Signature · 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts)
Grayson County, VA
Grayson County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (40% of the book) alongside 18.1% low-access.
- 18.1%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 16.3%
- on SNAP
- 15K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Grayson County, VA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 18.1% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -4.0 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 16.3% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 40% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Fairfax County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Grayson County ranks #1,847 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #65 of 123 counties in VA (18.1% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,847
- national by low-access %
- #65
- in VA
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts) .
How Grayson County compares nationally
Grayson County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.1% low-access share that beats 41% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,854).
Grayson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Grayson County has 0 urban and 5 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Grayson County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Highland
Highland 99.7%
99.7 % low-access
- Roanoke city 18.7
Roanoke city 18.7%
18.7 % low-access
- Grayson 18.1
Grayson 18.1%
18.1 % low-access
- Fairfax 18
Fairfax 18%
18 % low-access
- Prince Edward 17.8
Prince Edward 17.8%
17.8 % low-access
- Virginia Beac… 17.5
Virginia Beac… 17.5%
17.5 % low-access
- Dickenson 0
Dickenson 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 15,533 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,810 |
| Low-Access Share | 18.1%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,405 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 15,287 |
| Median Household Income | $47,730 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,036 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 16.3%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.4%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 6.8% |
SNAP retailers in Grayson County
Grayson County has 12 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 7 locations (58% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 7
- double aa mart 2 2, fries
- gobble stop 7 baywood, galax
- grayson express, independence
- railroad market & cafe, whitetop
- the quik chek, inc 1, independence
- whitetop food and gas, whitetop
- wilson market, independence
Combination Grocery/Other · 2
- dollar general 2996, independence
- dollar general 9673, fries
Farmers' Market · 1
- independence farmers market, independence
Small Grocery Store · 1
- double aa mart llc, fries
Supermarket · 1
- food city 866, independence
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Virginia
One of 132 counties in Virginia, 6 are shown here.
Compare Grayson County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Nationwide peers for Grayson County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Grayson County, both outside Virginia so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside VA (18.1% here).
- Rutland County, VT · 18.1% low-access
- Rutland County, VT · 18.1% low-access
- Chelan County, WA · 18.1% low-access
- Chelan County, WA · 18.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside VA (16.3% here).
- Gonzales County, TX · 16.3% SNAP
- Gonzales County, TX · 16.3% SNAP
- Madison County, TN · 16.3% SNAP
- Madison County, TN · 16.3% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Virginia in context
Grayson County sits inside Virginia (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Grayson County, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51077. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.