PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Henry County, VA

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Henry County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

28.6%
low-access pop.
6
food-desert tracts
17.2%
on SNAP
50K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

28.6% of Henry County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 14 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
8K
food-desert residents
5.5%
households, no vehicle
16.0%
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).

USDA data puts Henry County's low-access share at 28.6%, above the national share. 6 of the county's 14 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 15,504 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 7,825 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 Henry County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Henry County's 28.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 67% of them and ranked #1,034 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Henry County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 14 census tracts in Henry 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 Henry County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 6 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 14 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (57.1%) 6 tracts severe / food desert (42.9%) Adequate 57% Limited 0% Severe 43% Food-access tier distribution: Henry County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Henry County 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 Henry County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts14
Atlas Population (2010 basis)54,151
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)6
Low-Access Population15,504
Low-Access Share28.6%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population7,825

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Henry County
IndicatorValue
Population49,980
Median Household Income$50,760
Poverty Rate16.0%above the national average
SNAP Households3,613
SNAP Participation Rate17.2%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.7%
SNAP participation in Henry County 17.2%

About 17.2% of Henry County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 28.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 17.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,613 households here.
  • 5.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 6 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 Henry County

above the national share

6 of Henry County's 14 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 42.9% of all its tracts.

An estimated 15,504 residents, roughly 28.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 7,825 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (57.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Henry County

Henry County has 66 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 31

  • 220 quick stop llc, ridgeway
  • 57 grocery, bassett
  • c mart 4, fieldale
  • circle k #107 107, ridgeway
  • circle k 2723719, martinsville
  • daytona ridgeway mart, ridgeway
  • dodge store 8203, bassett
  • ezee in, collinsville
  • family corner, martinsville
  • fas mart 106, martinsville
  • fas mart 121, collinsville
  • fas mart 122, bassett
  • fas mart 124, bassett
  • gondals 786, ridgeway
  • j & h market, llc, martinsville
  • liberty street market, martinsville
  • meadowgreen market, bassett
  • nanis corner, collinsville
  • old lake market, bassett
  • quality mart 27 1109, collinsville
  • rangeley 102 mini market & deli, fieldale
  • rock house deli, axton
  • self service wholesale, collinsville
  • sheetz 308, ridgeway
  • smokers choice, martinsville
  • speedway 4630, ridgeway
  • speedway 4631, bassett
  • stanley mart, bassett
  • stop in, martinsville
  • the ridge 2, bassett
  • usa unlimited llc, bassett

Combination Grocery/Other · 24

  • big lots 3136, martinsville
  • cvs 3893, bassett
  • cvs pharmacy 5582, collinsville
  • cvs pharmacy 4363, martinsville
  • dollar general 0711, martinsville
  • dollar general 14050, ridgeway
  • dollartree 9651, ridgeway
  • dollartree 9842, collinsville
  • dollar general 10382, stanleytown
  • dollar general 11741, ridgeway
  • dollar general 15625, bassett
  • dollar general 16933, fieldale
  • dollar general 17365, axton
  • dollar general 20116, bassett
  • dollar general 2149, martinsville
  • dollar general 22199, spencer
  • dollar general 22332, axton
  • dollar general 25514, collinsville
  • dollar general 25989, axton
  • dollar tree 6097, martinsville
  • family dollar store 10776, axton
  • family dollar store 527, stanleytown
  • family dollar store 7505, bassett
  • walgreens 12017, collinsville

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • carniceria 2 toros meat market llc 2, martinsville
  • j s adams grocery, bassett
  • loredo's meat market, martinsville

Supermarket · 3

  • food lion 1058, bassett
  • food lion 2619, stanleytown
  • food lion 430, martinsville

Farmers' Market · 2

  • bassett farmers market 92-1262703, bassett
  • spencer-penn farmer's market, spencer

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • collinsville farm market, collinsville

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • woodys super market inc, ridgeway

Super Store · 1

  • dollar general market 12002, collinsville

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 Henry County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Henry County 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 Henry County has low food access? ▼
28.6% of residents in Henry County, 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 Henry County? ▼
17.2% of households in Henry County receive SNAP, covering 3,613 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Henry County? ▼
The poverty rate in Henry County, VA is 16.0%, with a median household income of $50,760 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Henry County a food desert? ▼
6 of Henry County's 14 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 Henry County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.5% of households in Henry 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.