Signature · 19.6% SNAP (92nd pct in PA)
Luzerne County, PA
Luzerne County stands out on SNAP (19.6%, +7.5 pts vs U.S.) with 20.3% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 20.3%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 19.6%
- on SNAP
- 328K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Luzerne County, PA
LA-ELEVATED · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-ELEVATED 20.3% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -1.8 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 19.6% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 9.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 4% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Lancaster County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Luzerne County ranks #1,664 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #25 of 67 counties in PA (20.3% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,664
- national by low-access %
- #25
- in PA
- 30
- low-access tracts
- 16K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 19.6% SNAP (92nd pct in PA) (+7.5 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Luzerne County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Luzerne County's 20.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,668 most-affected nationwide.
Luzerne County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
104 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Luzerne County has 81 urban and 23 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Luzerne County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Pennsylvania, not a full county-board reprint
- Chester
Chester 45.1%
45.1 % low-access
- Lancaster
Lancaster 20.4%
20.4 % low-access
- Luzerne
Luzerne 20.3%
20.3 % low-access
- Mifflin
Mifflin 19.6%
19.6 % low-access
- Lebanon
Lebanon 19.5%
19.5 % low-access
- Clearfield
Clearfield 19.3%
19.3 % low-access
- Wyoming 0.9
Wyoming 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 104 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 320,918 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 30 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 65,131 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.3%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 16,241 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 327,675 |
| Median Household Income | $63,691 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.3%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 26,482 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.6%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.5%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.3% |
Thick SNAP store book in Luzerne County
Luzerne County has 297 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 131 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 131
- 4k's beer and deli, wilkes barre
- 7-eleven store #41266b, hazle township
- anthracite newstand, wilkes barre
- al's quick stop 5, bear creek township
- al's quick stop 8, pittston
- alnajukchahatstore llc dba al's quick stop 9, drums
- aman convenience / shiv llc, dupont
- amaylisha llc 3017, pittston
- citgo - excel gas corp 1, wilkes barre
- cocoa hut 103, nanticoke
- cocoa hut 104, nanticoke
- convenient food mart 3010, hazleton
- convenient food mart 3013, freeland
- convenient food mart 3014, luzerne
- convenient food mart 3019, pittston
- convenient food mart 3022, kingston
- convenient food mart 3026, avoca
- convenient food mart 3037, pittston
- countryside quik mart, hunlock creek
- dipamadi incdba convenient food mart 3041, wilkes barre
- drums convenience inc, drums
- dupont mini mart none, dupont
- e z express food mart, hanover township
- frank news & deli 2 1, wilkes barre
- franks news & deli 3, wilkes barre
- friendly food mart, nanticoke
- friendly food mart, west pittston
- fuel on, luzerne
- fuel one 940 plaza, white haven
- general store, shickshinny
- good to go expressmart, wilkes barre
- good to go foodmart, wilkes barre
- groceries plus, hazleton
- hanover convenience, hanover township
- humboldt sunoco no, hazle township
- hunnington mills grocery shop, shickshinny
- in and out 1, duryea
- jaymarie grocery & deli inc 1, wilkes barre
- joe's kwik marts 163, pittston
- juniors of plains 1, plains
- k&s convenience, exeter
- kaival food and petroleum inc, glen lyon
- kingston food mart llc 1, kingston
- kval food 2, wapwallopen
- lucas farms produce center inc, hanover township
- lombardo's market, inc., pittston
- main street convenience llc, larksville
- mann kingston llc 3005, kingston
- market street convenience inc., kingston
- nescopeck foodmart llc 1, nescopeck
- new mart, shavertown
- pantry quik, hanover township
- pq express, west hazleton
- pantry quick, wilkes barre
- pantry quik, hazleton
- pantry quik, kingston
- paris mart, wilkes barre
- penn corner food mart, hanover township
- peters deli inc, wilkes barre
- petro scranton 0378, dupont
- pilot travel center 298, drums
- pilot travel center 370, pittston
- pitt stop & deli inc, pittston
- pittston convenience inc 1, pittston
- pittston sunoco, pittston
- plains mart, wilkes barre
- plains six packs to go llc, wilkes barre
- plymouth convenient mart, plymouth
- plymouth six packs to go inc, plymouth
- puffs-n-pics gunpati ll, hazleton
- quick food mart, plymouth
- r & s convenience inc., kingston
- rp llc/ hazle mini mart, hazle township
- ruminskis market llc, nanticoke
- rishi foodmart, wyoming
- rudraunsh inc., wilkes barre
- sajan convenience inc, wyoming
- sheetz 291, hazle township
- sheetz 297, wilkes barre
- sheetz 319, shavertown
- sheetz 344, plains twp
- sheetz 463, sugarloaf
- sheetz 734, plymouth
- sheetz 780, city of wilkes barre
- sheetz 820, wyoming
- shree ganesh 001 willkesbarre corporation, wilkes barre
- simply convenient, glen lyon
- siya patel llc dba pantry quik, sugarloaf
- sk's quick stop, west pittston
- stop mart, exeter
- sukh convinience llc, wilkes barre
- super service gas mart, shavertown
- swoyersville general store llc, swoyersville
- t&t grocery store corp 1, wilkes barre
- ta express hazleton, hazle township
- tonys corner llc 84-1920242, wilkes barre
- turkey hill minit market 950249, hazleton
- turkey hill minit market 950285, dallas
- turkey hill minit market 950289, hazle township
- turkey hill minit market 950301, plains
- turkey hill minit market 950310, wilkes barre
- turkey hill minit markets 950140, forty fort
- turkey hill minit markets 950152, edwardsville
- turkey hill minit markets 950153, wilkes barre
- turkey hill minit markets 950154, kingston
- turkey hill minit markets 950155, wilkes barre
- turkey hill minit markets 950157, wilkes barre
- turkey hill minit markets 950158, wilkes barre
- turkey hill minit markets 950165, exeter
- turkey hill minit markets 950179, sugarloaf
- turkey hill minit markets 950192, kingston
- turkey hill minit markets 950194, nanticoke
- turkey hill minit markets 950196, wilkes barre
- turkey hill minit markets 950250, hazleton
- turkey hill minit markets 950259, wilkes barre
- turkey hill minit markets 950270, mountain top
- turkey hill minit markets 950275, plymouth
- turkey hill minit markets 950297, hazleton
- turkey hill minit markets 950300, pittston
- u s gas/ daksha llc, shavertown
- uni mart-sheen mart llc, larksville
- uni mart 4301, wilkes barre
- uni-mart, wyoming
- unimart, duryea
- wyoming food mart llc, wyoming
- wawa 270, kidder township
- wawa 8249, dallas
- wawa store 8240, wilkes barre
- wb mart llc, wilkes barre
- yash convenience inc., wilkes barre
- your choice, hazleton
Combination Grocery/Other · 71
- bhagavati food store #241 inc, wilkes barre
- cvs pharmacy 1594, dallas
- cvs pharmacy 2729, pittston
- cvs pharmacy 10128, freeland
- cvs pharmacy 1572, hazle township
- cvs pharmacy 1584, nanticoke
- cvs pharmacy 1588, wyoming
- cvs pharmacy 1591, wilkes barre
- cvs pharmacy 1614, hanover township
- cvs pharmacy 1616, exeter
- cvs pharmacy 1891, hazleton
- cvs pharmacy 2133, kingston
- cvs/pharmacy 1583, shickshinny
- dollar general 11232, wilkes barre
- dollar general 19268, edwardsville
- dollar general 4424, wilkes barre
- dollar general 7096, exeter
- dollar general store 24298, hazleton
- dollar tree 1384, edwardsville
- dollar general 10148, hazleton
- dollar general 10473, dallas
- dollar general 12900, wilkes barre
- dollar general 14417, mountain top
- dollar general 14914, nescopeck
- dollar general 15422, lake township
- dollar general 15817, drums
- dollar general 15995, freeland
- dollar general 16039, kingston
- dollar general 16818, wilkes barre
- dollar general 18489, nescopeck
- dollar general 19404, hazleton
- dollar general 20451, nanticoke
- dollar general 20840, pittston
- dollar general 21156, mountain top
- dollar general 21314, hazle township
- dollar general 21643, plymouth
- dollar general 22954, nanticoke
- dollar general 23851, dallas
- dollar general 24145, plains
- dollar general 30391, shickshinny
- dollar general 30609, dallas
- dollar general 8000, wilkes barre
- dollar general 9423, shavertown
- dollar general 9544, pittston
- dollar general 9632, hazleton
- dollar tree 1677, wilkes barre
- dollar tree 1952, pittston
- dollar tree 2240, wyoming
- dollar tree 4239, wilkes barre
- dollar tree 425, hazle township
- dollar tree 6722, duryea
- dollar tree 7240, wilkes barre
- dollar tree 8499, wilkes barre
- family dollar 12417, kingston
- family dollar 2582, wilkes barre
- family dollar 3157, luzerne
- family dollar 3310, hazleton
- family dollar 3369, hazle township
- family dollar 6575, ashley
- family dollar 6986, plymouth
- family dollar 7975, exeter
- family dollar 8528, plains
- family dollar 9342, freeland
- family dollar store 2563, shickshinny
- house of nutrition, luzerne
- keyco warehouse outlet, forty fort
- las yeli mini market inc, hazleton
- ocean state job lot 603, wilkes barre
- premo's, wilkes barre
- valley meats & deli llc, avoca
- walgreens 07843, kingston
Medium Grocery Store · 19
- a & j grocery store 2, west hazleton
- akshar plymouth corp, nanticoke
- associates grocery & meat corp, hazleton
- el bambu056 llc, hazleton
- el macuto mini market, hazleton
- enger supermarket inc, hazleton
- hazle park quality meats, hazleton
- hazleton supermarket, hazleton
- jerry & son market llc, nanticoke
- jerusalem halal market, wilkes barre
- jp meat market, hanover township
- jp meat market corp, hanover township
- la isla fresh market, wilkes barre
- marias market, wilkes barre
- mi conuco minimark corp, hazleton
- mi tierra supermarket, hazleton
- sabatelles market, pittston
- soraida grocery corp, hazleton
- the kosher market, kingston
Small Grocery Store · 12
- dd's minimarket corp, freeland
- deli mexican produce, hazleton
- diamond food minimarket corp, hazleton
- e & j grocery corp, hazleton
- espinoza deli & grocery, wilkes barre
- green minimarket inc, west hazleton
- huzaish meat mart, wilkes-barre
- india bazar, wilkes barre
- kiara grosery, hazleton
- melvin grocery corp, hazleton
- payita deli grocery corp, wilkes barre
- smiths country store, monroe township
Large Grocery Store · 5
- deemer's discount groceries, wilkes barre
- food universe marketplace kf#2693, wilkes barre
- fuente de mana farmers market inc, hazleton
- meliza supermarket, hazleton
- penn city supermarket corp 1, hazleton
Farmers' Market · 4
- berwick farmer's market, berwick
- burger's farm market, drums
- city of wilkes-barre farmers market, wilkes barre
- pittston city farmers market ffab, pittston
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 4
- fish & meat market corp, wilkes barre
- komensky's market, duryea
- morgans butcher shop, pittston
- usa pork packers, inc., hazleton
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 2
- herold's farm market, hanover township
- peruginos mkt, kingston
Bakery Specialty · 1
- amigon's bakery, wilkes barre
Seafood Specialty · 1
- c&d seafood, wilkes barre
Showing 250 of 297 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
One of 66 counties in Pennsylvania, 6 are shown here.
Compare Luzerne County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Nationwide peers for Luzerne County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Luzerne County (19.6%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Pennsylvania.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside PA (20.3% here).
- Sequoyah County, OK · 20.3% low-access
- Sequoyah County, OK · 20.3% low-access
- Knox County, OH · 20.3% low-access
- Knox County, OH · 20.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside PA (19.6% here).
- Union County, SC · 19.6% SNAP
- Union County, SC · 19.6% SNAP
- Wayne County, NC · 19.6% SNAP
- Wayne County, NC · 19.6% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Luzerne County sits inside Pennsylvania (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Luzerne County, PA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 42079. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.