Signature · 74 SNAP-authorized stores
Lee County, NC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lee 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).
- 23.0%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 15.2%
- on SNAP
- 66K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Lee County, NC
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 23.0% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH +0.9 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.9% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 15% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Granville County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Lee County ranks #1,448 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #34 of 100 counties in NC (23.0% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,448
- national by low-access %
- #34
- in NC
- 5
- low-access tracts
- 5K
- 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: 74 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Lee County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lee County's 23.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 54% of them and ranked #1,451 most-affected nationwide.
Lee County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
13 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Lee County has 7 urban and 6 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.
Lee County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in North Carolina, not a full county-board reprint
- Hyde
Hyde 60.5%
60.5 % low-access
- Randolph 23.3
Randolph 23.3%
23.3 % low-access
- Granville 23.1
Granville 23.1%
23.1 % low-access
- Wayne 23.1
Wayne 23.1%
23.1 % low-access
- Lee 23
Lee 23%
23 % low-access
- Richmond 22.7
Richmond 22.7%
22.7 % low-access
- Greene 0.1
Greene 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 13 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 57,866 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 5 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 13,306 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.0%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 4,713 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 65,816 |
| Median Household Income | $65,387 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 3,822 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.2%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.9%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.4% |
Thick SNAP store book in Lee County
Lee County has 74 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 31
- circle k 2704599, sanford
- circle k 2720144, broadway
- circle k 2720218, sanford
- circle k 2720219, sanford
- circle k 2720331, sanford
- circle k 2720355, sanford
- circle k 2720405, sanford
- circle k 2720438, sanford
- circle k 2723300, broadway
- circle k 2723777, sanford
- circle k 2723778, sanford
- circle k 2723844, sanford
- fastee mart, sanford
- flowers bakery outlet 491, sanford
- la centroamericana bakery & groceries llc 1, sanford
- murphy express 8560, sanford
- pmg ss 48, sanford
- qy triangle inc, sanford
- refuel 1183, lemon springs
- s & m convennient, sanford
- sobe mart, sanford
- stop n shop, sanford
- sanford grocery & produce, sanford
- save more - 1, sanford
- sheetz 798, sanford
- sheetz 863, sanford
- short stop 57 57, sanford
- short stop 6 06, sanford
- third street store 1, sanford
- value mart, sanford
- winkmart, sanford
Combination Grocery/Other · 26
- big lots 3212, sanford
- cvs pharmacy 5384, sanford
- cvs pharmacy 7329, sanford
- dollar general 0559, sanford
- dollar general 13820, sanford
- dollar general 9444, sanford
- dollar tree 1874, sanford
- dollartree 9613, broadway
- dollar general 20585, sanford
- dollar general 22366, sanford
- dollar general 23856, sanford
- dollar general 24736, sanford
- dollar general 30099, sanford
- dollar general 31139, sanford
- dollar general 9478, broadway
- dollar tree 4301, sanford
- family dollar 3589, sanford
- family dollar 4274, sanford
- family dollar 7, sanford
- roses 522, sanford
- seaview crab company- tramway, sanford
- stretch a buck 1, sanford
- thomas and sons butcher shop, sanford
- walgreens 07479, sanford
- walgreens 12078, sanford
- walgreens 16149, sanford
Supermarket · 11
- aldi 66060, sanford
- food lion 1349, sanford
- food lion 2536, sanford
- food lion 78, sanford
- food lion 999, sanford
- food lion 2188, sanford
- la cumplidora, sanford
- lowes food store 157, sanford
- piggly wiggly 4, sanford
- piggly wiggly 5, broadway
- save a lot 21770, sanford
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- rivera's market llc, sanford
- tortilleria rositas inc., sanford
Super Store · 2
- lidl 1058, sanford
- walmart supercenter 1774, sanford
Bakery Specialty · 1
- merlinas bakery & coffee llc, sanford
Small Grocery Store · 1
- b&b market, sanford
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in North Carolina
One of 99 counties in North Carolina, 6 are shown here.
Compare Lee County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Nationwide peers for Lee County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Lee County, both outside North Carolina so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NC (23.0% here).
- Deschutes County, OR · 23.0% low-access
- Deschutes County, OR · 23.0% low-access
- Walthall County, MS · 23.0% low-access
- Walthall County, MS · 23.0% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NC (15.2% here).
- Belmont County, OH · 15.2% SNAP
- Belmont County, OH · 15.2% SNAP
- Columbiana County, OH · 15.2% SNAP
- Columbiana County, OH · 15.2% 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, North Carolina in context
Lee County sits inside North Carolina (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 Lee County, NC are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 37105. 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.