Signature · 206 SNAP-authorized stores
Kanawha County, WV
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Kanawha County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 27.7%
- low-access pop.
- 8
- food-desert tracts
- 15.8%
- on SNAP
- 177K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Kanawha County, WV
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 27.7% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +5.6 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 8 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.8% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 9.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 15% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Hampshire County (+ 0.4 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Kanawha County ranks #1,098 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #14 of 52 counties in WV (27.7% low-access; 8 food-desert tracts).
- #1,098
- national by low-access %
- #14
- in WV
- 22
- low-access tracts
- 18K
- 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: 206 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Kanawha County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Kanawha County's 27.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 65% of them and ranked #1,104 most-affected nationwide.
Kanawha County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
53 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 8 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Kanawha County has 37 urban and 16 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.
Kanawha County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in West Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Gilmer
Gilmer 81.6%
81.6 % low-access
- Wood 29.8
Wood 29.8%
29.8 % low-access
- Jefferson 28.5
Jefferson 28.5%
28.5 % low-access
- Wayne 28.4
Wayne 28.4%
28.4 % low-access
- Hampshire 28.1
Hampshire 28.1%
28.1 % low-access
- Kanawha 27.7
Kanawha 27.7%
27.7 % low-access
- Pleasants 0
Pleasants 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 53 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 193,063 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 22 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 8 |
| Low-Access Population | 53,408 |
| Low-Access Share | 27.7%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 17,756 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 176,537 |
| Median Household Income | $60,943 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.7%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 12,081 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.8%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.5%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.8% |
Thick SNAP store book in Kanawha County
Kanawha County has 206 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 98 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 98
- 7-eleven 35904h, charleston
- 7-eleven 35914j, saint albans
- 7-eleven 35930j, charleston
- 7-eleven 35933j, charleston
- 7-eleven 35964h, clendenin
- 7-eleven 35910, charleston
- 7-eleven 35932a, charleston
- 7-eleven 35942a, south charleston
- alex lane marathon, charleston
- certified oil 400218, charleston
- certified oil 400218, charleston
- corridor g tiger mart 185, south charleston
- d & i carry out, saint albans
- day & night market, charleston
- dunbar food mart inc., dunbar
- flowers bakery outlet 453, charleston
- foodtown deli & grocery llc, charleston
- go mart 100, elkview
- go mart 12, charleston
- go mart 15, saint albans
- go mart 20, nitro
- go mart 22, cedar grove
- go mart 23, spring hill
- go mart 24, charleston
- go mart 27, dunbar
- go mart 30, marmet
- go mart 31, charleston
- go mart 32, saint albans
- go mart 38, charleston
- go mart 49, cabin creek
- go mart 61, saint albans
- go mart 62, dunbar
- go mart 66, saint albans
- go mart 7, charleston
- go mart 76, dunbar
- go mart 79, sissonville
- go mart 8, charleston
- king onestop shop, charleston
- little general 4095, charleston
- little coal river shell, alum creek
- little general 4015, alum creek
- little general 4080, belle
- little general 4090, marmet
- little general 4105, charleston
- little general 4120, charleston
- little general 4135, elkview
- little general 4150, charleston
- little general 5030, elkview
- little general 7590, hernshaw
- little general store inc 7710, cross lanes
- m & m mart, charleston
- mccorkle avenue shell, south charleston
- miss ruby's corner market, charleston
- one stop 8101, south charleston
- one stop 8102, saint albans
- one stop 8103, charleston
- one stop 8109, south charleston
- one stop 8111, charleston
- one stop 8115, charleston
- one stop 8129, charleston
- one stop 8507, south charleston
- one stop 8508, charleston
- one stop 8514, charleston
- one stop 8517, south charleston
- one stop 8522, charleston
- owv inc, charleston
- par mar store 106, nitro
- par mar store 115, charleston
- par mar store 116, charleston
- par mar store 15, belle
- par mar store 16, saint albans
- par mar store 171, elkview
- par mar store 173, charleston
- par mar store 225, charleston
- par mar store 27, st albans
- par mar store 73, charleston
- par mar store 76, south charleston
- par mar store 94, cabin creek
- par mar store 96, charleston
- par mar store 97, saint albans
- quick country store 1, elkview
- rebel 921, charleston
- rebel 923, clendenin
- rich oil 3958, charleston
- s & d general store, tornado
- speedway 3960, charleston
- speedway 9278, charleston
- speedway 9786, charleston
- sheetz 585, south charleston
- sheetz 612, charleston
- sheetz 847, charleston
- sheetz 857, charleston
- speedway 7195, south charleston
- speedway 9222, charleston
- speedway 9289, elkview
- video village, cedar grove
- virgils store, pond gap
- witcher creek exxon 176, belle
Combination Grocery/Other · 72
- cvs 2148, charleston
- cvs pharmacy 4207, charleston
- cvs pharmacy 4244, dunbar
- cvs pharmacy 5957, elkview
- cvs pharmacy 6306, st albans
- dollar general 11066, east bank
- dollar general 14134, elkview
- dollar general 14334, dunbar
- dollar general 164, south charleston
- dollar general 18888, saint albans
- dollar general 19552, saint albans
- dollar general 3704, charleston
- dollar general 4974, marmet
- dollartree 10450, saint albans
- dollartree 10876, dunbar
- dollartree 9587, charleston
- dollar general 12036, charleston
- dollar general 1466, saint albans
- dollar general 15292, charleston
- dollar general 15424, charleston
- dollar general 15449, charleston
- dollar general 15622, charleston
- dollar general 16934, charleston
- dollar general 17786, saint albans
- dollar general 17984, miami
- dollar general 20518, glasgow
- dollar general 20704, charleston
- dollar general 22994, charleston
- dollar general 23092, charleston
- dollar general 23746, south charleston
- dollar general 24191, saint albans
- dollar general 25043, nitro
- dollar general 30967, belle
- dollar general 3102, elkview
- dollar general 3546, charleston
- dollar general 4501, chelyan
- dollar general 6622, charleston
- dollar general 7694, belle
- dollar tree 297, south charleston
- dollar tree 5621, charleston
- dollar tree 6, charleston
- dollar tree 7376, elkview
- dollar tree 7604, charleston
- dollar tree 8489, belle
- dollar tree 891, charleston
- dollar tree 946, charleston
- family dollar 11927, clendenin
- family dollar 12023, charleston
- family dollar 603, marmet
- family dollar 8925, charleston
- family dollar store 1897, dunbar
- family dollar store 2271, charleston
- family dollar store 2820, charleston
- family dollar store 3569, south charleston
- family dollar store 4445, south charleston
- family dollar store 469, elkview
- family dollar store 628, charleston
- family dollar store 9319, charleston
- fruth pharmacy 14, charleston
- fruth pharmacy 25, charleston
- fruth pharmacy 7, nitro
- walgreens 11750, cross lanes
- walgreens 12454, charleston
- walgreens 17111, saint albans
- walgreens 17353, charleston
- walgreens 17408, charleston
- walgreens 17633, elkview
- walgreens 17738, south charleston
- walgreens 17855, charleston
- walgreens 19108, charleston
- walgreens 19653, charleston
- walgreens 19790, dunbar
Super Store · 16
- bigley piggly wiggly, charleston
- kroger 807, elkview
- kroger 725, saint albans
- kroger 754, marmet
- kroger 763, charleston
- kroger 768, dunbar
- kroger 769, charleston
- kroger 772, charleston
- kroger 778, charleston
- kroger 785, charleston
- sam's club 6457, s charleston
- sissonville foodland inc, charleston
- target store 1261, charleston
- walmart 4278, belle
- walmart supercenter 2036, charleston
- walmart supercenter 2576, charleston
Supermarket · 10
- aldi 61015, dunbar
- aldi 61080 61080, south charleston
- big chimney market, charleston
- black angus meas and deli, saint albans
- elkview supermarket, elkview
- kanawha terrace supermarket, saint albans
- piggly wiggly of kanawha city, charleston
- pocatalico save a lot, charleston
- save-a-lot 246, clendenin
- save a lot, charleston
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- new asian market, south charleston
- spice of life, charleston
- wv meats llc, charleston
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- all american prime cuts, saint albans
- johnnies fresh meat market, charleston
Small Grocery Store · 2
- mikes damas mart, south charleston
- pacific international market inc, charleston
Farmers' Market · 1
- capitol market, charleston
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- the purple onion fruit & veggie co., charleston
Large Grocery Store · 1
- fas chek 3, charleston
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 Kanawha County vs Barbour County → · All West Virginia counties →
Nationwide peers for Kanawha County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Kanawha 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 (27.7% here).
- Whatcom County, WA · 27.7% low-access
- Whatcom County, WA · 27.7% low-access
- Stutsman County, ND · 27.7% low-access
- Stutsman County, ND · 27.7% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WV (15.8% here).
- Spokane County, WA · 15.8% SNAP
- Spokane County, WA · 15.8% SNAP
- Meigs County, TN · 15.8% SNAP
- Meigs County, TN · 15.8% 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.
Food access nationally, West Virginia in context
Kanawha County sits inside West Virginia (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 Kanawha County, WV are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 54039. 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.