County food-access profile · New York
Lewis County, NY
Lewis 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.
- 13.6%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 12.5%
- on SNAP
- 27K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
13.6% of Lewis County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
- 5.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.3%
- 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).
Lewis County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 13.6% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 7 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,676 residents who live far from a supermarket. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,216 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 Lewis County compares nationally
Lewis County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 13.6% low-access share that beats 29% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,234).
Lewis County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 7 census tracts in Lewis County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lewis County vs. other New York counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New York
- Lewis
Lewis County, NY
13.6 % low-access
- Albany
Albany County, NY
31.4 % low-access
- Allegany 3.9
Allegany County, NY
3.9 % low-access
- Bronx 0.6
Bronx County, NY
0.6 % low-access
- Broome
Broome County, NY
16.4 % low-access
- Cattaraugus 7.9
Cattaraugus County, NY
7.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 7 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 27,087 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,676 |
| Low-Access Share | 13.6%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,216 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 26,607 |
| Median Household Income | $68,182 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.3%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,394 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.5%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.4%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.4% |
About 12.5% of Lewis County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 13.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,394 households here.
- 5.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 4 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 Lewis County
near the national share
4 of Lewis County's 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 57.1% of all its tracts.
An estimated 3,676 residents, roughly 13.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,216 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 3 tracts (42.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lewis County
Lewis County has 32 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 16 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 16
- 7-eleven 40493, lowville
- cliff's local market 516, port leyden
- fastrac eg llc 500274, lowville
- indian river general store, croghan
- lowville food mart inc, lowville
- lowville producers dairy cooperative inc, lowville
- nice n easy constableville, constableville
- slider's food mart inc. croghan, croghan
- slider's food mart inc. h-ville, harrisville
- slider's food mart inc. lowville, lowville
- stewart's shops 581, croghan
- stewart's shops 583, lowville
- stewarts shop 339, harrisville
- stewarts shop 372, lyons falls
- stewarts shop 439, copenhagen
- stewarts shop 443, lowville
Combination Grocery/Other · 10
- dollar general 11150, lowville
- dollar general 11550, lyons falls
- dollar general 17843, croghan
- dollar general 19679, harrisville
- dollar general 21446, copenhagen
- dollar general 30025, glenfield
- dollar general 30085, port leyden
- dollar tree 6808, lowville
- hartleys meat market, port leyden
- kinney drugs 20, lowville
Supermarket · 2
- miller's meat market, lowville
- tops markets 574, lowville
Farmers' Market · 1
- lyons falls alive farmers market nafmnp, lyons falls
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- croghan meat market, croghan
Small Grocery Store · 1
- the depot, lyons falls
Super Store · 1
- walmart supercenter 5498, lowville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New York
Compare Lewis County vs Albany County → · All New York counties →
Food access nationally, New York in context
Lewis County sits inside New York (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 Lewis County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lewis County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lewis County? ▼
Is Lewis County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lewis 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.