County food-access profile · North Carolina
Iredell County, NC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Iredell 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).
- 22.2%
- low-access pop.
- 5
- food-desert tracts
- 8.1%
- on SNAP
- 197K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
22.2% of Iredell County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 44 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 18
- low-access tracts
- 9K
- food-desert residents
- 3.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 10.0%
- 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 Iredell County's low-access share at 22.2%, above the national share. 18 of the county's 44 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 35,439 people. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 9,176 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 Iredell County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Iredell County's 22.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 52% of them and ranked #1,518 most-affected nationwide.
Iredell County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 44 census tracts in Iredell County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Iredell County vs. other North Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in North Carolina
- Iredell
Iredell County, NC
22.2 % low-access
- Alamance
Alamance County, NC
25 % low-access
- Alexander
Alexander County, NC
20.4 % low-access
- Alleghany 4.3
Alleghany County, NC
4.3 % low-access
- Anson 8.4
Anson County, NC
8.4 % low-access
- Ashe
Ashe County, NC
22.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 44 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 159,437 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 18 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 5 |
| Low-Access Population | 35,439 |
| Low-Access Share | 22.2%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 9,176 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 196,544 |
| Median Household Income | $81,419 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.0%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 6,163 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 8.1%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.7%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.8% |
About 8.1% of Iredell County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 22.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 8.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 6,163 households here.
- 3.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 5 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 Iredell County
above the national share
5 of Iredell County's 44 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.4% of all its tracts.
A further 13 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 18.
An estimated 35,439 residents, roughly 22.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 9,176 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 26 tracts (59.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Iredell County
Iredell County has 146 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 57 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 57
- 7-eleven 41345j, statesville
- 7-eleven 41572h, statesville
- 7-eleven #41345a 41345a, statesville
- 7-eleven 36073a 36073a, statesville
- 7-eleven 36075a, harmony
- circle k stores inc. 2723948, statesville
- circle k 272158, statesville
- circle k 272172, mooresville
- circle k 2723023, mooresville
- circle k 272784, mooresville
- corner store, statesville
- eddie discount group, statesville
- energy market, statesville
- fast express, statesville
- fast phils 17, statesville
- fast phils 21, harmony
- fast phils 22, harmony
- fast phils 501, statesville
- fast phils 502, mooresville
- fast phils 503, mooresville
- fast phils 506, statesville
- fast phils 7, statesville
- fast phils 8, statesville
- fast phils 9, mooresville
- food mart, statesville
- gas n snack 1, statesville
- good deal, statesville
- han-dee hugo's 235, mooresville
- han-dee hugo's 236, mooresville
- home run market 18, mooresville
- jai giriraj inc, mooresville
- la casita de mimi 1, statesville
- love's travel stop 497, statesville
- market basket 01, statesville
- mystik 999, troutman
- one stop shop 7, mooresville
- perth mini mart 0, troutman
- phils food mart 2, statesville
- pilot travel center 7976, troutman
- pump-n-shop, troutman
- quality mart #65 1765, troutman
- quality mart 50 1304, statesville
- quiktrip 1009, mooresville
- quiktrip 1008, mooresville
- rocky river bp, mooresville
- s h mart, statesville
- sheetz 405, statesville
- sharon express, statesville
- sheetz 524, troutman
- sheetz 621, statesville
- sheetz 803, statesville
- speedway 7979, mooresville
- sunoco gas station, statesville
- tienda rios de agua viva 1, statesville
- unique mart, mooresville
- ziggy's, statesville
- zip-n-go #3, mooresville
Combination Grocery/Other · 45
- big lots 3193, mooresville
- cvs pharmacy 3524, statesville
- cvs pharmacy 3803, mooresville
- cvs pharmacy 5534, statesville
- cvs pharmacy 5591, statesville
- cvs pharmacy 3523, mooresville
- cvs pharmacy 3569, statesville
- dollar general 10914, statesville
- dollar general 11025, statesville
- dollar general 18416, mooresville
- dollar general 19359, mooresville
- dollar general 2393, statesville
- dollar general 2678, mooresville
- dollar general 6512, troutman
- dollar general 7548, mooresville
- dollar general 9043, statesville
- dollar tree 1302, mooresville
- dollartree plus 8949, statesville
- dollar general 10147, harmony
- dollar general 11630, statesville
- dollar general 12710, statesville
- dollar general 13721, harmony
- dollar general 14902, statesville
- dollar general 16534, statesville
- dollar general 17342, statesville
- dollar general 22973, statesville
- dollar general 23373, mooresville
- dollar general 24272, statesville
- dollar general 24687, troutman
- dollar general store 16689, mooresville
- dollar tree 1560, statesville
- dollar tree 1867, statesville
- dollar tree 7777, mooresville
- dollar tree 8391, troutman
- family dollar 166, statesville
- family dollar 59, mooresville
- family dollar store 288, statesville
- family dollar store 4546, statesville
- family dollar store 6705, harmony
- walgreens 6688, mooresville
- walgreens 02696, statesville
- walgreens 11892, mooresville
- walgreens 16120, troutman
- walgreens 17641, mooresville
- walgreens 18115, statesville
Supermarket · 24
- aldi 64063 64063, statesville
- aldi 66045 66045, mooresville
- compare foods, statesville
- food lion 1317, statesville
- food lion 1411, statesville
- food lion 1570, mooresville
- food lion 2528, mooresville
- food lion 2633, statesville
- food lion 552, statesville
- food lion 64, statesville
- food lion 701, troutman
- food lion 812, mooresville
- food lion 2206, mooresville
- food lion 2213, mooresville
- food lion 2270, statesville
- food lion 2684, mooresville
- food lion, llc 2264, troutman
- ingles markets 150, statesville
- ingles markets 78, statesville
- lowes food store 241, mooresville
- marketplace at harmony 851, harmony
- publix 1519, mooresville
- publix 1539, statesville
- publix north carolina lp 1872, mooresville
Super Store · 9
- bj's membership club 118, mooresville
- costco wholesale 1333, mooresville
- harris teeter 099, mooresville
- harris teeter 274, mooresville
- sam's club 4917, mooresville
- target store t-1505, mooresville
- walmart 1156, mooresville
- walmart 1662, statesville
- walmart neighborhood market 4431, mooresville
Farmers' Market · 3
- jcf statesville farmers market, statesville
- josh's farmers market, mooresville
- statesville family ymca cultivation garden, statesville
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- gunters country store, harmony
- mi tierrita, mooresville
- shop and save market, mooresville
Small Grocery Store · 2
- la favorita latin market llc no, mooresville
- la paloma 2 incorporated, statesville
Large Grocery Store · 1
- teresita supermarket, statesville
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- butcher shop, statesville
Seafood Specialty · 1
- buddys seafood market 1, mooresville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in North Carolina
Compare Iredell County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, North Carolina in context
Iredell County sits inside North Carolina (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Iredell County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Iredell County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Iredell County? ▼
Is Iredell County a food desert? ▼
What share of Iredell County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.