County food-access profile · Pennsylvania
Lackawanna County, PA
Lackawanna 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.
- 15.3%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 17.8%
- on SNAP
- 216K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
15.3% of Lackawanna County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 59 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 14
- low-access tracts
- 9K
- food-desert residents
- 9.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 14.4%
- 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).
Lackawanna County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 15.3% per the USDA Atlas. 14 of the county's 59 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 32,703 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 8,721 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 Lackawanna County compares nationally
Lackawanna County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.3% low-access share that beats 33% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,100).
Lackawanna County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 59 census tracts in Lackawanna County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lackawanna County vs. other Pennsylvania counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Pennsylvania
- Lackawanna
Lackawanna County, PA
15.3 % 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 | 59 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 214,437 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 14 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 32,703 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.3%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 8,721 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 216,146 |
| Median Household Income | $66,223 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.4%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 15,738 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 17.8%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.4%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.0% |
About 17.8% of Lackawanna County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 15.3% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 17.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 15,738 households here.
- 9.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 2 tracts 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 Lackawanna County
near the national share
2 of Lackawanna County's 59 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 3.4% of all its tracts.
A further 12 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 14.
An estimated 32,703 residents, roughly 15.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 8,721 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 45 tracts (76.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lackawanna County
Lackawanna County has 185 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 88 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 88
- 7th avenue kwik mart, scranton
- al's quick stop #10, taylor
- al's quick stop #3 2, covington township
- al's quick stop 1, dunmore
- al's quick stop 4, scranton
- archbald gas n go, archbald
- aryan express mart, old forge
- birney quick serve, scranton
- carbondale mini mart corp, carbondale
- city market & cafe 3039, clarks summit
- convenient food mart 3001, scranton
- convenient food mart 3004 3004, olyphant
- convenient food mart 3006, scranton
- convenient food mart 3007, old forge
- convenient food mart 3008, scranton
- convenient food mart 3009, jermyn
- convenient food mart 3015, dickson cty
- convenient food mart 3016, carbondale
- convenient food mart 3021, scranton
- convenient food mart 3023, scranton
- convenient food mart 3024, scranton
- convenient food mart 3025, scranton
- convenient food mart 3029, south abington township
- convenient food mart 3030, scranton
- convenient food mart 3033, old forge
- convenient food mart 3034, carbondale
- convenient food mart3032 3032, scranton
- convenient food marts of pa 3002, scranton
- cousin's beer stop - convenient mart, eynon
- deep shree inc n/a, scranton
- dickson mini mart, dicksoncity
- downtown scranton convenient llc, scranton
- drive-n-buy, carbondale
- elmmhurst quick stop, elmhurst township
- express mart & cafe, scranton
- fast lane mart, dunmore
- fast lane mart taylor, taylor
- food express throop 1, throop
- food mart inc, scranton
- frank's news tobacco & corner store llc, scranton
- gunsmoke and convenient n/a, scranton
- jessup foodmart llc, jessup
- joe's kwik mart, scranton
- joe's kwik mart 166, scranton
- joe's kwik marts 115, dunmore
- joe's kwik marts 177, scranton
- junior's convenience store, throop
- la dona mexican grocery store llc, scranton
- la mexicanita grocery store and multi services 01, scranton
- lake mart, greenfield township
- lans express south, scranton
- madzin's market, scranton
- main st mini mart, scranton
- moscow gas and deli, moscow
- pantry quik, scranton
- paradise valley plaza, greenfield township
- phenix2 corp, scranton
- poomie hoagies no, scranton
- pop pops mini mart, peckville
- powerfuel and c store moosic, moosic
- providence road exxon, scranton
- qwik mart, jessup
- qwik mart 1, peckville
- rushbrook quick stop, jermyn
- sayona food mart, old forge
- sheetz 343, dunmore
- sheetz 359, scranton
- sheetz 363, south abington township
- sheetz 662, scranton
- sheetz 695, taylor
- sheetz 748, carbondale
- simpson food mart, simpson
- summit market, south abington township
- sunoco gas & mini mart, scranton
- super fuel convenient mart, scott township
- super stop and go, olyphant
- turkey hill minit market 950237, dunmore
- turkey hill minit market 950276, blakely
- turkey hill minit market 950287, scranton
- turkey hill minit markets 950142, scranton
- turkey hill minit markets 950160, taylor
- turkey hill minit markets 950178, scranton
- turkey hill minit markets 950181, old forge
- turkey hill minit markets 950183, carbondale
- turkey hill minit markets 950189, scranton
- turkey hill minit markets 950273, moosic
- v & v express mart, scranton
- wyoming food mart, scranton
Combination Grocery/Other · 45
- cvs 1615, dickson city
- cvs pharmacy 1597, clarks summit
- cvs pharmacy 1611, scranton
- cvs pharmacy 1188, old forge
- cvs pharmacy 1593, scranton
- cvs pharmacy 1600, carbondale
- cvs pharmacy 1612, dunmore
- cvs pharmacy 6790, scranton
- dollar general 1059, scranton
- dollar general 7953, simpson
- dollar tree 1380, scranton
- dollar general 12162, moscow
- dollar general 16162, clifton township
- dollar general 16293, jermyn
- dollar general 22687, scranton
- dollar general 23332, scott township
- dollar general 24274, archbald
- dollar general 30151, convington township
- dollar general 9234, carbondale
- dollar general 9235, scranton
- dollar general 9325, old forge
- dollar general 9380, peckville
- dollar tree 1670, dickson city
- dollar tree 1955, scranton
- dollar tree 3028, carbondale
- dollar tree 3687, scranton
- dollar tree 3750, old forge
- dollar tree 4702, moosic
- dollar tree 5710, dickson city
- dollar tree 7344, scranton
- family dollar 10105, scranton
- family dollar 12500, scranton
- family dollar 12890, scranton
- family dollar 13908, moscow
- family dollar 3780, olyphant
- family dollar 4190, scranton
- family dollar 4457, scranton
- family dollar store 9221, old forge
- florita's bakery, scranton
- hamro grocery store scranton, scranton
- lao asian market na, scranton
- ocean state job lot 602, scranton
- shiv convenient mart, llc, scranton
- spice asian market, scranton
- walgreens 07739, scranton
Super Store · 16
- bill's shoprite supermarket, covington twp
- jvj food llc, scranton
- pricerite of scranton 405, scranton
- quinn's, peckville
- schiffs restaurant serv inc, scranton
- sam's club 6581, scranton
- schiel's family market dunmore 55999, scranton
- shoprite of birney avenue, moosic
- target stores 1474, dickson city
- the fresh grocer keyser ave shopping center, scranton
- the fresh grocer meadow avenue, scranton
- the fresh grocer moosic, moosic
- the fresh grocer summit square shopping center, clarks summit
- the fresh grocery south main and eynon, scranton
- walmart 4276, taylor
- walmart supercenter 1884, dickson city
Small Grocery Store · 10
- city market cafe 3036, scranton
- international deli & grocery, inc, scranton
- la campesina grocery store, scranton
- la chingada deli & grocery store llc, scranton
- latinos grocery store llc, scranton
- oaxaca's grocery store, scranton
- p & r discount foods, dunmore
- pine brook market, scranton
- salumu family market, scranton
- super big chief market, mayfield
Supermarket · 10
- aldi 75019 75019, scranton
- giant food store 6305, scranton
- giant food store 6316, dickson city
- price chopper 135, dunmore
- quinns supermkt, archbald
- redners warehouse market 75, scranton
- wegmans 76, scranton
- weis markets 165, scott township
- weis markets 171, carbondale
- weis markets 190, clarks summit
Medium Grocery Store · 9
- apna desi bazar, scranton
- namaste grocery store, scranton
- rossi's market, old forge
- super natural & fresh produce ii, inc., scranton
- tropical market, scranton
- vitalis mkt, scranton
- value village market, eynon
- yeshiva co-op, scranton
- yeti family grocery, scranton
Farmers' Market · 2
- carbondale farmers market, carbondale
- south side farmers' market, scranton
Large Grocery Store · 2
- everything natural, clarks summit
- valley supermarket, scranton
Bakery Specialty · 1
- barbours bakery, carbondale
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- trovato's meat market, clarks summit
Seafood Specialty · 1
- southside seafood, scranton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Compare Lackawanna County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Lackawanna 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 Lackawanna County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lackawanna County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lackawanna County? ▼
Is Lackawanna County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lackawanna 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.