PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Ohio

Fayette County, OH

Fayette 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.

10.6%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
14.3%
on SNAP
29K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 OH

The food-access picture

10.6% of Fayette County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
4.8%
households, no vehicle
15.5%
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).

Fayette County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 10.6% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 7 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,068 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,124 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

Fayette County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.6% low-access share that beats 22% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,446).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Fayette County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 7 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).

Food access tier distribution for Fayette County, OH USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (71.4%) 1 tracts limited (14.3%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (14.3%) Adequate 71% Limited 14% Severe 14% Food-access tier distribution: Fayette County, OH
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Fayette County vs. other Ohio counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Ohio

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Fayette County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)29,030
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population3,068
Low-Access Share10.6%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,124

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Fayette County
IndicatorValue
Population28,876
Median Household Income$63,275
Poverty Rate15.5%near the national average
SNAP Households1,653
SNAP Participation Rate14.3%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.8%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.4%
SNAP participation in Fayette County 14.3%

About 14.3% of Fayette County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 10.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 14.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,653 households here.
  • 4.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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

near the national share

1 of Fayette County's 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.3% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 2.

An estimated 3,068 residents, roughly 10.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,124 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (71.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Fayette County

Fayette County has 33 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 15 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 15

  • court house corner, washington court house
  • dunkin's express mart nrag llc, washington court house
  • glpettit llc, bloomingburg
  • glpettit llc dt1, washington court house
  • glpettit llc dt2, washington court house
  • jeffersonville 757, jeffersonville
  • jeffersonville bp 6, jeffersonville
  • love's travel stop 352, jeffersonville
  • mobil gas station, washington court house
  • north & court arco, washington court house
  • pilot travel center 698, jeffersonville
  • quiktrip 7023, jeffersonville
  • sheetz 759, jefferson
  • speedway 7611, jeffersonville
  • ta jeffersonville 139, jeffersonville

Combination Grocery/Other · 10

  • cvs 3408, washington court house
  • dollar general 2047, washington court house
  • dollar general 20987, bloomingburg
  • dollar tree 1749, washington court house
  • dollar tree 9067, washington court house
  • family dollar store 2673, washington court house
  • family dollar store 7380, jeffersonville
  • one stop 22, washington court house
  • united dairy farmers 655, washington court house
  • walgreens 12372, washington court house

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 61048 61048, washington court house
  • jeffersonville market, jeffersonville
  • save a lot 21720, washington court house

Super Store · 2

  • kroger 822, washington court house
  • walmart supercenter 3251, washington court house

Farmers' Market · 1

  • fayette county farmers market association, washington court house

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • sunny maple, washington court house

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • prime meats and deli llc, washington court house

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Ohio

Adams County
22.0% low-access · 20.7% SNAP
Allen County
17.4% low-access · 13.8% SNAP
Ashland County
5.0% low-access · 8.9% SNAP
Ashtabula County
21.9% low-access · 18.2% SNAP
Athens County
17.0% low-access · 14.4% SNAP
Auglaize County
9.9% low-access · 6.8% SNAP

Compare Fayette County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →

Food access nationally, Ohio in context

Fayette County sits inside Ohio (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

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? ▼
10.6% of residents in Fayette County, OH live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Fayette County? ▼
14.3% of households in Fayette County receive SNAP, covering 1,653 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Fayette County? ▼
The poverty rate in Fayette County, OH is 15.5%, with a median household income of $63,275 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Fayette County a food desert? ▼
1 of Fayette County's 7 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Fayette County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.8% of households in Fayette County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.