PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Martinsville city, VA

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Martinsville city residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

29.3%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
24.1%
on SNAP
14K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

29.3% of Martinsville city residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
9.7%
households, no vehicle
23.5%
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).

USDA data puts Martinsville city's low-access share at 29.3%, above the national share. 3 of the county's 5 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 4,052 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,962 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 Martinsville city compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Martinsville city's 29.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 69% of them and ranked #978 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Martinsville city: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 5 census tracts in Martinsville city, 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 Martinsville city, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (40.0%) 1 tracts limited (20.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (40.0%) Adequate 40% Limited 20% Severe 40% Food-access tier distribution: Martinsville city, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Martinsville city vs. other Virginia counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Virginia

% 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 Martinsville city
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)13,821
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population4,052
Low-Access Share29.3%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,962

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Martinsville city
IndicatorValue
Population13,658
Median Household Income$46,727
Poverty Rate23.5%well above the national average
SNAP Households1,379
SNAP Participation Rate24.1%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle9.7%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population3.2%
SNAP participation in Martinsville city 24.1%

About 24.1% of Martinsville city households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 29.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 24.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,379 households here.
  • 9.7% 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 Martinsville city

above the national share

2 of Martinsville city's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 40.0% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 4,052 residents, roughly 29.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,962 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 2 tracts (40.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Martinsville city

Martinsville city has 23 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 9 locations (39% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 9

  • cvs pharmacy 3508, martinsville
  • dollar general 13832, martinsville
  • dollar general 15603, martinsville
  • dollar general 30116, martinsville
  • dollar tree 522, martinsville
  • dollar tree 9766, martinsville
  • family dollar store 3745, martinsville
  • family dollar store 43, martinsville
  • walgreens 01257, martinsville

Convenience Store · 6

  • circle k #213 #213, martinsville
  • fas mart 110, martinsville
  • naira food mart llc, martinsville
  • new neighborhood market, martinsville
  • sheetz 877, martinsville
  • sparky's fast stop 1, martinsville

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 72090 72090, martinsville
  • food lion 2533, martinsville
  • food lion 2623, martinsville

Super Store · 2

  • kroger 350, martinsville
  • walmart supercenter 1243, martinsville

Farmers' Market · 1

  • martinsville uptown farmer's market, martinsville

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • prillamans market, martinsville

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • la mexicana market va, martinsville

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

Accomack County
2.2% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Albemarle County
11.9% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Alexandria city
0.0% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Alleghany County
16.4% low-access · 8.1% SNAP
Amelia County
16.5% low-access · 13.4% SNAP
Amherst County
11.3% low-access · 10.5% SNAP

Compare Martinsville city vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Martinsville city sits inside Virginia (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 Martinsville city has low food access? ▼
29.3% of residents in Martinsville city, VA 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 Martinsville city? ▼
24.1% of households in Martinsville city receive SNAP, covering 1,379 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Martinsville city? ▼
The poverty rate in Martinsville city, VA is 23.5%, with a median household income of $46,727 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Martinsville city a food desert? ▼
2 of Martinsville city's 5 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 Martinsville city households lack a vehicle? ▼
9.7% of households in Martinsville city 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.