PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Tennessee

Franklin County, TN

Franklin 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.

19.1%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
8.3%
on SNAP
44K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 TN

The food-access picture

19.1% of Franklin County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
4.1%
households, no vehicle
12.0%
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).

Franklin County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.1% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 9 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,845 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,624 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 Franklin County compares nationally

Franklin County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.1% low-access share that beats 44% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,761).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Franklin County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Franklin 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 Franklin County, TN USDA-defined food-access tiers: 6 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 6 tracts adequate (66.7%) 2 tracts limited (22.2%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (11.1%) Adequate 67% Limited 22% Severe 11% Food-access tier distribution: Franklin County, TN
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Franklin County vs. other Tennessee counties

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

% 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 Franklin County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)41,052
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population7,845
Low-Access Share19.1%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,624

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Franklin County
IndicatorValue
Population43,990
Median Household Income$63,494
Poverty Rate12.0%below the national average
SNAP Households1,449
SNAP Participation Rate8.3%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.1%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population5.5%
SNAP participation in Franklin County 8.3%

About 8.3% of Franklin County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 19.1% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 8.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,449 households here.
  • 4.1% 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 Franklin County

near the national share

1 of Franklin County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.1% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 7,845 residents, roughly 19.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,624 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 6 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Franklin County

Franklin County has 55 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 29 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 29

  • bluebird market no, estill springs
  • broadview market, winchester
  • buddys market, winchester
  • chally wally, winchester
  • cowan market, cowan
  • creekside market of winchester, winchester
  • decherd market, decherd
  • downtown station, decherd
  • family food mart, winchester
  • foster's sak n pak, estill springs
  • gas n go, winchester
  • hensleys market & deli, belvidere
  • huntland market, huntland
  • huntland mini mart, huntland
  • ians market 117, winchester
  • jays mart, winchester
  • kevin's market, winchester
  • lakeshore market, winchester
  • lakeside market, estill springs
  • land & lake market, estill springs
  • linda's market, cowan
  • murphy express 8521, winchester
  • s & j market, tullahoma
  • sewanee market, sewanee
  • speedy market, winchester
  • speedy sack market, estill springs
  • the bodega at the village, winchester
  • trolley rock truck stop, belvidere
  • whistle stop, winchester

Combination Grocery/Other · 17

  • cvs pharmacy 4358, decherd
  • dollar general 2734, decherd
  • dollar general 4658, winchester
  • dollar general 6377, estill springs
  • dollar general 9275, huntland
  • dollartree 8197, winchester
  • dollar general 12844, winchester
  • dollar general 15534, cowan
  • dollar general 23650, decherd
  • dollar general 24989, winchester
  • dollar general 30833, estill springs
  • dollar general 31519, decherd
  • dollar general 31601, winchester
  • dollar general store 16422, tullahoma
  • dollar tree 515, decherd
  • twice daily 7751, winchester
  • walgreens 9295, decherd

Large Grocery Store · 3

  • bates foods, winchester
  • main street market llc, huntland
  • united grocery outlet 22, decherd

Super Store · 2

  • kroger 503, decherd
  • walmart supercenter 0735, winchester

Supermarket · 2

  • food city 690, winchester
  • houchens save-a-lot 145, decherd

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • dotsons produce no, winchester

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • lighthouse grocery 2, cowan

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Tennessee

Anderson County
10.9% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Bedford County
23.0% low-access · 10.2% SNAP
Benton County
12.6% low-access · 15.8% SNAP
Bledsoe County
4.7% low-access · 18.1% SNAP
Blount County
30.1% low-access · 5.9% SNAP
Bradley County
32.9% low-access · 11.7% SNAP

Compare Franklin County vs Anderson County → · All Tennessee counties →

Food access nationally, Tennessee in context

Franklin County sits inside Tennessee (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 Franklin County has low food access? ▼
19.1% of residents in Franklin County, TN 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 Franklin County? ▼
8.3% of households in Franklin County receive SNAP, covering 1,449 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Franklin County? ▼
The poverty rate in Franklin County, TN is 12.0%, with a median household income of $63,494 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Franklin County a food desert? ▼
1 of Franklin County's 9 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 Franklin County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.1% of households in Franklin 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.