Signature · 32 SNAP-authorized stores
Jackson County, WV
Jackson 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.
- 17.7%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 19.2%
- on SNAP
- 28K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Jackson County, WV
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 17.7% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -4.4 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 19.2% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 11.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 17% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Mason County (+ 0.3 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Jackson County ranks #1,887 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #26 of 52 counties in WV (17.7% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #1,887
- national by low-access %
- #26
- in WV
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 32 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Jackson County compares nationally
Jackson County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.7% low-access share that beats 40% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,887).
Jackson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
Jackson County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (4 rural, 2 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 2 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Jackson County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in West Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Gilmer
Gilmer 81.6%
81.6 % low-access
- Braxton 18.3
Braxton 18.3%
18.3 % low-access
- Putnam 18.1
Putnam 18.1%
18.1 % low-access
- Mason 18
Mason 18%
18 % low-access
- Jackson 17.7
Jackson 17.7%
17.7 % low-access
- Marion 17.2
Marion 17.2%
17.2 % low-access
- Pleasants 0
Pleasants 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 29,211 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 5,184 |
| Low-Access Share | 17.7%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,572 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 27,705 |
| Median Household Income | $58,845 |
| Poverty Rate | 18.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,207 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.2%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 11.2%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.6% |
Thick SNAP store book in Jackson County
Jackson County has 32 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 18 locations (56% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
6 towns share the 32 authorized stores; Ripley holds 56% of them. 4 of the 6 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Millwood, Cottageville, Kenna, Sandyville.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Ripley | 18 | 2 |
| Ravenswood | 9 | 1 |
| Millwood | 2 | none |
| Cottageville | 1 | none |
| Kenna | 1 | none |
| Sandyville | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 18
- 21 market llc, ripley
- cfm express 61, ravenswood
- certified oil 279, ripley
- exxon 77 #107, ripley
- farm station, cottageville
- fast mart of millwood, millwood
- go mart 33, ripley
- love's travel stop 378, ripley
- marathon 77 132, ripley
- one stop 8520, kenna
- par mar store 126, ripley
- par mar store 77, ravenswood
- par mar store 9, ravenswood
- ripley duchess 1110, ripley
- speedway 9035, ravenswood
- sheetz 584, ripley
- silverton food mart 125, ravenswood
- speedway 9561, ripley
Combination Grocery/Other · 11
- dollar general 14193, millwood
- dollar general 22940, ripley
- dollar general 25792, ripley
- dollar general 6352, ripley
- dollar general 9692, ravenswood
- dollar tree 3856, ripley
- family dollar 11710, sandyville
- family dollar store 1053, ravenswood
- fruth pharmacy 19, ripley
- walgreens 17116, ripley
- walgreens 17280, ravenswood
Super Store · 2
- kroger 708, ripley
- walmart supercenter 1450, ripley
Supermarket · 1
- ravenswood foodfair, ravenswood
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in West Virginia
One of 54 counties in West Virginia, 6 are shown here.
Compare Jackson County vs Barbour County → · All West Virginia counties →
Nationwide peers for Jackson County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Jackson County, both outside West Virginia so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside WV (17.7% here).
- Waushara County, WI · 17.7% low-access
- Washington County, VT · 17.7% low-access
- Rockingham County, NC · 17.7% low-access
- Nash County, NC · 17.7% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WV (19.2% here).
- Clearfield County, PA · 19.2% SNAP
- Lanier County, GA · 19.2% SNAP
- Poinsett County, AR · 19.2% SNAP
- Erie County, PA · 19.1% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
West Virginia among South Atlantic states
West Virginia ranks 7th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (21.3%). Jackson County, at 17.7%, runs 3.6 pts below the West Virginia rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Jackson County, WV are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 54035. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.