Signature · 27.4% SNAP (98th pct in SC)

Lee County, SC

Lee County stands out on SNAP (27.4%, +15.3 pts vs U.S.) with 5.0% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.

5.0%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
27.4%
on SNAP
16K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 SC

USDA FARA access plate

County Lee County, SC

LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-ADEQUATE 5.0% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -17.1 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-HEAVY 27.4% SNAP
  • VEH-GAP 10.4% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 17% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Dillon County ( -0.5 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Lee County lands in the lower national band (5.0%, #2,813 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,813
national by low-access %
#40
in SC
1
low-access tracts
544
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 27.4% SNAP (98th pct in SC) (+15.3 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .

How Lee County compares nationally

Food access in Lee County compares favorably nationally: its 5.0% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 10% of them (rank #2,815).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lee County's lower-band USDA tier split

6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Lee County, SC USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (83.3%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (16.7%) Adequate 83% Limited 0% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Lee County, SC
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Lee County has 0 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 vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in South Carolina, not a full county-board reprint

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

FARA 2019 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Lee County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)19,220
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population956
Low-Access Share5.0%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population544

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lee County
IndicatorValue
Population16,166
Median Household Income$44,760
Poverty Rate25.0%well above the national average
SNAP Households1,741
SNAP Participation Rate27.4%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle10.4%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population7.6%

Thick SNAP store book in Lee County

Lee County has 26 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 16 locations (62% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 16

  • 7-eleven, inc. 42371h, bishopville
  • a&t quik stop 001, bishopville
  • city mart, bishopville
  • elliott community store, bishopville
  • fountains corner store, bishopville
  • l & w mart, camden
  • lucknow mini mart 001, bishopville
  • lynchburg grocery, lynchburg
  • one stop shop, bishopville
  • pilot travel center 4581, bishopville
  • quick stop country 1, sumter
  • refuel 1046, bishopville
  • sambos grocery, bishopville
  • shell, bishopville
  • three leopards (quik mart), bishopville
  • young's 3615, bishopville

Combination Grocery/Other · 7

  • cvs pharmacy 7598, bishopville
  • dollar general 19347, lynchburg
  • dollar general 4450, bishopville
  • dollar general 20314, bishopville
  • dollar tree 9228, bishopville
  • family dollar 12476, camden
  • family dollar 617, bishopville

Supermarket · 2

  • food lion 398, bishopville
  • piggly wiggly 068, bishopville

Food Buying Co-op · 1

  • mt. calvary missionary baptist church, bishopville

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in South Carolina

One of 45 counties in South Carolina, 6 are shown here.

Compare Lee County vs Abbeville County → · All South Carolina counties →

Counties near Lee County's lower low-access or SNAP band

SNAP-led peer set first for Lee County (27.4%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside South Carolina.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside SC (5.0% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside SC (27.4% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Lee County inside a lower low-access state context

Lee County sits inside South 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, SC are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 45061. 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.