County food-access profile · Pennsylvania
Lehigh County, PA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lehigh 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).
- 25.5%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 15.4%
- on SNAP
- 379K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
25.5% of Lehigh County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 76 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 27
- low-access tracts
- 15K
- food-desert residents
- 8.3%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.6%
- 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).
USDA data puts Lehigh County's low-access share at 25.5%, above the national share. 27 of the county's 76 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 89,070 people. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 14,630 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 Lehigh County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lehigh County's 25.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 60% of them and ranked #1,256 most-affected nationwide.
Lehigh County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 76 census tracts in Lehigh County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lehigh County vs. other Pennsylvania counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Pennsylvania
- Lehigh
Lehigh County, PA
25.5 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, PA
15.9 % low-access
- Allegheny
Allegheny County, PA
26.4 % low-access
- Armstrong 5.2
Armstrong County, PA
5.2 % low-access
- Beaver
Beaver County, PA
32.5 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, PA
22.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 76 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 349,497 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 27 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 89,070 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.5%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 14,630 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 378,792 |
| Median Household Income | $80,079 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.6%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 22,198 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.4%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.3%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
About 15.4% of Lehigh County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 25.5% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 15.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 22,198 households here.
- 8.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 3 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 Lehigh County
above the national share
3 of Lehigh County's 76 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 3.9% of all its tracts.
A further 24 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 27.
An estimated 89,070 residents, roughly 25.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 14,630 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 49 tracts (64.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lehigh County
Lehigh County has 288 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 140 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 140
- 1 stop food mart, allentown
- 15th street a plus, allentown
- 7 eleven store 1405 23322c, allentown
- 7 eleven store 20506d, allentown
- 7-eleven 40280, allentown
- 7-eleven store #1405-23337d, allentown
- 7-eleven store 40173a, breinigsville
- 7-eleven store #17073b, whitehall
- 7-eleven store #40175a 40175a, allentown
- 7-eleven store 32793d, allentown
- 7-eleven store 40230a, allentown
- 7th street market, allentown
- a & t mart inc, allentown
- a 1 convenience, allentown
- a 1 deli market no, allentown
- a 1 food market, allentown
- a 1 gas mini mart, allentown
- a 1 grocery market, allentown
- a 1 mini market, allentown
- a 1 pizza mart, allentown
- a 1 quick shop, allentown
- a 1 stop shop, allentown
- alburtis exxon, alburtis
- allen st mini mart, allentown
- allentown cheesesteak and grocery, allentown
- allentown fuels 69889, allentown
- allentown mini mart, allentown
- amin mini market inc, allentown
- amin quick stop no, allentown
- ary's food mart 1, allentown
- atown market, allentown
- atown mini mart, allentown
- baez mini mart llc, allentown
- catty mart, catasauqua
- cattys mart, fountain hill
- central city market, allentown
- coplay convenience store, coplay
- coplay news agency, coplay
- delimart, allentown
- demely deli & grocery llc, allentown
- diaysa inc, allentown
- discount plus llc, allentown
- dons food market, emmaus
- east side deli market no, allentown
- ej deli & grocery llc, allentown
- emmaus ave market, allentown
- emmaus stop & go, emmaus
- ez shoppe, allentown
- f & w mini market, allentown
- fairgrounds grocery, allentown
- friendly food mart, slatington
- friendly food mart v, whitehall
- gns, inc, orefield
- grocers mini market, allentown
- h & t mart llc, allentown
- hamilton mall family center, allentown
- jay shree ambe llc, allentown
- jayden grocery and deli, allentown
- joe's kwik mart 1033, emmaus
- joe's kwik marts 1006, allentown
- joe's kwik marts 1047, whitehall
- jordan sunoco mini mart, whitehall
- kims mart, allentown
- laxmi narayan dev inc, whitehall
- lehigh mart llc, macungie
- lucky convenience and smoke, allentown
- magic mist smoke llc, allentown
- marathon, allentown
- new m&b food mart, catasauqua
- new tripoli plaza, new tripoli
- one stop shoppe, whitehall
- pace mart, allentown
- pantry 1 food mart., catasauqua
- peoples corner, allentown
- peoples corner, allentown
- quick stop 2 1, allentown
- quick stop convenience store 3, allentown
- quick stop mini mart, allentown
- quick stop mini mart 1, allentown
- r & r deli & grocery, allentown
- redner's quick shoppe 315, allentown
- ridge ave mini mart no, allentown
- rs gas and food mart, inc, allentown
- sheetz 330, whitehall
- sheetz 384, bethlehem
- sheetz 698, kutztown
- sheetz 746, allentown
- sheetz 773, allentown
- shell station 1, whitehall
- shree ram food mart llc, allentown
- shreeji mini mart llc, allentown
- sims quality market, allentown
- smp mini mart 1, whitehall
- speedway 6710, allentown
- speedway 6741, allentown
- speedway 6744, whitehall
- speedway 6747, allentown
- speedway 6750, orefield
- speedway 6782, allentown
- stop and shop food market 6104344855, allentown
- sunoco gas station, allentown
- sunrise mart, allentown
- suns deli & grocery, allentown
- the corner mart, allentown
- top star express 103, breinigsville
- top star express 105, laurys station
- top star express 109, allentown
- top star express 110, whitehall
- top star express 127, coopersburg
- top star express 128, allentown
- top star express 136, allentown
- turkey hill minit market 950317, allentown
- turkey hill minit markets 950096, allentown
- turkey hill minit markets 950104, slatington
- turkey hill minit markets 950254, allentown
- turkey hill minit markets 950262, coopersburg
- us gas rt100, allentown
- uni-mart 1005, whitehall
- uni-mart 1014, whitehall
- uni-mart 342, allentown
- union beverages, allentown
- union convenience, allentown
- virat inc, allentown
- wawa 120, allentown
- wawa 266, allentown
- wawa 287, wescosville
- wawa 299, allentown
- wawa 8001, bethlehem
- wawa 8014, whitehall
- wawa 87, fountain hill
- wawa 98, macungie
- water front market, allentown
- wawa 8078, south whitehall
- wawa 8153, emmaus,
- wawa food market 137, allentown
- wawa store 8126, coopersburg
- wawa store 8150, allentown
- werleys market, orefield
- whitehall mini mart, whitehall
- wild cherry supermarket, whitehall
Combination Grocery/Other · 55
- a1 bazaar llc, whitehall
- aashirwad supermarket, whitehall
- aryan halal meat & grocery store, allentown
- cvs pharmacy 02296, macungie
- cvs pharmacy 1036, bethlehem
- cvs pharmacy 1093, coopersburg
- cvs pharmacy 1178, emmaus
- cvs pharmacy 1304, allentown
- cvs pharmacy 2267, allentown
- cvs pharmacy 2507, schnecksville
- cvs pharmacy 461, allentown
- cvs pharmacy inc 974, allentown
- cvs pharmacy 11084, whitehall
- cvs pharmacy 4234, allentown
- cvs pharmacy 858, allentown
- dollar general 13905, allentown
- dollar general 14743, allentown
- dollar general 18919, fountain hill
- dollar general 7666, schnecksville
- dollartree 10628, allentown
- dollartree 11037, whitehall
- dollartree 8836, schnecksville
- dollar general 15875, allentown
- dollar general 17738, slatington
- dollar general 19266, allentown
- dollar general 19466, allentown
- dollar general 20826, macungie
- dollar general 20926, whitehall
- dollar general 3607, allentown
- dollar tree 1552, allentown
- dollar tree 1634, whitehall
- dollar tree 1658, allentown
- dollar tree 2063, bethlehem
- dollar tree 2186, trexlertown
- dollar tree 4535, allentown
- dollar tree 5914, allentown
- dollar tree 7710, allentown
- family dollar 11817, allentown
- family dollar 12035, allentown
- family dollar 3847, allentown
- family dollar 9353, bethlehem
- family dollar store 2455, allentown
- family dollar store 3155, allentown
- family dollar store 8086, allentown
- geo halal meat inc/geo halal meat inc, whitehall
- lazarus farm market, whitehall
- la esquina de maria inc 1, allentown
- ocean state job lot 614, trexlertown
- soumaya and sons bakery & deli, whitehall
- stravinos italian market, whitehall
- walgreens 03255, allentown
- walgreens 05715, allentown
- walgreens 09801, allentown
- walgreens 3241, allentown
- zzajil llc, allentown
Small Grocery Store · 23
- 8th st food market, allentown
- a 1 discount city no, allentown
- a 1 linden mini market & deli no, allentown
- a 1 mini mart, allentown
- a to z grocery & deli, allentown
- aci halal meat & turkish resta, allentown
- bravo super meat, allentown
- chew street market llc 1, allentown
- deyanira food market 2 inc, allentown
- el mercadito mex, allentown
- evangelista grocery store, allentown
- family grocery mini market n/a, allentown
- fourseas grocery market, whitehall
- g and g food market, allentown
- g2 convenience, allentown
- jafari african & american food store 1, allentown
- kornfeind's market, coplay
- linden street deli & grocery llc, allentown
- m g grocery store no, allentown
- new m & a mini market llc, allentown
- parkway mart, allentown
- shiv mini mart llc, allentown
- traylor grocery market inc, allentown
Medium Grocery Store · 13
- 13th street mini market & deli no, allentown
- a1 grocery store, allentown
- asta african market, allentown
- b & m provision co inc, allentown
- bibi grocery, breinigsville
- bravo meat market n/a, allentown
- crystal spring farm, schnecksville
- d n d market & deli, catasauqua
- evergreen oriental market inc., allentown
- la antillana meat place inc 1, allentown
- la placita supermarket inc, allentown
- saab farmers market, allentown
- sims quality market, bethlehem
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 5
- baringer bros. meats 2, allentown
- clover farm, allentown
- mr. bills poultry, allentown
- s. clyde weaver, inc., allentown
- yaseen meat farm inc, macungie
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 4
- bedway fresh fruits, allentown
- newhard farms corn shed, coplay
- produce junction, whitehall
- red barn family produce llc. 26, allentown
Seafood Specialty · 4
- elias fish market, allentown
- heckenbergers seafood, allentown
- pan's seafood market inc., whitehall
- todds island seafood, allentown
Super Store · 4
- allentown grocery outlet, allentown
- allentown suppermarket llc, allentown
- allentown supremo llc, allentown
- b js wholesale club 21, allentown
Large Grocery Store · 2
- chang long grocery inc, whitehall
- huckster's, slatington
Showing 250 of 288 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Compare Lehigh County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Lehigh County sits inside Pennsylvania (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Lehigh County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lehigh County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lehigh County? ▼
Is Lehigh County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lehigh County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.