PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Pennsylvania

Lebanon County, PA

Lebanon 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.

19.5%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
12.2%
on SNAP
144K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 PA

The food-access picture

19.5% of Lebanon County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 31 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

11
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
6.5%
households, no vehicle
10.1%
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).

Lebanon County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.5% per the USDA Atlas. 11 of the county's 31 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 26,079 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,976 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 Lebanon County compares nationally

Lebanon County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.5% low-access share that beats 45% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,727).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lebanon County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 31 census tracts in Lebanon 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 Lebanon County, PA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 20 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 9 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 31 tracts evaluated. 20 tracts adequate (64.5%) 9 tracts limited (29.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (6.5%) Adequate 65% Limited 29% Severe 6% Food-access tier distribution: Lebanon County, PA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Lebanon County vs. other Pennsylvania counties

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

% 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 Lebanon County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts31
Atlas Population (2010 basis)133,568
Low-Access Tracts11
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population26,079
Low-Access Share19.5%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,976

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lebanon County
IndicatorValue
Population144,186
Median Household Income$78,425
Poverty Rate10.1%below the national average
SNAP Households6,934
SNAP Participation Rate12.2%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.7%
SNAP participation in Lebanon County 12.2%

About 12.2% of Lebanon County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 19.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 6,934 households here.
  • 6.5% 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 Lebanon County

near the national share

2 of Lebanon County's 31 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 6.5% of all its tracts.

A further 9 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 11.

An estimated 26,079 residents, roughly 19.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 5,976 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 20 tracts (64.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Lebanon County

Lebanon County has 102 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 50 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 50

  • 4 way corner, lebanon
  • 7-eleven 40284, lawn
  • a plus quick mart, lebanon
  • aplus 40188h, hershey
  • aplus 40211, annville
  • hutters, jonestown
  • joe's kwik mart 1031, annville
  • john's mini mart, inc., lebanon
  • lebanon exxon, lebanon
  • lebanon foodmart corporation, lebanon
  • love's travel stop 366, jonestown
  • mini mart, lebanon
  • one stop corner llc, lebanon
  • one stop corner llc, lebanon
  • penn jersey food mart, lebanon
  • penn corner, lebanon
  • penn mart 8, lebanon
  • queen's natural market, lebanon
  • quick stop food mart, lebanon
  • redners quick shoppe 368, fredericksburg
  • roquez convenience and grocery, lebanon
  • rutter's 41, lebanon
  • rutters 68, annville
  • s&h food and fuel mart, inc. 1, lebanon
  • sheetz 211, palmyra
  • sheetz 370, lebanon
  • sheetz 811, lebanon
  • speedway 6732, lebanon
  • speedway 6757, jonestown
  • speedway 6766, palmyra
  • speedway 6767, manheim
  • speedway 6768, lebanon
  • speedway 6769, schaefferstown
  • speedway 6770, richland
  • srijis corner store, lebanon
  • sunoco a plus, lebanon
  • top star express 125, myerstown
  • turkey hill minit market 950122, campbelltown
  • turkey hill minit market 950197, palmyra
  • turkey hill minit markets 950042, lebanon
  • turkey hill minit markets 950045, annville
  • turkey hill minit markets 950047, lebanon
  • turkey hill minit markets 950064, lebanon
  • turkey hill minit markets 950070, lebanon
  • turkey hill minit markets 950077, cleona
  • turkey hill minit markets 950081, myerstown
  • turkey hill minit markets 950106, jonestown
  • turkey hill minit markets 950188, lebanon
  • usa fuel-food, lebanon
  • wos1041 llc, lebanon

Combination Grocery/Other · 19

  • asian oriental nepali and indian grocery llc 1, annville
  • cvs 1914, lebanon
  • cvs pharmacy 1920, lebanon
  • cvs pharmacy 10288, palmyra
  • cvs pharmacy 1631, lebanon
  • dollar general 0809, palmyra
  • dollar general 18520, newmanstown
  • dollar general 19501, lebanon
  • dollar general 2023, lebanon
  • dollar tree 3071, lebanon
  • dollar general 12588, myerstown
  • dollar general 13229, jonestown
  • dollar general 16094, lebanon
  • dollar general 20707, lebanon
  • dollar tree 4232, palmyra
  • dollar tree 458, lebanon
  • family dollar 11771, lebanon
  • family dollar store 4041, lebanon
  • xpress shop, palmyra

Supermarket · 13

  • aldi 25, lebanon
  • bb's grocery outlet 2, myerstown
  • giant food store 6098, cleona
  • giant food store 6266, lebanon
  • giant food store 6565, lebanon
  • grocery outlet 721, palmyra
  • grocery outlet of lebanon 739, lebanon
  • redners warehouse market 60, palmyra
  • redners warehouse market 86, fredericksburg
  • weis markets 148, lebanon
  • weis markets 29, lebanon
  • weis markets 94, palmyra
  • zweiers, lebanon

Super Store · 9

  • 640 lebanon food corp/ideal food basket, lebanon
  • b.g.'s food market, jonestown
  • brothers food max lebanon llc 2, lebanon
  • dutch way farm market, myerstown
  • dutch way farm markets, schaefferstown
  • hornings of myerstown, myerstown
  • target store t2886, lebanon
  • walmart supercenter 2023, lebanon
  • walmart supercenter 2888, palmyra

Medium Grocery Store · 4

  • daves country store 7178204152, lebanon
  • dominican grocery store llc, lebanon
  • h & k nepali indian grocery llc, palmyra
  • sunset outlet inc., lebanon

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3

  • m&n deli meat market inc, lebanon
  • s. clyde weaver, inc., lebanon
  • seven star meats, lebanon

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • laudermilch meats inc, annville
  • latin american supermarket, lebanon

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • alnoor food market inc, lebanon
  • eagle mart, lebanon

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Pennsylvania

Adams County
15.9% low-access · 8.2% SNAP
Allegheny County
26.4% low-access · 13.0% SNAP
Armstrong County
5.2% low-access · 15.6% SNAP
Beaver County
32.5% low-access · 13.8% SNAP
Bedford County
22.7% low-access · 15.8% SNAP
Berks County
17.5% low-access · 13.9% SNAP

Compare Lebanon County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →

Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context

Lebanon County sits inside Pennsylvania (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 Lebanon County has low food access? ▼
19.5% of residents in Lebanon County, PA 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 Lebanon County? ▼
12.2% of households in Lebanon County receive SNAP, covering 6,934 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Lebanon County? ▼
The poverty rate in Lebanon County, PA is 10.1%, with a median household income of $78,425 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Lebanon County a food desert? ▼
2 of Lebanon County's 31 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 Lebanon County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.5% of households in Lebanon 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.