County food-access profile · Tennessee
Johnson County, TN
Johnson 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.
- 8.2%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 15.1%
- on SNAP
- 18K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
8.2% of Johnson County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 511
- food-desert residents
- 4.3%
- households, no vehicle
- 21.4%
- 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).
Johnson County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.2% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 5 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 1,488 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 511 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 Johnson County compares nationally
Johnson County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.2% low-access share that beats 16% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,629).
Johnson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 5 census tracts in Johnson County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Johnson County vs. other Tennessee counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Tennessee
- Johnson 8.2
Johnson County, TN
8.2 % low-access
- Anderson 10.9
Anderson County, TN
10.9 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, TN
23 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, TN
12.6 % low-access
- Bledsoe 4.7
Bledsoe County, TN
4.7 % low-access
- Blount
Blount County, TN
30.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 18,244 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,488 |
| Low-Access Share | 8.2%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 511 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 18,196 |
| Median Household Income | $53,129 |
| Poverty Rate | 21.4%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,101 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.1%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.3%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 9.0% |
About 15.1% of Johnson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 8.2% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 15.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,101 households here.
- 4.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 1 tract 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 Johnson County
near the national share
1 of Johnson County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 20.0% of all its tracts.
An estimated 1,488 residents, roughly 8.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 511 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 4 tracts (80.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Johnson County
Johnson County has 19 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 8 locations (42% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 8
- dollar general 18877, laurel bloomery
- dollar general 8466, mountain city
- dollar general 11884, butler
- dollar general 22257, mountain city
- dollar general 23163, shady valley
- dollar general 554, mountain city
- family dollar 12855, mountain city
- walgreens 18327, mountain city
Convenience Store · 7
- doe valley food mart, mountain city
- mtn city food mart, mountain city
- paradise gas and grill, mountain city
- pleasants store, butler
- quick stop market 52, mountain city
- roan valley market, mountain city
- scotchman 3416, mountain city
Supermarket · 3
- food country usa mountain city 4, mountain city
- food lion 1493, mountain city
- price less foods 476, mountain city
Farmers' Market · 1
- johnson county farmers market, mountain city
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Tennessee
Compare Johnson County vs Anderson County → · All Tennessee counties →
Food access nationally, Tennessee in context
Johnson County sits inside Tennessee (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 Johnson County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Johnson County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Johnson County? ▼
Is Johnson County a food desert? ▼
What share of Johnson 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.