County food-access profile · Virginia
Loudoun County, VA
Loudoun 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.
- 16.6%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 3.2%
- on SNAP
- 433K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
16.6% of Loudoun County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 65 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 26
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- food-desert residents
- 2.9%
- households, no vehicle
- 4.2%
- 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).
Loudoun County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 16.6% per the USDA Atlas. 26 of the county's 65 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 51,728 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,104 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 Loudoun County compares nationally
Loudoun County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.6% low-access share that beats 37% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,983).
Loudoun County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 65 census tracts in Loudoun County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Loudoun County vs. other Virginia counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Virginia
- Loudoun
Loudoun County, VA
16.6 % low-access
- Accomack 2.2
Accomack County, VA
2.2 % low-access
- Albemarle
Albemarle County, VA
11.9 % low-access
- Alexandria city 0
Alexandria city, VA
0 % low-access
- Alleghany
Alleghany County, VA
16.4 % low-access
- Amelia
Amelia County, VA
16.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 65 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 312,311 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 26 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 51,728 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.6%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,104 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 432,998 |
| Median Household Income | $181,765 |
| Poverty Rate | 4.2%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 4,541 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 3.2%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.9%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.3% |
About 3.2% of Loudoun County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 16.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 3.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,541 households here.
- 2.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 1 tract 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 Loudoun County
near the national share
1 of Loudoun County's 65 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 1.5% of all its tracts.
A further 25 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 26.
An estimated 51,728 residents, roughly 16.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 3,104 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 39 tracts (60.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Loudoun County
Loudoun County has 152 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 55 locations (36% of the total), followed by super store.
Convenience Store · 55
- 7 eleven inc f 32176b, chantilly
- 7-eleven #24539c 24539c, purcellville
- 7-eleven #40103a 40103a, chantilly
- 7-eleven 34507b, leesburg
- 7-eleven 34694b, sterling
- 7-eleven 36798a, chantilly
- 7-eleven 39134a, chantilly
- 7-eleven 39644a, sterling
- 7-eleven 40047h, ashburn
- 7-eleven 40053, ashburn
- 7-eleven inc f 10638a, leesburg
- 7-eleven inc f 10656b, sterling
- 7-eleven inc f 10674a, purcellville
- 7-eleven inc f 15103a, leesburg
- 7-eleven inc f 16385a, sterling
- 7-eleven inc f 27740b, sterling
- 7-eleven inc f 30483a, sterling
- 7-eleven inc f 32284, sterling
- 7-eleven inc f 32701a, sterling
- 7-eleven inc f 33651b, stone ridge
- 7-eleven store 40109h, ashburn
- 7-eleven store 40290h, sterling
- 7-eleven #34371b 34371b, leesburg
- 7-eleven #40054a 40054a, ashburn
- 7-eleven 21325c 21325c, leesburg
- 7-eleven 28400b 28400b, lovettsville
- 7-eleven 28543b 28543b, sterling
- 7-eleven 33383b 33383b, ashburn
- 7-eleven 37041a, sterling
- 7-eleven 38941a 38941a, sterling
- 7-eleven 39977b 39977b, purcellville
- 7-eleven 40052a 40052a, ashburn
- 7eleven store 40424, leesburg
- a plus 40066h, sterling
- aplus 40048h, sterling
- aplus 40050h, ashburn
- carniceria y mercado latino eben-ezer, sterling
- dash in 1682, chantilly
- high up food mart, sterling
- holtzman express leesburg, leesburg
- india bazaar 1002, sterling
- livwell organic market n/a, leesburg
- royal farms 249, ashburn
- sheetz 267, leesburg
- sheetz 304, chantilly
- sheetz 622, sterling
- sheetz 649, sterling
- sheetz 666, sterling
- sheetz 687, leesburg
- sheetz 710, ashburn
- sheetz 711, sterling
- sheetz 802, chantilly
- wawa 8640, sterling
- wawa store 6613, chantilly
- wawa store 8662, sterling
Super Store · 36
- cocos food international market, sterling
- costco wholesale 0218, sterling
- costco wholesale 0337, leesburg
- costco wholesale 0337, leesburg
- giant food 237, south riding
- giant food 250, leesburg
- giant food 252, purcellville
- giant food 262, ashburn
- giant food 762, sterling
- giant food 794, sterling
- giant food 797, ashburn
- giant food 799, leesburg
- harris teeter 230, brambleton
- harris teeter 100, leesburg
- harris teeter 238, aldie
- harris teeter 242, ashburn
- harris teeter 284, ashburn
- harris teeter 309, chantilly
- harris teeter 310, ashburn
- harris teeter 326, sterling
- harris teeter 388, purcellville
- lidl 1215, broadlands
- lidl 1394, ashburn
- lidl 1478, sterling
- lotte plaza, ashburn
- lotte plaza market va 06, sterling
- patel brothers, ashburn
- sam's club 4729, sterling
- target store 1009, sterling
- target store 1874, leesburg
- target store t2938, sterling
- target stores 2272, dulles
- walmart 1904, leesburg
- walmart supercenter 2038, sterling
- walmart supercenter 3639, sterling
- whole foods market 10534, ashburn
Combination Grocery/Other · 27
- cvs 4038, leesburg
- cvs pharmacy 1415, leesburg
- cvs pharmacy 1424, sterling
- cvs pharmacy 2111, ashburn
- cvs pharmacy 10563, ashburn
- cvs pharmacy 10586, ashburn
- cvs pharmacy 1409, sterling
- cvs pharmacy 1993, chantilly
- dollartree plus 9203, sterling
- dollar tree 264, leesburg
- dollar tree 4417, sterling
- dollar tree 496, sterling
- dollar tree 5541, broadlands
- dollar tree 8333, purcellville
- family dollar store 3625, sterling
- lovettsville cooperative market, inc, lovettsville
- walgreens 09837, ashburn
- walgreens 09838, leesburg
- walgreens 09949, stone ridge
- walgreens 10503, broadlands
- walgreens 10690, leesburg
- walgreens 11771, ashburn
- walgreens 12361, chantilly
- walgreens 13682, purcellville
- walgreens 17200, sterling
- walgreens 18101, leesburg
- walgreens 18429, sterling
Supermarket · 15
- aldi 71140, leesburg
- aldi 88, sterling
- aldi 62, sterling
- aldi 71085, broadlands
- food lion 1161, sterling
- food lion 1185, leesburg
- food lion 1337, sterling
- safeway 1759, sterling
- safeway 4218, leesburg
- safeway 942, middleburg
- sprouts farmers market 888, leesburg
- trader joe's leesburg 817, leesburg
- trader joe's 619, ashburn
- wegmans 44, leesburg
- wegmans 7, sterling
Medium Grocery Store · 10
- asian grocery & halal meat, sterling
- halal 4 all, sterling
- halal point, leesburg
- indus halal international market (sterling), sterling
- la miguelena market 1, sterling
- loudoun international foods, sterling
- maa halal meat & grocery no, sterling
- more groceries, ashburn
- safa bakery, sterling
- sunshine grocery & halal meat, sterling
Large Grocery Store · 4
- indian mart, sterling
- mahi bazaar, ashburn
- persian and international market 1, sterling
- triveni supermarket, chantilly
Farmers' Market · 2
- cascades farmers market, sterling
- leesburg farmers market 5404548089, leesburg
Small Grocery Store · 2
- el mercadito hispano ii, sterling
- international market 3, leesburg
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- el toro negro carneceria, leesburg
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Virginia
Compare Loudoun County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Food access nationally, Virginia in context
Loudoun County sits inside Virginia (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 Loudoun County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Loudoun County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Loudoun County? ▼
Is Loudoun County a food desert? ▼
What share of Loudoun 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.