PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · North Carolina

Hertford County, NC

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Hertford 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).

22.4%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
27.8%
on SNAP
20K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NC

The food-access picture

22.4% of Hertford County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
7.9%
households, no vehicle
22.9%
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 Hertford County's low-access share at 22.4%, above the national share. 2 of the county's 5 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 5,529 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,812 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 Hertford County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Hertford County's 22.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 52% of them and ranked #1,491 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Hertford County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 5 census tracts in Hertford 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 Hertford County, NC USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (60.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (40.0%) Adequate 60% Limited 0% Severe 40% Food-access tier distribution: Hertford County, NC
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Hertford County vs. other North Carolina counties

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

% 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 Hertford County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)24,669
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population5,529
Low-Access Share22.4%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,812

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Hertford County
IndicatorValue
Population19,908
Median Household Income$45,537
Poverty Rate22.9%well above the national average
SNAP Households2,305
SNAP Participation Rate27.8%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.9%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population8.4%
SNAP participation in Hertford County 27.8%

About 27.8% of Hertford County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 22.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 27.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,305 households here.
  • 7.9% 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 Hertford County

above the national share

2 of Hertford County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 40.0% of all its tracts.

An estimated 5,529 residents, roughly 22.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,812 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (60.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Hertford County

Hertford County has 32 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 18 locations (56% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 18

  • ahoskie tobacco house inc., ahoskie
  • duck thru food store 1, murfreesboro
  • duck thru food store 12, ahoskie
  • duck thru food store 18, winton
  • duck thru food store 27, ahoskie
  • duck thru food store 3, ahoskie
  • duck thru food store 31, ahoskie
  • duck thru food store 4, cofield
  • duck thru food store 47, harrellsville
  • duck thru food store 8, ahoskie
  • murphy express 8733, ahoskie
  • speedway 6968, murfreesboro
  • speedway 6970, ahoskie
  • speedway 8223, ahoskie
  • speedway 8224, murfreesboro
  • tims convenience store, ahoskie
  • wholesale cash & carry, inc., ahoskie
  • winton's deli mart, winton

Combination Grocery/Other · 9

  • cvs pharmacy 7324, murfreesboro
  • dollar general 4777, murfreesboro
  • dollar general 9772, ahoskie
  • dollar tree 368, ahoskie
  • family dollar 8066, winton
  • family dollar store 192, ahoskie
  • family dollar store 575, murfreesboro
  • godwins country meats, ahoskie
  • walgreens 15251, ahoskie

Super Store · 2

  • p/w of ahoskie, inc. 89, ahoskie
  • walmart supercenter 1950, ahoskie

Supermarket · 2

  • food lion 1100, murfreesboro
  • food lion 527, ahoskie

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • wisdom produce 1, ahoskie

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in North Carolina

Alamance County
25.0% low-access · 13.6% SNAP
Alexander County
20.4% low-access · 13.5% SNAP
Alleghany County
4.3% low-access · 14.0% SNAP
Anson County
8.4% low-access · 33.8% SNAP
Ashe County
22.2% low-access · 14.0% SNAP
Avery County
0.3% low-access · 13.9% SNAP

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

Food access nationally, North Carolina in context

Hertford County sits inside North Carolina (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 Hertford County has low food access? ▼
22.4% of residents in Hertford County, NC 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 Hertford County? ▼
27.8% of households in Hertford County receive SNAP, covering 2,305 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Hertford County? ▼
The poverty rate in Hertford County, NC is 22.9%, with a median household income of $45,537 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Hertford County a food desert? ▼
2 of Hertford County's 5 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 Hertford County households lack a vehicle? ▼
7.9% of households in Hertford 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.