PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · North Carolina

Hoke County, NC

Hoke 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.

18.2%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
20.1%
on SNAP
54K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NC

The food-access picture

18.2% of Hoke County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
4.8%
households, no vehicle
17.1%
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).

Hoke County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 18.2% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 8 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 8,537 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,690 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 Hoke County compares nationally

Hoke County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.2% low-access share that beats 41% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,843).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Hoke County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 8 census tracts in Hoke 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 Hoke County, NC USDA-defined food-access tiers: 6 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 8 tracts evaluated. 6 tracts adequate (75.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (25.0%) Adequate 75% Limited 0% Severe 25% Food-access tier distribution: Hoke County, NC
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Hoke 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 Hoke County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts8
Atlas Population (2010 basis)46,952
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population8,537
Low-Access Share18.2%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,690

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Hoke County
IndicatorValue
Population53,835
Median Household Income$64,912
Poverty Rate17.1%above the national average
SNAP Households3,864
SNAP Participation Rate20.1%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.8%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.3%
SNAP participation in Hoke County 20.1%

About 20.1% of Hoke County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 18.2% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 20.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,864 households here.
  • 4.8% 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 Hoke County

near the national share

2 of Hoke County's 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 25.0% of all its tracts.

An estimated 8,537 residents, roughly 18.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,690 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 6 tracts (75.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Hoke County

Hoke County has 43 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 18 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 18

  • az arabia mart corp 1, raeford
  • circle k 2723048, raeford
  • dhrisha inc, raeford
  • fast mart 14, raeford
  • fast shop food mart, raeford
  • foodstop 1 inc, raeford
  • green apple deli & grill, raeford
  • lucky starz, raeford
  • muncheez express, raeford
  • murphy express 8591, raeford
  • new five points, raeford
  • refuel 1146, raeford
  • rob's food mart, raeford
  • shivaay inc, raeford
  • smart shop 21, raeford
  • speedway 7903, raeford
  • zack's grocery and grill, red springs
  • zip-in-mart inc, raeford

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • cvs pharmacy 7313, raeford
  • dollar general 4790, raeford
  • dollar general 6344, raeford
  • dollar general 12220, raeford
  • dollar general 17688, raeford
  • dollar general 23213, red springs
  • dollar general 23933, raeford
  • dollar general 25705, raeford
  • dollar general 30072, raeford
  • dollar tree 4309, raeford
  • family dollar store 181, raeford
  • family dollar store 10438, raeford
  • family dollar store 10485, raeford
  • family dollar store 6026, raeford

Small Grocery Store · 4

  • eden tienda mexicana, raeford
  • el paso grocery, red springs
  • la michoacana market llc, raeford
  • tienda y fruteria hernandez, raeford

Supermarket · 3

  • food lion 127, raeford
  • food lion 2586, raeford
  • fresh foods 7, raeford

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2

  • briarwood custom meats butcher shop, llc, red springs
  • la preferida, raeford

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • home food market inc, raeford

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 5787, raeford

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 Hoke County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →

Food access nationally, North Carolina in context

Hoke 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 Hoke County has low food access? ▼
18.2% of residents in Hoke 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 Hoke County? ▼
20.1% of households in Hoke County receive SNAP, covering 3,864 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Hoke County? ▼
The poverty rate in Hoke County, NC is 17.1%, with a median household income of $64,912 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Hoke County a food desert? ▼
2 of Hoke County's 8 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 Hoke County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.8% of households in Hoke 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.