PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Ohio

Gallia County, OH

Gallia 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.

14.0%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
19.0%
on SNAP
29K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 OH

The food-access picture

14.0% of Gallia County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
8.2%
households, no vehicle
16.4%
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).

Gallia County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.0% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 7 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 4,339 residents who live far from a supermarket. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,074 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 Gallia County compares nationally

Gallia County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.0% low-access share that beats 30% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,204).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Gallia County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 7 census tracts in Gallia 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 Gallia County, OH USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (57.1%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (42.9%) Adequate 57% Limited 0% Severe 43% Food-access tier distribution: Gallia County, OH
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Gallia 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 Gallia County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)30,934
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population4,339
Low-Access Share14.0%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,074

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Gallia County
IndicatorValue
Population29,068
Median Household Income$56,830
Poverty Rate16.4%above the national average
SNAP Households2,206
SNAP Participation Rate19.0%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.2%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.1%
SNAP participation in Gallia County 19.0%

About 19.0% of Gallia County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 14.0% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 19.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,206 households here.
  • 8.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 3 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 Gallia County

near the national share

3 of Gallia County's 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 42.9% of all its tracts.

An estimated 4,339 residents, roughly 14.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,074 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 4 tracts (57.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Gallia County

Gallia County has 41 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 20 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 20

  • bodimer's inc dba jc's market iii, gallipolis
  • cheshire fuel stop llc, cheshire
  • clark's pump-n-shop 30, rio grande
  • eagles stores 12548 6, gallipolis
  • fast stop rt 7, cheshire
  • gallipolis food mart 258, gallipolis
  • go mart 39, gallipolis
  • jcs convenience plus llc 2, rio grande
  • love's travel stop 594, bidwell
  • par mar store 151, mercerville
  • par mar store 160, gallipolis
  • par mar store 42, vinton
  • par mar store 43, gallipolis
  • par mar store 44, gallipolis
  • speedway 9168, gallipolis
  • speedway 9232, gallipolis
  • speedway 9241, gallipolis
  • silver star / r & r takhar operations.inc, crown city
  • the eagle rock carryout two llc 1, crown city
  • williams korner store, bidwell

Combination Grocery/Other · 13

  • big lots 3036, gallipolis
  • cvs 4400, gallipolis
  • dollar general 1932, gallipolis
  • dollar general 19367, gallipolis
  • dollar general 901, gallipolis
  • dollar general 10423, crown city
  • dollar general 10650, bidwell
  • dollar tree 1133, gallipolis
  • family dollar 7683, rio grande
  • family dollar store 2256, gallipolis
  • family dollar store 3381, gallipolis
  • fruth pharmacy 21, gallipolis
  • fruth pharmacy 3, gallipolis

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 61011 61011, gallipolis
  • ohio valley piggly wiggly, gallipolis
  • piggly wiggly, gallipolis

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • bidwell save a lot 24804, bidwell
  • wholesale meat outlet, gallipolis

Super Store · 2

  • guinther's custom cuts, inc., gallipolis
  • walmart supercenter 2605, gallipolis

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • r&c packing, inc, bidwell

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 Gallia County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →

Food access nationally, Ohio in context

Gallia 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 Gallia County has low food access? ▼
14.0% of residents in Gallia 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 Gallia County? ▼
19.0% of households in Gallia County receive SNAP, covering 2,206 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Gallia County? ▼
The poverty rate in Gallia County, OH is 16.4%, with a median household income of $56,830 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Gallia County a food desert? ▼
3 of Gallia 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 Gallia County households lack a vehicle? ▼
8.2% of households in Gallia 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.