Signature · 7.9% low-access (15th pct)
Jefferson County, PA
Jefferson County lands in the lower national band on low-access (7.9%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 7.9%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 14.9%
- on SNAP
- 44K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Jefferson County, PA
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ADEQUATE 7.9% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -14.2 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.9% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Indiana County (+ 0.3 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Jefferson County lands in the lower national band (7.9%, #2,651 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,651
- national by low-access %
- #52
- in PA
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 7.9% low-access (15th pct) (-14.2 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Jefferson County compares nationally
Food access in Jefferson County compares favorably nationally: its 7.9% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 15% of them (rank #2,651).
Jefferson County's lower-band USDA tier split
13 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
Jefferson County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (7 urban, 6 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 6 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Jefferson County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Pennsylvania, not a full county-board reprint
- Chester
Chester 45.1%
45.1 % low-access
- Columbia 8.4
Columbia 8.4%
8.4 % low-access
- Schuylkill 8.4
Schuylkill 8.4%
8.4 % low-access
- Indiana 8.2
Indiana 8.2%
8.2 % low-access
- Jefferson 7.9
Jefferson 7.9%
7.9 % low-access
- Cameron 7.6
Cameron 7.6%
7.6 % low-access
- Wyoming 0.9
Wyoming 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 13 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 45,200 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,580 |
| Low-Access Share | 7.9%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,047 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 43,864 |
| Median Household Income | $58,686 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.1%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,728 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.9%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.3%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.7% |
Thick SNAP store book in Jefferson County
Jefferson County has 44 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 18 locations (41% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
9 towns share the 44 authorized stores; Brookville holds 34% of them. 5 of the 9 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Falls Creek, Sykesville, Big Run, Oliveburg, Summerville.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Brookville | 15 | 2 |
| Punxsutawney | 15 | 4 |
| Reynoldsville | 4 | 1 |
| Brockway | 3 | 1 |
| Falls Creek | 2 | none |
| Sykesville | 2 | none |
| Big Run | 1 | none |
| Oliveburg | 1 | none |
| Summerville | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 18
- bfs foods 55, brookville
- getgo 3080, brookville
- infinity market depot, punxsutawney
- love's travel stop 829, brookville
- open arms farmacy, punxsutawney
- pilot travel center 707, brookville
- reynoldsville one stop, reynoldsville
- sheetz 146, brockway
- sheetz 194, falls creek
- sheetz 66, brookville
- sheetz 79, punxsutawney
- snax food and gas, punxsutawney
- stahlman's country store inc., punxsutawney
- sykesville one stop, sykesville
- ta brookville 003, brookville
- the dixon corner country store, brookville
- uni mart, punxsutawney
- uni mart 04077, punxsutawney
Combination Grocery/Other · 14
- dollar general 0129, punxsutawney
- dollar general 0503, brookville
- dollar general 1018, brockway
- dollar general 14208, sykesville
- dollar general 18983, oliveburg
- dollar general 8310, reynoldsville
- dollar general 21614, summerville
- dollar general 22031, brookville
- dollar general 23827, falls creek
- dollar general 24532, punxsutawney
- dollar general 25142, big run
- dollar tree 2568, punxsutawney
- family dollar store 6533, brookville
- teds meat mkt, reynoldsville
Super Store · 4
- brookville hometown market, brookville
- giant eagle 80, brookville
- punxsutawney hometown market 70, punxsutawney
- walmart 2664, punxsutawney
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- biggie's quality meats llc, punxsutawney
- meatheads market, brookville
- toms meat market, brookville
Supermarket · 3
- aldi 44071 44071, punxsutawney
- martino's bi-lo #733, brockway
- mikes bi-lo 702, reynoldsville
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- more for less resale and surplus, punxsutawney
Small Grocery Store · 1
- anna's place of brookville, brookville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
One of 66 counties in Pennsylvania, 6 are shown here.
Compare Jefferson County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Counties near Jefferson County's lower low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Jefferson County, both outside Pennsylvania so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside PA (7.9% here).
- Union County, SC · 7.9% low-access
- Oswego County, NY · 7.9% low-access
- Cattaraugus County, NY · 7.9% low-access
- Union County, IL · 7.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside PA (14.9% here).
- Washita County, OK · 14.9% SNAP
- Atoka County, OK · 14.9% SNAP
- Hardin County, TN · 14.9% SNAP
- Palo Pinto County, TX · 14.9% 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.
Pennsylvania among Middle Atlantic states
Pennsylvania ranks 2nd of 3 Middle Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (21.4%). Jefferson County, at 7.9%, runs 13.5 pts below the Pennsylvania rate.
- New Jersey 23.8%
- Pennsylvania 21.4%
- New York 12.0%
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 Jefferson County, PA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 42065. 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.