County food-access profile · South Carolina
Lexington County, SC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lexington 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).
- 32.8%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 9.7%
- on SNAP
- 305K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
32.8% of Lexington County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 73 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 34
- low-access tracts
- 23K
- food-desert residents
- 4.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.1%
- 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).
USDA data puts Lexington County's low-access share at 32.8%, above the national share. 34 of the county's 73 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 86,100 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 22,720 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 Lexington County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lexington County's 32.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 76% of them and ranked #759 most-affected nationwide.
Lexington County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 73 census tracts in Lexington County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lexington County vs. other South Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in South Carolina
- Lexington
Lexington County, SC
32.8 % low-access
- Abbeville
Abbeville County, SC
20.4 % low-access
- Aiken
Aiken County, SC
29.1 % low-access
- Allendale 2.3
Allendale County, SC
2.3 % low-access
- Anderson
Anderson County, SC
36.1 % low-access
- Bamberg
Bamberg County, SC
27.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 73 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 262,391 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 34 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 86,100 |
| Low-Access Share | 32.8%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 22,720 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 304,887 |
| Median Household Income | $77,408 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.1%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 11,870 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.7%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.5%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.9% |
About 9.7% of Lexington County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 32.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 11,870 households here.
- 4.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 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 Lexington County
above the national share
6 of Lexington County's 73 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 8.2% of all its tracts.
A further 28 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 34.
An estimated 86,100 residents, roughly 32.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 22,720 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 39 tracts (53.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lexington County
Lexington County has 315 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 151 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 151
- 7-eleven 39128, lexington
- 7-eleven 39919, lexington
- 7-eleven 39926, west columbia
- 7-eleven 39933, gaston
- 7-eleven 39937, lexington
- 7-eleven 39948, lexington
- 7-eleven #41585a 41585a, lexington
- a mart 1, west columbia
- a&h corporation llc, west columbia
- beer tobacco & vape outlet 1, gilbert
- best stop, columbia
- best stop, west columbia
- bi rite 1, gaston
- buzz thru, lexington
- c-mart, lexington
- corner mart, gaston
- circle k 2702048, columbia
- circle k 2705131, lexington
- circle k 2706774, lexington
- circle k 2706779, columbia
- circle k 2707336, lexington
- circle k 2723254, lexington
- circle k 2723272, west columbia
- circle k 2723273, lexington
- circle k 2723274, lexington
- circle k 272476, chapin
- circle k 272842, lexington
- circle k 3099, batesburg
- circle k 3111, lexington
- circle k 3112, lexington
- circle k 5133, west columbia
- circle k 5136, irmo
- circle k 5140, columbia
- circle k 5142, west columbia
- circle k 5369, w columbia
- circle k 6773, lexington
- circle k 8093, west columbia
- circle k stores inc. 2707290, lexington
- city fuel and food, columbia
- city gas & fuel, lexington
- corner pantry 112, west columbia
- corner pantry 130, lexington
- corner pantry 155, pelion
- corner stop, cayce
- country gas mart, gaston
- cruise in express, west columbia
- dab zooms, lexington
- deans food mart, batesburg
- energy market, lexington
- energy mart, lexington
- express lane 38, lexington
- express lotto #3, lexington
- express lotto 2, west columbia
- family mart, leesville
- flowers bakery outlet 645, west columbia
- food mart, columbia
- foodmart, west columbia
- good stop food mart, west columbia
- gs mart, west columbia
- gs mart, cayce
- gs mini mart, cayce
- gs mini mart, west columbia
- hillview truck stop, leesville
- hiral & ankit llc, swansea
- irmo mini mart 2, irmo
- jd food mart, west columbia
- jet fuels, west columbia
- k stop, west columbia
- kc express, columbia
- kangaroo express, west columbia
- king fuel 2, lexington
- kwik stop, columbia
- kwik way, lexington
- la guadalupana convenience store, gilbert
- love's travel stop 424, lexington
- murphy expres 8684, lexington
- murphy express 8524, lexington
- murphy express 8611, lexington
- murphy express 8643, springdale
- murphy express 8895, lexington
- murphy express 8903, lexington
- murphy express 8905, lexington
- murphy express 8912, west columbia
- murphy express 8982, west columbia
- murphy usa 5793, west columbia
- murphy usa 7460, columbia
- murphy usa 7900, columbia
- north lake convenience stop, lexington
- nouria 3860 highway 378 858, leesville
- nouria 501 west columbia avenue 896, batesburg
- nouria 6670 augusta highway 897, leesville
- one stop, lexington
- palm pantry, lexington
- palm pantry # 21, west columbia
- pantry point 3, west columbia
- pantry#2, gaston
- pantry#3, batesburg
- party town, west columbia
- patwary c store, lexington
- pilot travel center 338, cayce
- pitt stop 12, cayce
- pitt stop 15, lexington
- pitt stop 16, lexington
- pitt stop 17, gilbert
- pitt stop 31, lexington
- pitt stop 32, west columbia
- pitt stop 4, pelion
- pitt stop 41, lexington
- pitt stop 42, west columbia
- pitt stop 47, west columbia
- pitt stop 5, lexington
- pitt stop 53, lexington
- pitt stop 56, lexington
- pitt stop 6, lexington
- pop in, cayce
- pop in 2, west columbia
- pops 309, gaston
- pops 315, swansea
- pops 610, columbia
- pops 619, west columbia
- quick pantry 105, lexington
- quick pantry 33, west columbia
- quick serve 2, gilbert
- quick stop, batesburg
- quick stop, gilbert
- quick stop 2 2, cayce
- quick stop 5, batesburg
- quick trip, gaston
- quick trip 2, west columbia
- quiktrip 1176, west columbia
- quiktrip 1182, columbia
- quiktrip 1191, columbia
- quiktrip 1198, lexington
- racetrac 2651, west columbia
- raceway 6746, west columbia
- raceway 6747, west columbia
- rucker feed & seed country store, pelion
- scotchman 3878, swansea
- shivani express, lexington
- shreeji mart, west columbia
- simba mini mart, west columbia
- speed mart, west columbia
- speedway 2843, west columbia
- speedway 2851, lexington
- speedway 2864, west columbia
- spinx 266, columbia
- sprint 900748, batesburg
- st andrew c mart, columbia
- stop n go, west columbia
- swansea bait, tackle and rhr farmacy, swansea
- trijal llc, chapin
Combination Grocery/Other · 86
- 14 carrot whole foods, lexington
- big lots 3298, west columbia
- cvs pharmacy 2497, lexington
- cvs pharmacy 3578, batesburg
- cvs pharmacy 3876, cayce
- cvs pharmacy 5471, lexington
- cvs pharmacy 5549, irmo
- cvs pharmacy 7334, lexington
- cvs pharmacy 4156, columbia
- cvs pharmacy 4628, cayce
- cvs pharmacy 7338, west columbia
- cvs pharmacy 7556, west columbia
- dollar general 0862, west columbia
- dollar general 11087, columbia
- dollar general 11126, lexington
- dollar general 18808, west columbia
- dollar general 1900, gaston
- dollar general 19417, chapin
- dollar general 2671, cayce
- dollar general 3815, west columbia
- dollar general 4255, columbia
- dollar general 4620, lexington
- dollar general 4766, chapin
- dollar general 5733, west columbia
- dollar general 6076, pelion
- dollar general 6218, lexington
- dollar general 6282, south congaree
- dollar general 8304, batesburg
- dollar general 8969, west columbia
- dollar general 9462, west columbia
- dollar tree 0253, columbia
- dollar tree 0894, west columbia
- dollartree 9744, west columbia
- dollartree plus 9256, columbia
- dollar general 10294, lexington
- dollar general 13440, lexington
- dollar general 15004, gilbert
- dollar general 15828, lexington
- dollar general 15958, leesville
- dollar general 16237, lexington
- dollar general 17141, west columbia
- dollar general 17737, leesville
- dollar general 17906, lexington
- dollar general 20668, west columbia
- dollar general 22062, lexington
- dollar general 22618, lexington
- dollar general 23833, lexington
- dollar general 23859, columbia
- dollar general 24043, lexington
- dollar general 24240, lexington
- dollar general 24359, lexington
- dollar general 24745, pelion
- dollar general 25226, swansea
- dollar general 25900, leesville
- dollar general 9217, gilbert
- dollar tree 3646, leesville
- dollar tree 3695, lexington
- dollar tree 4297, cayce
- dollar tree 5905, gaston
- dollar tree 774, lexington
- dollar tree 8339, west columbia
- dollar tree 8490, gilbert
- dollar tree 9683, lexington
- dollartree 8752, west columbia
- family dollar store 6247, gaston
- four oaks farm inc, lexington
- family dollar 13208, leesville
- family dollar 13888, lexington
- family dollar 6489, west columbia
- family dollar 7508, pelion
- family dollar 7911, swansea
- family dollar 9110, cayce
- family dollar store 10918, columbia
- family dollar store 3818, west columbia
- maha bazar, columbia
- rose's express 1811, batesburg
- walgreen 07399, lexington
- walgreens 01073, west columbia
- walgreens 06137, west columbia
- walgreens 11362, lexington
- walgreens 11571, chapin
- walgreens 11851, columbia
- walgreens 12163, batesburg
- walgreens 12512, lexington
- walgreens 17044, columbia
- walgreens 19788, west columbia
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 5
- arellanos produce, west columbia
- cayce farmers market, cayce
- fruteria guanajuato llc, west columbia
- randall's produce, batesburg
- stills farm fresh produce, west columbia
Large Grocery Store · 3
- 88 oriental market, columbia
- bi-rite galaxy food, swansea
- plaza garibaldi grocery, west columbia
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- brice corbitt's country meat mkt, cayce
- columbia meats, west columbia
- ole timey meat market, columbia
Farmers' Market · 2
- dinovo fresh fruits & vegetables, west columbia
- wayne taylor family farms, leesville
Showing 250 of 315 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in South Carolina
Compare Lexington County vs Abbeville County → · All South Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, South Carolina in context
Lexington County sits inside South Carolina (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 Lexington County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lexington County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lexington County? ▼
Is Lexington County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lexington 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.