faimarket, lexington
- family dollar 1920, lexington
- family dollar 3032, lexington
- family dollar 3623, lexington
- family dollar 3739, lexington
- family dollar 4253, lexington
- family dollar 5187, lexington
- family dollar 8191, lexington
- family dollar store 2571, lexington
- mbm african market, lexington
- walgreen 09857, lexington
- walgreens 10776, lexington
- walgreens 10206, lexington
- walgreens 16036, lexington
- walgreens 17142, lexington
- walgreens 17163, lexington
- walgreens 17311, lexington
- walgreens 17946, lexington
- walgreens 18111, lexington
- walgreens 19672, lexington
- walgreens 19740, lexington
- walgreens 7093, lexington
Super Store · 27
- costco wholesale 1156, lexington
- good foods co-op inc, lexington
- kroger #00024-737 737, lexington
- kroger #l-00347 347, lexington
- kroger #l-00352 l352, lexington
- kroger #l-00359 l359, lexington
- kroger #l-00361 l361, lexington
- kroger #l-00371 l371, lexington
- kroger #l-00407 l407, lexington
- kroger #l-00721 l721, lexington
- kroger 768, lexington
- kroger 767, lexington
- kroger 784, lexington
- kroger 797, lexington
- meijer 161, lexington
- meijer 184, lexington
- sam's club 8188, lexington
- super mercado aguascalientes, lexington
- target store t-0366, lexington
- target store t-1094, lexington
- target store t3313, lexington
- walmart 2628, lexington
- walmart neighborhood market 4413, lexington
- walmart neighborhood market 4607, lexington
- walmart s/c 2783, lexington
- walmart supercenter 3894, lexington
- whole foods market 10577, lexington
Medium Grocery Store · 17
- dong yang market, lexington
- food international & diverse, lexington
- jehova jireh mama africa food market, lexington
- ky z&z incorporated, lexington
- la mexicana llc, lexington
- la princessa supermarket, lexington
- lex international supermarket llc, lexington
- magar grocery llc, lexington
- nepmart grocery, lexington
- o hana market llc, lexington
- olenik african market, lexington
- royal blue market llc, lexington
- sahara international, lexington
- super mercado aguascalientes 4, lexington
- sai super bazar 1, lexington
- selbys tropical food market, lexington
- seoul market, lexington
Supermarket · 16
- aldi 44069, lexington
- aldi 69089 69089, lexington
- crossroads iga 761, lexington
- crossroads iga 795, lexington
- gordon food service store mp113, lexington
- la princesa super market llc, lexington
- latino market v inc-supermercado aguascalientes 5, lexington
- publix super markets, inc. 1887, lexington
- publix super markets, inc. 2051, lexington
- save a eastland 23253, lexington
- save a lot north broadway 23949, lexington
- save a lot versailles rd 23948, lexington
- supermercado aguascalientes, lexington
- the fresh market 087, lexington
- the fresh market 263, lexington
- trader joe's 627, lexington
Small Grocery Store · 6
- european gourmet, lexington
- ghalley brothers, lexington
- j.f. bongout bakery & grocery 907, lexington
- la morenita mexicana store, lexington
- medina butcher & spice shop, lexington
- n&d african food market, lexington
Farmers' Market · 5
- farm and garden market cooperative association, in, lexington
- farm and garden market cooperative association, in, lexington
- lexington farmers market southland dr, lexington
- lexington farmers market, lexington
- woodhill international market, lexington
Large Grocery Store · 4
- manju 2024 llc, lexington
- mi preferida, lexington
- sams international market & traditional butcher, lexington
- supermercado las nortenas inc, lexington
Showing 250 of 251 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Kentucky
Compare Fayette County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →
Food access nationally, Kentucky in context
Fayette County sits inside Kentucky (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 Fayette County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Fayette County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Fayette County? ▼
Is Fayette County a food desert? ▼
What share of Fayette 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.