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 2019 Census ACS 2024 PA

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 #2,656).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Jefferson County's lower-band USDA tier split

13 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Jefferson County, PA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 12 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 13 tracts evaluated. 12 tracts adequate (92.3%) 1 tracts limited (7.7%) Adequate 92% Limited 8% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Jefferson County, PA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Jefferson County has 7 urban and 6 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.

Jefferson County vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Pennsylvania, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Jefferson County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts13
Atlas Population (2010 basis)45,200
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population3,580
Low-Access Share7.9%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,047

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Jefferson County
IndicatorValue
Population43,864
Median Household Income$58,686
Poverty Rate14.1%near the national average
SNAP Households2,728
SNAP Participation Rate14.9%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.3%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.7%

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.

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).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside PA (14.9% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Jefferson County inside a lower low-access state context

Jefferson County sits inside Pennsylvania (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

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.