PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Georgia

Gordon County, GA

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Gordon 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).

20.4%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
10.2%
on SNAP
59K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 GA

The food-access picture

20.4% of Gordon County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
3.6%
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).

USDA data puts Gordon County's low-access share at 20.4%, above the national share. 3 of the county's 9 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 11,242 people. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,782 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 Gordon County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Gordon County's 20.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,657 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Gordon County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Gordon 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 Gordon County, GA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 6 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 6 tracts adequate (66.7%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (33.3%) Adequate 67% Limited 0% Severe 33% Food-access tier distribution: Gordon County, GA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Gordon County vs. other Georgia counties

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

% 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 Gordon County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)55,186
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population11,242
Low-Access Share20.4%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,782

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Gordon County
IndicatorValue
Population59,100
Median Household Income$63,650
Poverty Rate12.0%below the national average
SNAP Households2,182
SNAP Participation Rate10.2%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.6%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.9%
SNAP participation in Gordon County 10.2%

About 10.2% of Gordon County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 20.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 10.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,182 households here.
  • 3.6% 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 Gordon County

above the national share

3 of Gordon County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 33.3% of all its tracts.

An estimated 11,242 residents, roughly 20.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 5,782 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 Gordon County

Gordon County has 71 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 37 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 37

  • abc convenience store, resaca
  • abc convenience store, resaca
  • abc convinence store, calhoun
  • allens mart, calhoun
  • asu food mart, calhoun
  • bp express food mart, plainville
  • bp food mart, calhoun
  • calhoun chevron, calhoun
  • circle k 2654212, calhoun
  • circle k 2723518, calhoun
  • circle k 2723519, calhoun
  • circle k 2723651, calhoun
  • citgo ameri mart, calhoun
  • citgo food mart, calhoun
  • el zarape mexican food, calhoun
  • food mart & tobacco, calhoun
  • gas express llc dba circle k 188, calhoun
  • highway express, resaca
  • kwik serv 4, calhoun
  • little giant, calhoun
  • love's travel stop 735, calhoun
  • mapco express, inc. 3608, calhoun
  • martin's corner, calhoun
  • mi bodeguita, calhoun
  • murphy usa 5360, calhoun
  • neels market, calhoun
  • ownes grocery, ranger
  • pilot travel center 4558, calhoun
  • pilot travel center 632, resaca
  • r & r grocery, calhoun
  • racetrac 2374, calhoun
  • resaca express mart, resaca
  • resaca grocery, resaca
  • rocket no, calhoun
  • royal express, calhoun
  • town and country store, calhoun
  • yarab food mart, calhoun

Combination Grocery/Other · 20

  • cvs pharmacy 4506, calhoun
  • dollar general 0024, calhoun
  • dollar general 18100, ranger
  • dollar general 3698, calhoun
  • dollar general 4294, fairmount
  • dollar general 6851, calhoun
  • dollar general 7441, resaca
  • dollar general 7631, calhoun
  • dollartree 9870, calhoun
  • dollar general 10039, calhoun
  • dollar general 16760, calhoun
  • dollar general 25057, sugar valley
  • dollar general 6122, calhoun
  • dollar general 9921, plainville
  • dollar tree 3477, calhoun
  • family dollar store 290, calhoun
  • fairmount grocery llc, fairmount
  • sheriff's meat processing, calhoun
  • wagreens 17229, calhoun
  • walgreens 17562, calhoun

Medium Grocery Store · 4

  • carniceria martinez, calhoun
  • el sol inc, calhoun
  • estela's produce, calhoun
  • la tapatia 2 2, calhoun

Super Store · 3

  • dollar general market 13439, resaca
  • kroger 393, calhoun
  • walmart 1215, calhoun

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 76043 76043, calhoun
  • food lion 2615, calhoun
  • food city 212, calhoun

Farmers' Market · 1

  • shallow creek farm, ranger

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • save-rite, calhoun

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • fernandez meats llc, calhoun

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • la estrella bakery, calhoun

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Georgia

Appling County
47.8% low-access · 19.6% SNAP
Atkinson County
23.5% low-access · 26.2% SNAP
Bacon County
3.3% low-access · 20.9% SNAP
Baker County
61.3% low-access · 15.2% SNAP
Baldwin County
24.6% low-access · 16.2% SNAP
Banks County
1.8% low-access · 9.0% SNAP

Compare Gordon County vs Appling County → · All Georgia counties →

Food access nationally, Georgia in context

Gordon County sits inside Georgia (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 Gordon County has low food access? ▼
20.4% of residents in Gordon County, GA 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 Gordon County? ▼
10.2% of households in Gordon County receive SNAP, covering 2,182 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Gordon County? ▼
The poverty rate in Gordon County, GA is 12.0%, with a median household income of $63,650 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Gordon County a food desert? ▼
3 of Gordon 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 Gordon County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.6% of households in Gordon 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.