PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · North Carolina

Macon County, NC

Macon 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.

8.0%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
8.9%
on SNAP
38K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NC

The food-access picture

8.0% of Macon County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
6.1%
households, no vehicle
11.6%
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).

Macon County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.0% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 9 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 2,717 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,159 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 Macon County compares nationally

Macon County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.0% low-access share that beats 16% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,646).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Macon County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Macon 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 Macon County, NC USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (77.8%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (22.2%) Adequate 78% Limited 0% Severe 22% Food-access tier distribution: Macon County, NC
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Macon 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 Macon County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)33,922
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population2,717
Low-Access Share8.0%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,159

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Macon County
IndicatorValue
Population37,941
Median Household Income$59,061
Poverty Rate11.6%below the national average
SNAP Households1,640
SNAP Participation Rate8.9%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.1%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.9%
SNAP participation in Macon County 8.9%

About 8.9% of Macon County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 8.0% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 8.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,640 households here.
  • 6.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Macon County

near the national share

2 of Macon County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 22.2% of all its tracts.

An estimated 2,717 residents, roughly 8.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,159 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (77.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Macon County

Macon County has 37 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 12 locations (32% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 12

  • big lots 3182, franklin
  • dollar general 1773, franklin
  • dollar general 8696, frankling
  • dollar general 10724, franklin
  • dollar general 16505, franklin
  • dollar general 17114, franklin
  • dollar general 17200, scaly mountain
  • dollar general 20327, highlands
  • dollar general 31019, franklin
  • dollar general store 16901, franklin
  • dollar tree 352, franklin
  • walgreens 16105, franklin

Convenience Store · 11

  • dowdle mountain pit stop, franklin
  • fast food mart, franklin
  • fastop market 308, franklin
  • hop in, franklin
  • hot spot 2025, franklin
  • kent kwik 709, highlands
  • spinx 304, highlands
  • the local market 201, franklin
  • the imarket 754, franklin
  • village trader, franklin
  • i-market 732, franklin

Supermarket · 7

  • aldi 76148, franklin
  • brysons food store inc, highlands
  • food lion 2867, franklin
  • ingles markets 114, franklin
  • ingles markets 132, franklin
  • ingles markets 14, franklin
  • sav mor 814, franklin

Farmers' Market · 2

  • cowee school farmer's market, franklin
  • macon county farmers market nafmnp, franklin

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • la guadalupana, franklin
  • la poblana mexican grill, franklin

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • brasstown beef, franklin

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • shearl produce, otto

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 1217, franklin

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 Macon County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →

Food access nationally, North Carolina in context

Macon 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 Macon County has low food access? ▼
8.0% of residents in Macon 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 Macon County? ▼
8.9% of households in Macon County receive SNAP, covering 1,640 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Macon County? ▼
The poverty rate in Macon County, NC is 11.6%, with a median household income of $59,061 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Macon County a food desert? ▼
2 of Macon County's 9 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 Macon County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.1% of households in Macon 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.