PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · North Carolina

McDowell County, NC

Most of McDowell County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

2.8%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
18.3%
on SNAP
45K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NC

The food-access picture

2.8% of McDowell County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.

1
low-access tracts
576
food-desert residents
6.2%
households, no vehicle
14.8%
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).

By the USDA's measure, McDowell County fares better than most: just 2.8% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 1 of the county's 10 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 1,254 people who live far from a supermarket, and none of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.

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 McDowell County compares nationally

Food access in McDowell County compares favorably nationally: its 2.8% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 7% of them (rank #2,928).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

McDowell County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 10 census tracts in McDowell 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 McDowell County, NC USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 10 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (90.0%) 1 tracts limited (10.0%) Adequate 90% Limited 10% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: McDowell County, NC
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

McDowell 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 McDowell County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts10
Atlas Population (2010 basis)44,996
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population1,254
Low-Access Share2.8%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population576

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for McDowell County
IndicatorValue
Population44,817
Median Household Income$57,168
Poverty Rate14.8%near the national average
SNAP Households3,419
SNAP Participation Rate18.3%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.2%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population3.2%
SNAP participation in McDowell County 18.3%

About 18.3% of McDowell County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 2.8% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 18.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,419 households here.
  • 6.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • Median household income is $57,168 with a 14.8% poverty rate.

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 McDowell County

below the national share

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

An estimated 1,254 residents, roughly 2.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 576 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (90.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in McDowell County

McDowell County has 48 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 25 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 25

  • big daddy's mini mart 4, marion
  • dysartsville general store, nebo
  • k.g.'s quik stop 103, marion
  • kgs quik stop 104, marion
  • kay express, marion
  • kwik mart, marion
  • love' travel stops & country stores, inc 308, marion
  • m & m supermarket, marion
  • mi nanchito, marion
  • murphy express 8682, marion
  • nebo truck stop, nebo
  • pgm brothers, marion
  • pilot travel center 1063, marion
  • samir's 1, old fort
  • samir's 14, old fort
  • samir's 2, marion
  • samir's 3, marion
  • samir's 4, marion
  • samir's 5, nebo
  • samir's 6, marion
  • sheetz 867, marion
  • simar mart llc, marion
  • stuckeys dairy queen, old fort
  • sugar hill food mart 0, marion
  • west court food mart, marion

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • cvs pharmacy 3534, marion
  • dollar general 11080, old fort
  • dollar general 3060, marion
  • dollar general 6062, nebo
  • dollartree 8832, marion
  • dollar general 12691, marion
  • dollar general 14888, marion
  • dollar general 15706, nebo
  • dollar general 16048, marion
  • dollar general 18037, marion
  • dollar general 22169, old fort
  • dollar general 8580, marion
  • dollar tree 4728, marion
  • family dollar store 294, marion

Supermarket · 6

  • doves morning fresh market 1, marion
  • food lion 1085, marion
  • frisbee's inc, old fort
  • grocery outlet 28, marion
  • ingles markets 60, marion
  • west court food center, marion

Farmers' Market · 1

  • historic marion tailgate market, marion

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • p & r produce, marion

Super Store · 1

  • walmart store 1694, marion

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

Food access nationally, North Carolina in context

McDowell 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 McDowell County has low food access? ▼
2.8% of residents in McDowell 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 McDowell County? ▼
18.3% of households in McDowell County receive SNAP, covering 3,419 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in McDowell County? ▼
The poverty rate in McDowell County, NC is 14.8%, with a median household income of $57,168 (Census ACS 2024).
Is McDowell County a food desert? ▼
0 of McDowell County's 10 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). No tracts here meet both conditions in the 2019 Atlas.
What share of McDowell County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.2% of households in McDowell 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.