PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Harrisonburg city, VA

Most of Harrisonburg city sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

3.9%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
10.9%
on SNAP
51K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

3.9% of Harrisonburg city residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
721
food-desert residents
6.5%
households, no vehicle
25.7%
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).

By the USDA's measure, Harrisonburg city fares better than most: just 3.9% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 2 of the county's 11 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 1,924 people who live far from a supermarket, and 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 721 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 Harrisonburg city compares nationally

Food access in Harrisonburg city compares favorably nationally: its 3.9% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 8% of them (rank #2,874).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Harrisonburg city: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in Harrisonburg city, 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 Harrisonburg city, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (81.8%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (18.2%) Adequate 82% Limited 0% Severe 18% Food-access tier distribution: Harrisonburg city, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Harrisonburg city vs. other Virginia counties

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

% 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 Harrisonburg city
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)48,914
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population1,924
Low-Access Share3.9%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population721

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Harrisonburg city
IndicatorValue
Population51,392
Median Household Income$62,254
Poverty Rate25.7%well above the national average
SNAP Households1,900
SNAP Participation Rate10.9%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population14.1%
SNAP participation in Harrisonburg city 10.9%

About 10.9% of Harrisonburg city households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 3.9% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 10.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,900 households here.
  • 6.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Harrisonburg city

below the national share

2 of Harrisonburg city's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 18.2% of all its tracts.

An estimated 1,924 residents, roughly 3.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 721 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (81.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Harrisonburg city

Harrisonburg city has 65 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 22 locations (34% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 22

  • 7-eleven 19337c, harrisonburg
  • 7-eleven 23904k, harrisonburg
  • 7-eleven 36748a, harrisonburg
  • 7-eleven store 34510a, harrisonburg
  • 7-eleven 35771b 35771b, harrisonburg
  • 7-eleven 39786a, harrisonburg
  • 7-eleven 39846a 39846a, harrisonburg
  • 7-eleven 39892a, harrisonburg
  • 7-eleven 39897b 39977b, harrisonburg
  • a plus mart & checks cashed, harrisonburg
  • a1 mart & checks cash, harrisonburg
  • el alba productos internacionales llc, harrisonburg
  • high up gasoline inc., harrisonburg
  • international foods, harrisonburg
  • jmu mr. chips convenient store, harrisonburg
  • mad river store, harrisonburg
  • pilot travel center 491, harrisonburg
  • sheetz 218, harrisonburg
  • sheetz 222, harrisonburg
  • sheetz 332, harrisonburg
  • sheetz 879, harrisonburg
  • speedway 4641, harrisonburg

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • 7-eleven #42218a 42218a, harrisonburg
  • cvs 1552, harrisonburg
  • cvs 4237, harrisonburg
  • cvs 7947, harrisonburg
  • dollartree 8116, harrisonburg
  • dollar general 20317, harrisonburg
  • dollar general 7693, harrisonburg
  • dollar tree 17, harrisonburg
  • dona fer grocery store, harrisonburg
  • family dollar 26, harrisonburg
  • family dollar store 10858, harrisonburg
  • roses 116, harrisonburg
  • tnyota africain food market llc r009, harrisonburg
  • walgreens 18425, harrisonburg

Supermarket · 8

  • aldi 80031, harrisonburg
  • food lion 1565, harrisonburg
  • food lion 2617, harrisonburg
  • food lion 266, harrisonburg
  • food lion 974, harrisonburg
  • food maxx international n/a, harrisonburg
  • la bendicion international market, harrisonburg
  • martins food market 6424, harrisonburg

Small Grocery Store · 7

  • ashti market, harrisonburg
  • babylon cuisine, harrisonburg
  • buenavista groceries, harrisonburg
  • family fashion llc, harrisonburg
  • harrisonburg halal market and sweets llc, harrisonburg
  • la confianza tienda latina, harrisonburg
  • sinbad, harrisonburg

Medium Grocery Store · 6

  • el milagro llc, harrisonburg
  • first gate llc, harrisonburg
  • friendly city food co-op, harrisonburg
  • groceries el chaparro, harrisonburg
  • oriental food market, harrisonburg
  • tienda hispana la amistad, harrisonburg

Super Store · 6

  • costco wholesale 0238, harrisonburg
  • kroger 310, harrisonburg
  • sharp shopper, harrisonburg
  • target 2071, harrisonburg
  • walmart 1726, harrisonburg
  • walmart supercenter 2807, harrisonburg

Farmers' Market · 1

  • harrisonburg farmers market, harrisonburg

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • mundo fresco supermarket, harrisonburg

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

Accomack County
2.2% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Albemarle County
11.9% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Alexandria city
0.0% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Alleghany County
16.4% low-access · 8.1% SNAP
Amelia County
16.5% low-access · 13.4% SNAP
Amherst County
11.3% low-access · 10.5% SNAP

Compare Harrisonburg city vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Harrisonburg city sits inside Virginia (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 Harrisonburg city has low food access? ▼
3.9% of residents in Harrisonburg city, VA 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 Harrisonburg city? ▼
10.9% of households in Harrisonburg city receive SNAP, covering 1,900 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Harrisonburg city? ▼
The poverty rate in Harrisonburg city, VA is 25.7%, with a median household income of $62,254 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Harrisonburg city a food desert? ▼
2 of Harrisonburg city's 11 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 Harrisonburg city households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.5% of households in Harrisonburg city 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.