PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · North Carolina

Lincoln County, NC

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lincoln 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).

25.3%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
11.4%
on SNAP
93K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NC

The food-access picture

25.3% of Lincoln County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 18 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

8
low-access tracts
5K
food-desert residents
3.3%
households, no vehicle
11.2%
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 Lincoln County's low-access share at 25.3%, above the national share. 8 of the county's 18 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 19,779 people. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,385 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 Lincoln County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lincoln County's 25.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,273 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lincoln County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 18 census tracts in Lincoln County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Lincoln County, NC USDA-defined food-access tiers: 10 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 18 tracts evaluated. 10 tracts adequate (55.6%) 5 tracts limited (27.8%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (16.7%) Adequate 56% Limited 28% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Lincoln County, NC
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Lincoln County vs. other North Carolina counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in North Carolina

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

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Lincoln County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts18
Atlas Population (2010 basis)78,265
Low-Access Tracts8
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population19,779
Low-Access Share25.3%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,385

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lincoln County
IndicatorValue
Population92,716
Median Household Income$80,016
Poverty Rate11.2%below the national average
SNAP Households4,204
SNAP Participation Rate11.4%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.3%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.8%
SNAP participation in Lincoln County 11.4%

About 11.4% of Lincoln County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 25.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,204 households here.
  • 3.3% 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 Lincoln County

above the national share

3 of Lincoln County's 18 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 16.7% of all its tracts.

A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 8.

An estimated 19,779 residents, roughly 25.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 5,385 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 10 tracts (55.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Lincoln County

Lincoln County has 79 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 37 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 37

  • 7-eleven #38767a 38767a, denver
  • 7-eleven #38751b 38751b, denver
  • bob's superette, lincolnton
  • circle k 2723946, denver
  • circle k 2723956, lincolnton
  • country club market, lincolnton
  • country corner foodmart, lincolnton
  • crossroads mini mart #3, lincolnton
  • dd express, lincolnton
  • denver mart, denver
  • dhristi inc, lincolnton
  • east lincoln mini mart, iron station
  • fairgrove food shop, denver
  • handy corner ltd, lincolnton
  • hilltop superette, lincolnton
  • homerun market no.5 / jetway 5, lincolnton
  • jay corner store, denver
  • joe's kwik mart 6013, denver
  • kingsway 18, lincolnton
  • kountry korner, vale
  • lynns stop and shop, iron station
  • maiden express, lincolnton
  • main express, lincolnton
  • market basket 19, lincolnton
  • murphy express 8527, denver
  • murphy express 8703, lincolnton
  • om food mart, lincolnton
  • quiktrip 1017, denver
  • raceway6740 6740, lincolnton
  • save mart, lincolnton
  • shriji hari llc, lincolnton
  • the i market 748, lincolnton
  • the meating place, lincolnton
  • triple b one stop, cherryville
  • west express, vale
  • westside market and grill, lincolnton
  • will's food stores 4, lincolnton

Combination Grocery/Other · 25

  • big lots 3194, lincolnton
  • cvs pharmacy 3806, lincolnton
  • cvs pharmacy 4620, denver
  • cvs pharmacy 5588, denver
  • dollar general 11077, lincolnton
  • dollar general 11159, stanley
  • dollar general 13864, lincolnton
  • dollar general 18200, crouse
  • dollar general 18240, iron station
  • dollar general 18938, lincolnton
  • dollar general 19384, lincolnton
  • dollar general 3216, vale
  • dollar tree 2735, lincolnton
  • dollartree 8165, lincolnton
  • dollar general 12097, vale
  • dollar general 12584, denver
  • dollar general 20302, lincolnton
  • dollar general 23276, vale
  • dollar general 3179, lincolnton
  • dollar tree 6828, denver
  • family dollar 10815, iron station
  • family dollar 13448, vale
  • family dollar 75, lincolnton
  • walgreens 11765, lincolnton
  • walgreens 13036, denver

Supermarket · 9

  • aldi 66035, denver
  • aldi 66081, lincolnton
  • food lion 1250, denver
  • food lion 1342, lincolnton
  • food lion 1367, denver
  • food lion 726, denver
  • food lion 2856, lincolnton
  • ingles markets 148, lincolnton
  • publix 1603, denver

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • azteca supermarket llc, lincolnton
  • carniceria hermanos chavez, lincolnton
  • food country, vale

Super Store · 3

  • harris teeter 121, denver
  • walmart supercenter 1209, lincolnton
  • walmart supercenter 4274, denver

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • triangle food mart, denver

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • iron station country store, iron station

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in North Carolina

Alamance County
25.0% low-access · 13.6% SNAP
Alexander County
20.4% low-access · 13.5% SNAP
Alleghany County
4.3% low-access · 14.0% SNAP
Anson County
8.4% low-access · 33.8% SNAP
Ashe County
22.2% low-access · 14.0% SNAP
Avery County
0.3% low-access · 13.9% SNAP

Compare Lincoln County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →

Food access nationally, North Carolina in context

Lincoln County sits inside North Carolina (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Lincoln County has low food access? ▼
25.3% of residents in Lincoln County, NC live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lincoln County? ▼
11.4% of households in Lincoln County receive SNAP, covering 4,204 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Lincoln County? ▼
The poverty rate in Lincoln County, NC is 11.2%, with a median household income of $80,016 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Lincoln County a food desert? ▼
3 of Lincoln County's 18 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Lincoln County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.3% of households in Lincoln County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.