PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Kentucky

Henderson County, KY

Henderson 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.

9.7%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
15.4%
on SNAP
44K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KY

The food-access picture

9.7% of Henderson County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
7.0%
households, no vehicle
14.6%
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).

Henderson County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 9.7% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 11 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 4,484 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,478 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 Henderson County compares nationally

Henderson County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 9.7% low-access share that beats 20% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,511).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Henderson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in Henderson 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 Henderson County, KY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (72.7%) 2 tracts limited (18.2%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (9.1%) Adequate 73% Limited 18% Severe 9% Food-access tier distribution: Henderson County, KY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Henderson County vs. other Kentucky counties

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

% 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 Henderson County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)46,250
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population4,484
Low-Access Share9.7%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,478

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Henderson County
IndicatorValue
Population44,280
Median Household Income$58,851
Poverty Rate14.6%near the national average
SNAP Households2,851
SNAP Participation Rate15.4%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.0%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.1%
SNAP participation in Henderson County 15.4%

About 15.4% of Henderson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 9.7% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 15.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,851 households here.
  • 7.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Henderson County

near the national share

1 of Henderson County's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 9.1% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 4,484 residents, roughly 9.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,478 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (72.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Henderson County

Henderson County has 44 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 26 locations (59% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 26

  • aj food mart and tobacco, henderson
  • casey's general store 3094, henderson
  • chevron food mart, henderson
  • circle k 27295, henderson
  • circle k 4703343, henderson
  • circle k 4703344, henderson
  • dacia store inc, henderson
  • dodge store 6403, henderson
  • enanita iii inc/ eagles viii, corydon
  • express mart, henderson
  • giant 828, henderson
  • giant 830, henderson
  • giant 832, henderson
  • ideal market 30, henderson
  • ideal market 31, henderson
  • ideal market 32, henderson
  • ideal market 33, henderson
  • j's quick stop, henderson
  • jbb inc, henderson
  • murphy usa 7569, henderson
  • quality quick 9, henderson
  • sam's market, henderson
  • thorntons #263079 263079, henderson
  • thorntons 087, henderson
  • tienda mexicana lorena llc, henderson
  • zion country store, henderson

Combination Grocery/Other · 10

  • dollar general 11081, henderson
  • dollar general 19425, robards
  • dollar general 8686, henderson
  • dollar general 11395, corydon
  • dollar general 12124, henderson
  • dollar general 12929, spottsville
  • dollar tree 404, henderson
  • dollar tree 6647, henderson
  • walgreens 07925, henderson
  • walgreens 17148, henderson

Super Store · 3

  • dollar general market 13643, henderson
  • ruler's 234, henderson
  • walmart supercenter 694, henderson

Supermarket · 3

  • sureway food store 524, henderson
  • sureway food store 525, henderson
  • sureway food store 526, henderson

Farmers' Market · 1

  • henderson farmers market, henderson

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • b&c discount outlet llc, henderson

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Kentucky

Adair County
6.5% low-access · 16.9% SNAP
Allen County
21.7% low-access · 14.1% SNAP
Anderson County
7.8% low-access · 7.5% SNAP
Ballard County
0.0% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Barren County
15.5% low-access · 16.3% SNAP
Bath County
1.7% low-access · 19.6% SNAP

Compare Henderson County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →

Food access nationally, Kentucky in context

Henderson County sits inside Kentucky (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 Henderson County has low food access? ▼
9.7% of residents in Henderson County, KY 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 Henderson County? ▼
15.4% of households in Henderson County receive SNAP, covering 2,851 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Henderson County? ▼
The poverty rate in Henderson County, KY is 14.6%, with a median household income of $58,851 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Henderson County a food desert? ▼
1 of Henderson County'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 Henderson County households lack a vehicle? ▼
7.0% of households in Henderson 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.