Signature · 9.5% low-access (19th pct)

Haywood County, NC

Haywood County lands in the lower national band on low-access (9.5%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

9.5%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
13.5%
on SNAP
63K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NC

USDA FARA access plate

County Haywood County, NC

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN

  • LA-MODERATE 9.5% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -12.6 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-TYPICAL 13.5% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 4.0% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-THIN 6% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Martin County (+ 0.0 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Haywood County lands in the lower national band (9.5%, #2,520 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,520
national by low-access %
#64
in NC
5
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 9.5% low-access (19th pct) (-12.6 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Haywood County compares nationally

Haywood County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 9.5% low-access share that beats 19% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,523).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Haywood County's lower-band USDA tier split

16 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Haywood County, NC USDA-defined food-access tiers: 11 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 16 tracts evaluated. 11 tracts adequate (68.8%) 4 tracts limited (25.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (6.3%) Adequate 69% Limited 25% Severe 6% Food-access tier distribution: Haywood County, NC
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Haywood County has 5 urban and 11 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.

Haywood County vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in North Carolina, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Haywood County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts16
Atlas Population (2010 basis)59,036
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population5,607
Low-Access Share9.5%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,936

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Haywood County
IndicatorValue
Population62,662
Median Household Income$61,912
Poverty Rate13.1%near the national average
SNAP Households3,675
SNAP Participation Rate13.5%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.0%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.0%

Thick SNAP store book in Haywood County

Haywood County has 43 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 16 locations (37% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 16

  • cvs pharmacy 7521, waynesville
  • dollar general 18276, waynesville
  • dollar general 2009, waynesville
  • dollar general 8605, canton
  • dollartree plus 410, clyde
  • dollar general 10381, waynesville
  • dollar general 12247, canton
  • dollar general 13533, clyde
  • dollar general 15876, maggie valley
  • dollar general 20450, waynesville
  • dollar general 25788, canton
  • dollar general store 16943, waynesville
  • family dollar 12219, waynesville
  • family dollar 12226, canton
  • walgreens 11557, canton
  • walgreens 11561, waynesville

Convenience Store · 12

  • hot spot 5004, canton
  • j.d's truck stop, waynesville
  • mapco 644, waynesville
  • mapco 649, waynesville
  • nouria 1961 south main street 620, waynesville
  • pilot travel center 393, waynesville
  • roadrunner market 6084, waynesville
  • soco grocery and meats, maggie valley
  • teagues superette grocery & cafe, maggie valley
  • the local market 204, waynesville
  • the imarket 723, waynesville
  • time out market 2, waynesville

Supermarket · 8

  • food lion 1170, canton
  • food lion 957, clyde
  • grocery outlet 31, waynesville
  • ingles markets 23, waynesville
  • ingles markets 55, canton
  • ingles markets 58, waynesville
  • publix 1640, waynesville
  • sav mor 155, canton

Farmers' Market · 2

  • mill town farmers market nafmnp, canton
  • smathers farmers & public market, canton

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • christopher farms, waynesville
  • presnell produce & more, clyde

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • duckett's produce llc 3, canton

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • la mexicanita inc, waynesville

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 1663, waynesville

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in North Carolina

One of 99 counties in North Carolina, 6 are shown here.

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

Counties near Haywood County's lower low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Haywood County, both outside North Carolina so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside NC (9.5% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside NC (13.5% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Haywood County inside a lower low-access state context

Haywood County sits inside North Carolina (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

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 Haywood County, NC are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 37087. 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.