PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Tennessee

Greene County, TN

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

28.6%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
11.7%
on SNAP
72K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 TN

The food-access picture

28.6% of Greene County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 15 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

8
low-access tracts
8K
food-desert residents
5.3%
households, no vehicle
15.4%
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).

USDA data puts Greene County's low-access share at 28.6%, above the national share. 8 of the county's 15 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 19,682 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 7,665 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

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Greene County's 28.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 67% of them and ranked #1,034 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Greene County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 15 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, TN USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 15 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (46.7%) 4 tracts limited (26.7%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (26.7%) Adequate 47% Limited 27% Severe 27% Food-access tier distribution: Greene County, TN
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Greene County vs. other Tennessee counties

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

% 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 Tracts15
Atlas Population (2010 basis)68,831
Low-Access Tracts8
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population19,682
Low-Access Share28.6%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population7,665

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Greene County
IndicatorValue
Population71,628
Median Household Income$56,194
Poverty Rate15.4%near the national average
SNAP Households3,329
SNAP Participation Rate11.7%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.3%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.6%
SNAP participation in Greene County 11.7%

About 11.7% of Greene County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 28.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,329 households here.
  • 5.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Greene County

above the national share

4 of Greene County's 15 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 26.7% of all its tracts.

A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 8.

An estimated 19,682 residents, roughly 28.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 7,665 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (46.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Greene County

Greene County has 88 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 42 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 42

  • 107 tobacco, chuckey
  • andys quick stop inc, greeneville
  • corner market, greeneville
  • creekside market, greeneville
  • crockett enterprises 201, greeneville
  • farmers market & deli, mohawk
  • forest hill corner, greeneville
  • greystone market, greeneville
  • ians market # 85, greeneville
  • kenjo 45, greeneville
  • lee's food mart 101, greeneville
  • lee's food mart 104, greeneville
  • lee's food mart 105, greeneville
  • lee's food mart 114, bulls gap
  • lee's food mart 123, bulls gap
  • love's travel stop 787, bulls gap
  • mosheim tobacco & grocery store, mosheim
  • murphy usa 7207, greeneville
  • okee dokee market, greeneville
  • pilot travel center 51, greeneville
  • quick stop market 10, greeneville
  • quick stop market 11, greeneville
  • quick stop market 14, greeneville
  • quick stop market 15, bulls gap
  • quick stop market 16, greeneville
  • quick stop market 17, greeneville
  • quick stop market 2, mosheim
  • quick stop market 3, greeneville
  • quick stop market 45, mosheim
  • quick stop market 46, greeneville
  • quick stop market 48, greeneville
  • quick stop market 5, afton
  • quick stop market 53, greeneville
  • quick stop market 6, greeneville
  • quick stop market 8, greeneville
  • riverside market, greeneville
  • roadrunner market 6008, greeneville
  • speed mart greeneville, greeneville
  • super marathon #1, mosheim
  • times saver market, greeneville
  • u shop 6, afton
  • zoomerz 968, bulls gap

Combination Grocery/Other · 27

  • cvs pharmacy 7738, greeneville
  • cvs pharmacy 3791, greeneville
  • dollar general 19440, greeneville
  • dollar general 2177, greeneville
  • dollar general 3490, mosheim
  • dollar general 447, greeneville
  • dollartree 10189, greeneville
  • dollar general 11612, greeneville
  • dollar general 11888, greeneville
  • dollar general 12414, chuckey
  • dollar general 15538, greeneville
  • dollar general 16612, greenville
  • dollar general 16657, greeneville
  • dollar general 21765, afton
  • dollar general 22324, greeneville
  • dollar general 25151, mosheim
  • dollar general 25893, chuckey
  • dollar general 30154, greeneville
  • dollar general 30170, greeneville
  • dollar general store 17297, afton
  • dollar tree 383, greeneville
  • dollar tree 6495, greeneville
  • family dollar 13871, mosheim
  • family dollar store 1011, greeneville
  • family dollar store 6706, greeneville
  • walgreens 7049, greeneville
  • walgreens 11907, greeneville

Supermarket · 9

  • aldi 66069, greeneville
  • food city 606, greeneville
  • food city 608, greeneville
  • food city 663, greeneville
  • houchens save-a-lot 195, greeneville
  • ingles markets 21, greeneville
  • ingles markets 70, greeneville
  • publix 1543, greeneville
  • sav mor 870, greeneville

Farmers' Market · 2

  • depot street farmers market, greeneville
  • greeneville farmers market, greeneville

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2

  • harris country meats, greeneville
  • penny jo's market, greenville

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • la perla mexican restaurant & grocery, greeneville
  • martinez mexican store, greeneville

Super Store · 2

  • dollar general market 12003, greeneville
  • walmart store 680, greeneville

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • garden basket, greeneville

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • grocery outlet 37, greeneville

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Tennessee

Anderson County
10.9% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Bedford County
23.0% low-access · 10.2% SNAP
Benton County
12.6% low-access · 15.8% SNAP
Bledsoe County
4.7% low-access · 18.1% SNAP
Blount County
30.1% low-access · 5.9% SNAP
Bradley County
32.9% low-access · 11.7% SNAP

Compare Greene County vs Anderson County → · All Tennessee counties →

Food access nationally, Tennessee in context

Greene County sits inside Tennessee (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 Greene County has low food access? ▼
28.6% of residents in Greene County, TN 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? ▼
11.7% of households in Greene County receive SNAP, covering 3,329 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Greene County? ▼
The poverty rate in Greene County, TN is 15.4%, with a median household income of $56,194 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Greene County a food desert? ▼
4 of Greene County's 15 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? ▼
5.3% 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.