County food-access profile · Georgia

Greene County, GA

Greene 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.

19.6%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
7.2%
on SNAP
20K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 GA

The food-access picture

19.6% of Greene County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

1
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
4.4%
households, no vehicle
9.8%
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).

Greene County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.6% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 7 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,128 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,602 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 Greene County compares nationally

Greene County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.6% low-access share that beats 45% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,715).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Greene County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 7 census tracts in Greene 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 Greene County, GA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 6 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 6 tracts adequate (85.7%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (14.3%) Adequate 86% Limited 0% Severe 14% Food-access tier distribution: Greene County, GA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Greene 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 Greene County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)15,994
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population3,128
Low-Access Share19.6%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,602

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Greene County
IndicatorValue
Population20,109
Median Household Income$86,272
Poverty Rate9.8%below the national average
SNAP Households590
SNAP Participation Rate7.2%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.4%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.7%
SNAP participation in Greene County 7.2%

About 7.2% of Greene County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 19.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 7.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 590 households here.
  • 4.4% 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 Greene County

near the national share

1 of Greene County's 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.3% of all its tracts.

An estimated 3,128 residents, roughly 19.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,602 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 6 tracts (85.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Greene County

Greene County has 26 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 16 locations (62% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 16

  • 202 food mart, greensboro
  • bp food mart, union point
  • citgo stop, greensboro
  • exxon food mart, greensboro
  • golden pantry food stores 1028, greensboro
  • golden pantry food stores 1032, greensboro
  • golden pantry food stores, inc. 1103, greensboro
  • greensboro extramile, greensboro
  • jc mart iii, greensboro
  • lupitas mexican grocery, greensboro
  • one quick stop, white plains
  • pilot travel center 633, union point
  • racetrac 2654, greensboro
  • short stop, union point
  • t-fuel, greensboro
  • union point grocery & deli, union point

Combination Grocery/Other · 6

  • cvs pharmacy 8424, greensboro
  • dollar general 9798, greensboro
  • dollar general 21581, greensboro
  • dollar general 23325, greensboro
  • dollar general 8981, union point
  • family dollar 507, greensboro

Supermarket · 2

  • ingles markets 442, greensboro
  • publix 0853, greensboro

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • moon's super market, greensboro

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • the point market, union point

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Georgia

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

Food access nationally, Georgia in context

Greene County sits inside Georgia (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 Greene County has low food access?
19.6% of residents in Greene 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 Greene County?
7.2% of households in Greene County receive SNAP, covering 590 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Greene County?
The poverty rate in Greene County, GA is 9.8%, with a median household income of $86,272 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Greene County a food desert?
1 of Greene 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 Greene County households lack a vehicle?
4.4% of households in Greene 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.