PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Tennessee

Lawrence County, TN

Most of Lawrence County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

3.5%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
14.1%
on SNAP
45K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 TN

The food-access picture

3.5% of Lawrence County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

1
low-access tracts
657
food-desert residents
7.6%
households, no vehicle
15.0%
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).

By the USDA's measure, Lawrence County fares better than most: just 3.5% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 1 of the county's 11 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 1,453 people who live far from a supermarket, and 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 657 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 Lawrence County compares nationally

Food access in Lawrence County compares favorably nationally: its 3.5% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 8% of them (rank #2,887).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lawrence County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in Lawrence County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Lawrence County, TN USDA-defined food-access tiers: 10 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 10 tracts adequate (90.9%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (9.1%) Adequate 91% Limited 0% Severe 9% Food-access tier distribution: Lawrence County, TN
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Lawrence County vs. other Tennessee counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Tennessee

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Lawrence County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)41,869
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population1,453
Low-Access Share3.5%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population657

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lawrence County
IndicatorValue
Population45,385
Median Household Income$54,706
Poverty Rate15.0%near the national average
SNAP Households2,390
SNAP Participation Rate14.1%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.6%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.1%
SNAP participation in Lawrence County 14.1%

About 14.1% of Lawrence County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 3.5% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 14.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,390 households here.
  • 7.6% 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 Lawrence County

below the national share

1 of Lawrence County's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 9.1% of all its tracts.

An estimated 1,453 residents, roughly 3.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 657 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 10 tracts (90.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Lawrence County

Lawrence County has 58 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 29 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 29

  • a one stop neighborhood store, lawrenceburg
  • big chief quik stop, lawrenceburg
  • braziers one stop 1, lawrenceburg
  • buffalo road market & deli 0, lawrenceburg
  • express food mart, lawrenceburg
  • fall river market, lawrenceburg
  • handy andy market, lawrenceburg
  • kay's country corner, lawrenceburg
  • kountry kupboard deli and market, leoma
  • loretto one stop, loretto
  • mapco express, inc. 5250, loretto
  • maeda tienda latina, lawrenceburg
  • marshall's grocery, ethridge
  • murphy usa 7583, lawrenceburg
  • new prospect market, lawrenceburg
  • one stop market 0, ethridge
  • quik mart 30, lawrenceburg
  • quickstop amoco, lawrenceburg
  • quik mart 15, loretto
  • quik mart 17, ethridge
  • quik mart 20, lawrenceburg
  • quik mart 5, leoma
  • quik mart 6, lawrenceburg
  • quik stop 2, lawrenceburg
  • self's family market, lawrenceburg
  • speedway 7103, lawrenceburg
  • tazmart, lawrenceburg
  • v mart, lawrenceburg
  • westpoint market, westpoint

Combination Grocery/Other · 18

  • cvs pharmacy 6395, lawrenceburg
  • dollar general 14125, ethridge
  • dollar general 3089, lawrenceburg
  • dollar general 8355, mount pleasant
  • dollar general 104, lawrenceburg
  • dollar general 11390, saint joseph
  • dollar general 11617, leoma
  • dollar general 11812, lawrenceburg
  • dollar general 13024, lawrenceburg
  • dollar general 15149, lawrenceburg
  • dollar general 15587, loretto
  • dollar general 19935, lawrenceburg
  • dollar general 24674, lawrenceburg
  • dollar general 24782, loretto
  • dollar general 24923, summertown
  • dollar general 25543, five points
  • dollar tree 4604, lawrenceburg
  • walgreens 9444, lawrenceburg

Supermarket · 3

  • houchens save-a-lot 187, lawrenceburg
  • lawrenceburg cash saver, lawrenceburg
  • loretto cash saver, loretto

Super Store · 2

  • kroger 868, lawrenceburg
  • walmart supercenter 0683, lawrenceburg

Farmers' Market · 1

  • lawrenceburg farmers market, lawrenceburg

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • dunkin's market, llc, lawrenceburg

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • tietgens super rama #7, mount pleasant

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • pete's country meats, loretto

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • shaffer farms custom meats, summertown

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • natchez trading company, lawrenceburg

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Tennessee

Anderson County
10.9% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Bedford County
23.0% low-access · 10.2% SNAP
Benton County
12.6% low-access · 15.8% SNAP
Bledsoe County
4.7% low-access · 18.1% SNAP
Blount County
30.1% low-access · 5.9% SNAP
Bradley County
32.9% low-access · 11.7% SNAP

Compare Lawrence County vs Anderson County → · All Tennessee counties →

Food access nationally, Tennessee in context

Lawrence County sits inside Tennessee (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Lawrence County has low food access? ▼
3.5% of residents in Lawrence County, TN live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lawrence County? ▼
14.1% of households in Lawrence County receive SNAP, covering 2,390 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Lawrence County? ▼
The poverty rate in Lawrence County, TN is 15.0%, with a median household income of $54,706 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Lawrence County a food desert? ▼
1 of Lawrence County's 11 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Lawrence County households lack a vehicle? ▼
7.6% of households in Lawrence County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.