Signature · 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts)
Madison County, NC
Madison County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of the book) alongside 13.1% low-access.
- 13.1%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 12.2%
- on SNAP
- 22K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Madison County, NC
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 13.1% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -9.0 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 12.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 33% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Stokes County (+ 0.5 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Madison County lands in the lower national band (13.1%, #2,263 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,263
- national by low-access %
- #56
- in NC
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts) .
How Madison County compares nationally
Madison County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 13.1% low-access share that beats 28% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,263).
Madison County's lower-band USDA tier split
6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
All 6 of Madison County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Madison County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in North Carolina, not a full county-board reprint
- Hyde
Hyde 60.5%
60.5 % low-access
- Cleveland 13.8
Cleveland 13.8%
13.8 % low-access
- Stokes 13.6
Stokes 13.6%
13.6 % low-access
- Madison 13.1
Madison 13.1%
13.1 % low-access
- Johnston 12.5
Johnston 12.5%
12.5 % low-access
- Yadkin 12.2
Yadkin 12.2%
12.2 % low-access
- Greene 0.1
Greene 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 20,764 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,721 |
| Low-Access Share | 13.1%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,300 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 21,867 |
| Median Household Income | $58,531 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.1%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,017 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.2%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.5%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.5% |
SNAP retailers in Madison County
Madison County has 15 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 5 locations (33% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
4 towns share the 15 authorized stores; Mars Hill holds 40% of them. 2 of the 4 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Hot Springs, Weaverville.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Mars Hill | 6 | 1 |
| Marshall | 5 | 1 |
| Hot Springs | 3 | none |
| Weaverville | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 5
- cvs pharmacy 5592, mars hill
- dollar general 11648, mars hill
- dollar general 23461, weaverville
- dollar general 7449, hot springs
- family dollar 171, marshall
Convenience Store · 5
- hill billy market, hot springs
- old creek general store, marshall
- quick mart 1, marshall
- red dot, mars hill
- sara jo's station, hot springs
Supermarket · 2
- ingles markets 28, marshall
- ingles markets 80, mars hill
Farmers' Market · 1
- mars hill farmers and artisans market, mars hill
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- t j's mountain market, mars hill
Small Grocery Store · 1
- madison natural foods, marshall
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in North Carolina
One of 99 counties in North Carolina, 6 are shown here.
Compare Madison County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Counties near Madison County's lower low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Madison County, both outside North Carolina so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NC (13.1% here).
- Gladwin County, MI · 13.1% low-access
- Walker County, TX · 13.1% low-access
- Lincoln County, WI · 13.1% low-access
- Waupaca County, WI · 13.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NC (12.2% here).
- Hamilton County, OH · 12.2% SNAP
- Grady County, OK · 12.2% SNAP
- Murray County, OK · 12.2% SNAP
- Atlantic County, NJ · 12.2% 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.
North Carolina among South Atlantic states
North Carolina ranks 5th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (22.9%). Madison County, at 13.1%, runs 9.8 pts below the North Carolina rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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, NC are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 37115. 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.