Signature · 50.2% low-access (93rd pct)
Hancock County, WV
Hancock County sits in the upper national band on low-access (50.2%, +28.1 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 50.2%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 15.1%
- on SNAP
- 28K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Hancock County, WV
LA-SEVERE · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-SEVERE 50.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +28.1 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.1% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 7.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 13% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Pendleton County ( -1.9 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Hancock County sits in the upper national band (50.2%, #203 of 3,079) with 1 LILA tracts.
- #203
- national by low-access %
- #2
- in WV
- 6
- low-access tracts
- 5K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 50.2% low-access (93rd pct) (+28.1 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Hancock County compares nationally
Hancock County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 50.2% low-access share outpaces 93% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #203 most-affected nationwide.
Hancock County's elevated USDA tier split
8 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
Hancock County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (7 urban, 1 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 1 rural tract is held to 10 miles.
Hancock County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in West Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Gilmer
Gilmer 81.6%
81.6 % low-access
- Hancock
Hancock 50.2%
50.2 % low-access
- Pendleton
Pendleton 48.3%
48.3 % low-access
- Pocahontas
Pocahontas 47.7%
47.7 % low-access
- Wetzel
Wetzel 39.8%
39.8 % low-access
- Monroe
Monroe 39.7%
39.7 % low-access
- Pleasants 0
Pleasants 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 8 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 30,676 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 6 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 15,403 |
| Low-Access Share | 50.2%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 5,343 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 28,431 |
| Median Household Income | $61,466 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.5%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,941 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.1%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.4%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.0% |
Thick SNAP store book in Hancock County
Hancock County has 30 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 14 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
5 towns share the 30 authorized stores; Weirton holds 63% of them. 2 of the 5 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Newell, New Manchester.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Weirton | 19 | 3 |
| Newell | 4 | none |
| Chester | 3 | 1 |
| New Cumberland | 3 | 1 |
| New Manchester | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 14
- 7-eleven 36165, weirton
- 7-eleven 36167, chester
- 7-eleven 36168, newell
- bp weirton, weirton
- cfm 90, weirton
- cfm express 200, weirton
- cfm express 43, weirton
- coen 1710, weirton
- ghotrabrother llc, weirton
- kn enterprise llc, newell
- phillies quick stop, newell
- quik mart & more, inc, weirton
- sheetz 234, weirton
- smith oil company, inc. 203, new cumberland
Combination Grocery/Other · 11
- dollar general 6382, newell
- dollartree 9346, weirton
- dollar general 23392, chester
- dollar general 25185, weirton
- dollar general 2644, weirton
- dollar general 4545, weirton
- dollar general 6183, weirton
- dollar general 8102, new cumberland
- dollar general store 17731, new manchester
- dollar tree 2829, weirton
- walgreens 19676, weirton
Supermarket · 4
- aldi 69004, weirton
- chester sparkle, chester
- new cumberland sparkle, new cumberland
- weirton shop n save, weirton
Super Store · 1
- kroger 803, weirton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in West Virginia
One of 54 counties in West Virginia, 6 are shown here.
Compare Hancock County vs Barbour County → · All West Virginia counties →
Counties near Hancock County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Hancock County, both outside West Virginia so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside WV (50.2% here).
- Socorro County, NM · 50.2% low-access
- Douglas County, NV · 50.1% low-access
- Wapello County, IA · 50.4% low-access
- San Juan County, UT · 49.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WV (15.1% here).
- Pacific County, WA · 15.1% SNAP
- Richmond city, VA · 15.1% SNAP
- Carroll County, VA · 15.1% SNAP
- Johnson County, TN · 15.1% 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.
West Virginia among South Atlantic states
West Virginia ranks 7th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (21.3%). Hancock County, at 50.2%, runs 28.9 pts above the West Virginia rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Hancock County, WV are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 54029. 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.