County food-access profile · Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, PA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lancaster 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).
- 20.4%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 9.2%
- on SNAP
- 558K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
20.4% of Lancaster County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 98 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 39
- low-access tracts
- 25K
- food-desert residents
- 8.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 8.2%
- 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).
USDA data puts Lancaster County's low-access share at 20.4%, above the national share. 39 of the county's 98 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 106,169 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 25,213 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 Lancaster County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lancaster County's 20.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,657 most-affected nationwide.
Lancaster County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 98 census tracts in Lancaster County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lancaster County vs. other Pennsylvania counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Pennsylvania
- Lancaster
Lancaster County, PA
20.4 % 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 | 98 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 519,445 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 39 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 106,169 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.4%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 25,213 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 557,931 |
| Median Household Income | $86,959 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.2%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 19,471 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.2%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.6%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.8% |
About 9.2% of Lancaster County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 20.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 19,471 households here.
- 8.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 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 Lancaster County
above the national share
6 of Lancaster County's 98 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 6.1% of all its tracts.
A further 33 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 39.
An estimated 106,169 residents, roughly 20.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 25,213 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 59 tracts (60.2%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lancaster County
Lancaster County has 353 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 167 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 167
- 7-eleven 40285, bowmansville
- 7-eleven store 41826b, lancaster
- 710 convenience & smoke shop, columbia
- a p and sons inc, reinholds
- a to z gas & food mart, leola
- ad deli grocery llc, lancaster
- akam market, lancaster
- aplus 40245, stevens
- aplus 40451, lancaster
- benis discount grocery outlet inc 0, lancaster
- borimex mini mart, lancaster
- cabrera grocery, lancaster
- cabrera grocery 5, lancaster
- cabrera grocery iii llc, lancaster
- citgo, manheim
- city convenience, lottery, lancaster
- columbia mart, columbia
- columbia mini-mart, columbia
- ephrata sunoco, ephrata
- friendly stops, mountville
- garcia mini market, lancaster
- gas plus, lancaster
- gita krishna, inc., columbia
- gps group inc, columbia
- ishaan llc, marietta
- jb supermarket inc. 1, columbia
- jk mart grocery store and smoke shop, columbia
- john's serice station, lancaster
- jv mini market inc, lancaster
- king st. food mart llc, lancaster
- kreider market inc, kirkwood
- las animas store, lancaster
- leola food mart, leola
- lititz marathon, lititz
- m & s deli grocery inc, lancaster
- mangat mart, lancaster
- mangat mini mart ii, lancaster
- manheim sunoco, manheim
- millersville mart llc, lancaster
- mount joy convenience & smoke shop, mount joy
- mount joy marathon, mount joy
- next door food store, ephrata
- o & j deli grocery 1, llc, lancaster
- one stop 1 store, bainbridge
- p & o inc/a plus, lancaster
- paradise mart, paradise
- pr3 enterprises inc, lancaster
- prince g store 1, lancaster
- queen grocery & deli inc, lancaster
- queen grocery llc, lancaster
- redner's quick shoppe 330, stevens
- rothsville mini market, lititz
- royal farms 260, lancaster
- rutter's 91, gap
- rutters 23, mountville
- rutters 34, leola
- rutters 40, marietta
- rutters 70, strasburg
- s clyde weaver, inc, east petersburg
- sabor cabeno grocery llc, lancaster
- sara grocery & deli ii llc, lancaster
- sheetz 231, new holland
- sheetz 236, marietta
- sheetz 237, lititz
- sheetz 257, lancaster
- sheetz 269, ephrata
- sheetz 312, mount joy
- sheetz 388, lancaster
- sheetz 421, lancaster
- sheetz 478, ephrata
- sheetz 544, millersville
- sheetz 558, lancaster
- sheetz 559, columbia
- sheetz 614, manheim
- sheetz 646, lititz
- sheetz 668, lancaster
- sheetz 697, willow street
- sheetz 717, lancaster
- sheetz 782, lancaster
- sheetz 927, lancaster
- speedway 6720, lancaster
- speedway 6722, lancaster
- speedway 6762, elizabethtown
- speedway 6774, manheim
- speedway 6776, leola
- speedway 6779, lancaster
- speedway 6780, new providence
- speedway 6783, gap
- stop & run, lancaster
- strasburg sunoco, strasburg
- sunoco etown, elizabethtown
- sunoco gas station, narvon
- sunoco gas station lancaster, lancaster
- sunoco mart, lancaster
- sunshine market, lancaster
- super quisquella grocery llc, lancaster
- ted's deli, lancaster
- tk convenient smoke stop, elizabethtown
- tanglewood gas food mart, quarryville
- tecks news stand, lancaster
- terre hill mart, terre hill
- turkey hill 950325, lancaster
- turkey hill minit market 950305, columbia
- turkey hill minit market 950313, lancaster
- turkey hill minit market 950315, quarryville
- turkey hill minit market 950316, lancaster
- turkey hill minit market 950318, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950002, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950008, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950015, willow street
- turkey hill minit markets 950017, mount joy
- turkey hill minit markets 950019, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950020, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950021, manheim
- turkey hill minit markets 950024, elizabethtown
- turkey hill minit markets 950027, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950033, elizabethtown
- turkey hill minit markets 950035, landisville
- turkey hill minit markets 950037, denver
- turkey hill minit markets 950038, quarryville
- turkey hill minit markets 950039, akron
- turkey hill minit markets 950041, ronks
- turkey hill minit markets 950048, millersville
- turkey hill minit markets 950052, gap
- turkey hill minit markets 950065, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950068, columbia
- turkey hill minit markets 950069, denver
- turkey hill minit markets 950073, lititz
- turkey hill minit markets 950074, leola
- turkey hill minit markets 950076, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950078, lampeter
- turkey hill minit markets 950079, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950080, mountville
- turkey hill minit markets 950103, elizabethtown
- turkey hill minit markets 950111, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950113, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950118, gap
- turkey hill minit markets 950136, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950138, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950170, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950171, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950185, brownstown
- turkey hill minit markets 950212, ephrata
- turkey hill minit markets 950231, columbia
- turkey hill minit markets 950235, elizabethtown
- turkey hill minit markets 950241, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950245, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950246, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950248, denver
- turkey hill minit markets 950252, lititz
- turkey hill minit markets 950253, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950263, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950264, ephrata
- turkey hill minit markets 950278, mount joy
- turkey hill minit markets 950281, ephrata
- turkey hill minit markets 950284, lititz
- turkey hill minit markets 950307, lancaster
- turkey hill minit markets 950324, east earl
- united ronks, ronks
- us gas, lancaster
- v & y mini market ii, lancaster
- v&f mini market vi llc, lancaster
- wawa 158, east petersburg
- wawa 260, ephrata
- wawa 275, lancaster
- wawa 8025, gap
- ynoa deli grocery, lancaster
Combination Grocery/Other · 66
- big lots 3070, ephrata
- cvs 2297, lititz
- cvs 4060, lancaster
- cvs 5090, lancaster
- cvs 8495, lancaster
- cvs pharmacy 1662, lancaster
- cvs pharmacy 1663, new holland
- cvs pharmacy 1665, manheim
- cvs pharmacy 1667, lititz
- cvs pharmacy 1668, lancaster
- cvs pharmacy 1670, columbia
- cvs pharmacy 1671, lancaster
- cvs pharmacy 1672, elizabethtown
- cvs pharmacy 1675, lancaster
- cvs pharmacy 2053, landisville
- cvs pharmacy 2158, lancaster
- cvs pharmacy 2371, lancaster
- cvs pharmacy 2494, mount joy
- cvs pharmacy 5721, ephrata
- cvs pharmacy 01669, lancaster
- clean eatz lancaster, lancaster
- dollar general 0154, lancaster
- dollar general 2182, manheim
- dollar general 2203, mount joy
- dollar general 2409, new holland
- dollar general 4316, columbia
- dollartree 11519, lancaster
- dollar general 0220, quarryville
- dollar general 10036, lancaster
- dollar general 10481, leola
- dollar general 10553, quarryville
- dollar general 11288, gap
- dollar general 13335, stevens
- dollar general 13688, akron
- dollar general 16233, peach bottom
- dollar general 16238, lancaster
- dollar general 21620, marietta
- dollar general 21693, east earl
- dollar general 24167, elizabethtown
- dollar general 3288, willow street
- dollar general 597, lancaster
- dollar general 7985, elizabethtown
- dollar general 8436, paradise
- dollar tree 1597, lancaster
- dollar tree 1660, lancaster
- dollar tree 2388, ephrata
- dollar tree 4412, mount joy
- dollar tree 4563, lancaster
- dollar tree 7030, lancaster
- dollar tree 7358, lancaster
- dollar tree 7730, manheim
- dollar tree 951, willow street
- ethio african grocery store, lancaster
- family dollar 11181, lancaster
- family dollar store 1680, columbia
- family dollar store 1855, lancaster
- family dollar store 2107, new holland
- family dollar store 3115, quarryville
- family dollar store 3293, elizabethtown
- family dollar store 989, ephrata
- g-sapphire african market, lancaster
- green hills discount grocery llc, lititz
- ocean state job lot 606, willow street
- ocean state job lot 609, elizabethtown
- stoltzfus meats and deli, intercourse
- walgreens 09876, lancaster
Large Grocery Store · 12
- asia food super market, lancaster
- asian market llc, lancaster
- eby's store inc, ephrata
- forrys country store, llc, lancaster
- groff meats, elizabethtown
- juan m inc/bravo supermarket, lancaster
- lancaster asian center, lancaster
- lemon street market, lancaster
- maplehofe dairy inc, quarryville
- our everest grocery llc, lancaster
- super natural and fresh produce iv, lancaster
- willow creek discount grocery, llc, denver
Farmers' Market · 2
- lancaster central market, lancaster
- stauffers fruit farm & market llc, denver
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- mountain meadows butchering llc, manheim
- s. clyde weaver, inc., lancaster
Bakery Specialty · 1
- torres family bakery llc, lancaster
Showing 250 of 353 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Compare Lancaster County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Lancaster 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 Lancaster County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lancaster County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lancaster County? ▼
Is Lancaster County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lancaster 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.