PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · North Carolina

Halifax County, NC

Halifax 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.

10.8%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
29.1%
on SNAP
48K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NC

The food-access picture

10.8% of Halifax County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
9.1%
households, no vehicle
22.8%
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).

Halifax County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 10.8% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 12 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 5,907 residents who live far from a supermarket. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,497 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 Halifax County compares nationally

Halifax County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.8% low-access share that beats 23% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,424).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Halifax County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Halifax 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 Halifax County, NC USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (75.0%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (25.0%) Adequate 75% Limited 0% Severe 25% Food-access tier distribution: Halifax County, NC
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Halifax County vs. other North Carolina counties

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

% 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 Halifax County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)54,691
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population5,907
Low-Access Share10.8%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,497

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Halifax County
IndicatorValue
Population47,675
Median Household Income$45,590
Poverty Rate22.8%well above the national average
SNAP Households5,922
SNAP Participation Rate29.1%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle9.1%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.5%
SNAP participation in Halifax County 29.1%

About 29.1% of Halifax County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 10.8% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 29.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,922 households here.
  • 9.1% 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 Halifax County

near the national share

3 of Halifax County's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 25.0% of all its tracts.

An estimated 5,907 residents, roughly 10.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,497 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (75.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Halifax County

Halifax County has 74 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 33 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 33

  • 5 point food store, roanoke rapids
  • 561 exxon, enfield
  • bobby's supermarket, roanoke rapids
  • big als mini mart # 2, weldon
  • big mo, enfield
  • big mo # 2, enfield
  • bobby's grocery, roanoke rapids
  • duck thru food store 56, scotland neck
  • ep mart #3, enfield
  • flags food market, weldon
  • flowers bakery outlet 545, roanoke rapids
  • food mart, roanoke rapids
  • gold moore convenience llc, enfield
  • green store, roanoke rapids
  • handy mart 4702, scotland neck
  • information grocery, littleton
  • jakes place, enfield
  • journigan food store #3, hollister
  • marios mini mart llc convinced, roanoke rapids
  • moors, roanoke rapids
  • murphy usa 6936, roanoke rapids
  • new dixie mart 204, roanoke rapids
  • new dixie mart 206, halifax
  • oasis 1, halifax
  • ringwood mart, enfield
  • robbies express mart, enfield
  • sheetz 567, roanoke rapids
  • speed mart, roanoke rapids
  • speedway 8660, roanoke rapids
  • speedway 8684, enfield
  • town & country food mart, roanoke rapids
  • weldon family fare 443, weldon
  • west 10th mart, corporation, roanoke rapids

Combination Grocery/Other · 25

  • cvs pharmacy 3387, roanoke rapids
  • dollar general 18667, enfield
  • dollar general 18783, halifax
  • dollar general 3238, scotland neck
  • dollar general 4943, enfield
  • dollar general 9385, roanoke rapids
  • dollar general 9458, littleton
  • dollar tree 0123, roanoke rapids
  • dollartree 9616, roanoke rapids
  • dollar general 10063, hollister
  • dollar general 17762, roanoke rapids
  • dollar general 20031, roanoke rapids
  • dollar general 21808, roanoke rapids
  • dollar general 30200, enfield
  • family dollar 10525, littleton
  • family dollar 11870, roanoke rapids
  • family dollar 12521, hollister
  • family dollar 12775, scotland neck
  • family dollar 301, roanoke rapids
  • family dollar store 515, enfield
  • family dollar store 7138, weldon
  • family dollar store 7306, roanoke rapids
  • family dollar store 7723, littleton
  • roses express 1840, scotland neck
  • walgreens 07475, roanoke rapids

Supermarket · 7

  • food lion 1086, roanoke rapids
  • food lion 2520, roanoke rapids
  • food lion 479, scotland neck
  • food lion 506, roanoke rapids
  • market plus, enfield
  • piggly wiggly littleton 26, littleton
  • save a lot 21768, roanoke rapids

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • king deli plus, roanoke rapids
  • super a selectas foods market, roanoke rapids
  • weldon super market, weldon

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • b & j's cash and carry 1, roanoke rapids
  • halifax super market & grill no, halifax

Seafood Specialty · 2

  • atlas fish market, roanoke rapids
  • seafood frenzy, enfield

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • elias' butcher shoppe inc, roanoke rapids

Super Store · 1

  • walmart s/c 1502, roanoke rapids

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in North Carolina

Alamance County
25.0% low-access · 13.6% SNAP
Alexander County
20.4% low-access · 13.5% SNAP
Alleghany County
4.3% low-access · 14.0% SNAP
Anson County
8.4% low-access · 33.8% SNAP
Ashe County
22.2% low-access · 14.0% SNAP
Avery County
0.3% low-access · 13.9% SNAP

Compare Halifax County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →

Food access nationally, North Carolina in context

Halifax County sits inside North Carolina (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 Halifax County has low food access? ▼
10.8% of residents in Halifax County, NC 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 Halifax County? ▼
29.1% of households in Halifax County receive SNAP, covering 5,922 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Halifax County? ▼
The poverty rate in Halifax County, NC is 22.8%, with a median household income of $45,590 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Halifax County a food desert? ▼
3 of Halifax County's 12 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 Halifax County households lack a vehicle? ▼
9.1% of households in Halifax 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.