Signature · 9.2% SNAP (14th pct in PA)
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)
USDA FARA access plate
County Lancaster County, PA
LA-ELEVATED · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-ELEVATED 20.4% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -1.7 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 6 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 9.2% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 6% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Luzerne County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Lancaster County ranks #1,653 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #24 of 67 counties in PA (20.4% low-access; 6 food-desert tracts).
- #1,653
- national by low-access %
- #24
- in PA
- 39
- low-access tracts
- 25K
- 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: 9.2% SNAP (14th pct in PA) (-2.9 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
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
98 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 6 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Lancaster County has 68 urban and 30 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.
Lancaster County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Pennsylvania, not a full county-board reprint
- Chester
Chester 45.1%
45.1 % low-access
- Lancaster
Lancaster 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Luzerne
Luzerne 20.3%
20.3 % low-access
- Mifflin
Mifflin 19.6%
19.6 % low-access
- Lebanon
Lebanon 19.5%
19.5 % low-access
- Clearfield
Clearfield 19.3%
19.3 % low-access
- Wyoming 0.9
Wyoming 0.9%
0.9 % 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 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| 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% |
Thick SNAP store book 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 stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
One of 66 counties in Pennsylvania, 6 are shown here.
Compare Lancaster County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Nationwide peers for Lancaster County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Lancaster County (9.2%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Pennsylvania.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside PA (20.4% here).
- Abbeville County, SC · 20.4% low-access
- Abbeville County, SC · 20.4% low-access
- Alexander County, NC · 20.4% low-access
- Alexander County, NC · 20.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside PA (9.2% here).
- Woodward County, OK · 9.2% SNAP
- Woodward County, OK · 9.2% SNAP
- New Hanover County, NC · 9.2% SNAP
- New Hanover County, NC · 9.2% 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, Pennsylvania in context
Lancaster County sits inside Pennsylvania (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 Lancaster County, PA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 42071. 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.