Signature · 8 LILA tracts (42.1% of tracts)

Madison County, KY

Madison County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 8 LILA tracts (42.1% of the book) alongside 25.7% low-access.

25.7%
low-access pop.
8
food-desert tracts
13.4%
on SNAP
96K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KY

USDA FARA access plate

County Madison County, KY

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-ELEVATED 25.7% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +3.6 pts vs US
  • LILA-CLUSTER 8 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-TYPICAL 13.4% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 4.9% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 42% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Clay County ( -0.5 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Madison County ranks #1,237 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #16 of 110 counties in KY (25.7% low-access; 8 food-desert tracts).

#1,237
national by low-access %
#16
in KY
9
low-access tracts
10K
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: 8 LILA tracts (42.1% of tracts) .

How Madison County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Madison County's 25.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 60% of them and ranked #1,241 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Madison County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

19 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 8 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Madison County, KY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 10 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 8 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 19 tracts evaluated. 10 tracts adequate (52.6%) 1 tracts limited (5.3%) 8 tracts severe / food desert (42.1%) Adequate 53% Limited 5% Severe 42% Food-access tier distribution: Madison County, KY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Madison County has 10 urban and 9 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.

Madison County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Kentucky, not a full county-board reprint

% 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 Madison County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts19
Atlas Population (2010 basis)82,916
Low-Access Tracts9
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)8
Low-Access Population21,349
Low-Access Share25.7%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population9,950

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Madison County
IndicatorValue
Population95,769
Median Household Income$63,351
Poverty Rate15.1%near the national average
SNAP Households4,958
SNAP Participation Rate13.4%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.9%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population5.9%

Thick SNAP store book in Madison County

Madison County has 83 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 49 locations (59% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 49

  • berea shell food mart 100, berea
  • big hill foodmart llc, berea
  • clowers grocery, richmond
  • casey's 4661, richmond
  • casey's 4666, richmond
  • casey's 4668, richmond
  • circle k 2723255, berea
  • circle k 2723256, berea
  • circle k 4703257, richmond
  • clark's pump-n-shop 89, berea
  • college foodmart, richmond
  • corner store, richmond
  • eastern kentucky university, richmond
  • easy stop & shop, richmond
  • estepp's #1015 1015, richmond
  • fifty mart, richmond
  • goodstop 4663, richmond
  • gulf food mart, richmond
  • hb, llc/fast lane, richmond
  • k & k quickmart, richmond
  • love' travel stops & country stores, inc 291, richmond
  • lt foodmart, richmond
  • meijer gas station 258, richmond
  • mi pueblo of richmond llc, richmond
  • mk&h llc, richmond
  • ms oil llc, richmond
  • murphy usa 5679, richmond
  • neighbors market, richmond
  • q zone 3, richmond
  • q-zone 1, richmond
  • redi mart 009, berea
  • redi mart 017, richmond
  • redi mart 12, richmond
  • redi mart 53, richmond
  • redi mart 6, richmond
  • redi mart 60, richmond
  • redi mart 8, berea
  • shell food mart, berea
  • silver creek market, berea
  • southern hills food mart, richmond
  • speedway 8496, berea
  • speedway 9210, richmond
  • speedway 9711, richmond
  • super shell foodmart inc, berea
  • three star, richmond
  • uni point mart, richmond
  • valero food mart, berea
  • waco grocery, waco
  • z investments llc, richmond

Combination Grocery/Other · 23

  • big lots 3103, richmond
  • cvs pharmacy 6346, richmond
  • dollar general 1057, richmond
  • dollar general 2620, richmond
  • dollar general 6109, richmond
  • dollar general 6561, richmond
  • dollartree 9458, berea
  • dollartree plus 9243, richmond
  • dollar general 13228, richmond
  • dollar general 13771, richmond
  • dollar general 14045, berea
  • dollar general 15679, berea
  • dollar general 15754, berea
  • dollar general 15859, richmond
  • dollar general 20940, berea
  • dollar general 21170, berea
  • dollar general 31108, waco
  • dollar general 6957, berea
  • dollar tree 28, richmond
  • dollar tree 4875, berea
  • family dollar 636, richmond
  • walgreens 11796, berea
  • walgreens 15561, richmond

Super Store · 4

  • kroger #l-00705 l705, richmond
  • meijer 258, richmond
  • walmart 1190, berea
  • walmart supercenter 719, richmond

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 44063, richmond
  • richmond save a lot 21491, richmond
  • save a lot berea 24495, berea

Delivery Route · 1

  • southern choice meat & seafood, richmond

Farmers' Market · 1

  • madison county farmers market, richmond

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • uncle charlie meats, richmond

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • happy meadow natural foods, berea

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Kentucky

One of 119 counties in Kentucky, 6 are shown here.

Compare Madison County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →

Nationwide peers for Madison County's low-access or SNAP share

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Madison County, both outside Kentucky so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside KY (25.7% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside KY (13.4% here).

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, Kentucky in context

Madison County sits inside Kentucky (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 Madison County, KY are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 21151. 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.