County food-access profile · Pennsylvania
Jefferson County, PA
Most of Jefferson County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 7.9%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 14.9%
- on SNAP
- 44K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
7.9% of Jefferson County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
- 8.3%
- households, no vehicle
- 14.1%
- 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).
By the USDA's measure, Jefferson County fares better than most: just 7.9% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 1 of the county's 13 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 3,580 people who live far from a supermarket, and none of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 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).
Jefferson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 13 census tracts in Jefferson County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Jefferson County vs. other Pennsylvania counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Pennsylvania
- Jefferson 7.9
Jefferson County, PA
7.9 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, PA
15.9 % low-access
- Allegheny
Allegheny County, PA
26.4 % low-access
- Armstrong 5.2
Armstrong County, PA
5.2 % low-access
- Beaver
Beaver County, PA
32.5 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, PA
22.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| 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% |
About 14.9% of Jefferson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 7.9% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
- 14.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,728 households here.
- 8.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $58,686 with a 14.1% poverty rate.
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 Jefferson County
below the national share
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 1.
An estimated 3,580 residents, roughly 7.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,047 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 12 tracts (92.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers 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 retailers.
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Compare Jefferson County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Jefferson County sits inside Pennsylvania (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 Jefferson County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Jefferson County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Jefferson County? ▼
Is Jefferson County a food desert? ▼
What share of Jefferson 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.