Signature · 15.8% low-access (34th pct)
Hardy County, WV
Hardy 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.
- 15.8%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 19.2%
- on SNAP
- 14K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Hardy County, WV
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 15.8% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.3 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 19.2% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Grant County ( -0.5 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Hardy County ranks #2,049 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #29 of 52 counties in WV (15.8% low-access).
- #2,049
- national by low-access %
- #29
- in WV
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 903
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 15.8% low-access (34th pct) (-6.3 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Hardy County compares nationally
Hardy County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.8% low-access share that beats 34% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,049).
Hardy County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 3 of Hardy County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Hardy County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in West Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Gilmer
Gilmer 81.6%
81.6 % low-access
- Marion 17.2
Marion 17.2%
17.2 % low-access
- Brooke 16.9
Brooke 16.9%
16.9 % low-access
- Hardy 15.8
Hardy 15.8%
15.8 % low-access
- Grant 15.3
Grant 15.3%
15.3 % low-access
- Mineral 15.1
Mineral 15.1%
15.1 % low-access
- Pleasants 0
Pleasants 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 14,025 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,218 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.8%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 903 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 14,243 |
| Median Household Income | $49,272 |
| Poverty Rate | 17.7%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,144 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.2%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.5%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.6% |
SNAP retailers in Hardy County
Hardy County has 18 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 8 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
7 towns share the 18 authorized stores; Moorefield holds 56% of them. 5 of the 7 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Baker, High View, Lost City, Mathias, Old Fields.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Moorefield | 10 | 3 |
| Wardensville | 3 | 1 |
| Baker | 1 | none |
| High View | 1 | none |
| Lost City | 1 | none |
| Mathias | 1 | none |
| Old Fields | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 8
- 7-eleven 28317, wardensville
- h & t farm market, llc, lost city
- malcolms grocery, moorefield
- misty valley grocery, mathias
- moorefield circlek, moorefield
- old fields country store llc, old fields
- par mar store 128, moorefield
- sheetz 144, moorefield
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 18025, baker
- dollar general 6178, wardensville
- dollar tree 6056, moorefield
- family dollar store 5131, moorefield
Farmers' Market · 2
- potomac highlands producers co-op, moorefield
- powder keg farms llc, high view
Super Store · 2
- moorefield shop n save express, moorefield
- walmart supercenter 2696, moorefield
Large Grocery Store · 1
- kerr's, wardensville
Supermarket · 1
- food lion 949, moorefield
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 Hardy County vs Barbour County → · All West Virginia counties →
Nationwide peers for Hardy County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Hardy 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 (15.8% here).
- Washburn County, WI · 15.8% low-access
- Lampasas County, TX · 15.8% low-access
- Stewart County, TN · 15.8% low-access
- Randolph County, MO · 15.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WV (19.2% here).
- Clearfield County, PA · 19.2% SNAP
- Lanier County, GA · 19.2% SNAP
- Poinsett County, AR · 19.2% SNAP
- Erie County, PA · 19.1% 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%). Hardy County, at 15.8%, runs 5.5 pts below 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 Hardy County, WV are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 54031. 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.