County food-access profile · Kentucky

Green County, KY

Green 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.

10.1%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
19.7%
on SNAP
11K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KY

The food-access picture

10.1% of Green County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.

1
low-access tracts
473
food-desert residents
3.5%
households, no vehicle
20.4%
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).

Green County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 10.1% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 4 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 1,135 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.

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 Green County compares nationally

Green County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.1% low-access share that beats 21% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,478).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Green County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 4 census tracts in Green 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 Green County, KY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 4 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (75.0%) 1 tracts limited (25.0%) Adequate 75% Limited 25% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Green County, KY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Green County vs. other Kentucky counties

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

% 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 Green County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts4
Atlas Population (2010 basis)11,258
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population1,135
Low-Access Share10.1%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population473

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Green County
IndicatorValue
Population11,369
Median Household Income$46,798
Poverty Rate20.4%above the national average
SNAP Households871
SNAP Participation Rate19.7%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.5%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.3%
SNAP participation in Green County 19.7%

About 19.7% of Green County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 10.1% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 19.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 871 households here.
  • 3.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • Median household income is $46,798 with a 20.4% poverty rate.

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 Green County

near the national share

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

An estimated 1,135 residents, roughly 10.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 473 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (75.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Green County

Green County has 11 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 5 locations (45% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 5

  • dollar general 12306, greensburg
  • dollar general 22863, greensburg
  • dollar general 23649, greensburg
  • dollar general 24573, greensburg
  • family dollar 12706, greensburg

Convenience Store · 3

  • block city grocery & hardware, greensburg
  • fivestar 4432, greensburg
  • my town 267 llc, greensburg

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • taste like home llc, greensburg

Super Store · 1

  • dollar general market 13166, greensburg

Supermarket · 1

  • phillips family grocery & butcher shop #2, greensburg

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Kentucky

Compare Green County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →

Food access nationally, Kentucky in context

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

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Green County has low food access?
10.1% of residents in Green County, KY 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 Green County?
19.7% of households in Green County receive SNAP, covering 871 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Green County?
The poverty rate in Green County, KY is 20.4%, with a median household income of $46,798 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Green County a food desert?
0 of Green County's 4 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). No tracts here meet both conditions in the 2019 Atlas.
What share of Green County households lack a vehicle?
3.5% of households in Green 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.