PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · West Virginia

McDowell County, WV

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).

3.3%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
36.5%
on SNAP
18K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 WV

The food-access picture

3.3% of McDowell County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.

0
low-access tracts
436
food-desert residents
10.7%
households, no vehicle
34.2%
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 3.3% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 0 of the county's 8 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 734 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 3.3% 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 #2,902).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

McDowell County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 8 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, WV USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 8 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (100.0%) Adequate 100% Limited 0% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: McDowell County, WV
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

McDowell County vs. other West Virginia counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in West 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 McDowell County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts8
Atlas Population (2010 basis)22,113
Low-Access Tracts0
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population734
Low-Access Share3.3%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population436

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for McDowell County
IndicatorValue
Population17,943
Median Household Income$31,559
Poverty Rate34.2%well above the national average
SNAP Households2,360
SNAP Participation Rate36.5%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle10.7%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population12.2%
SNAP participation in McDowell County 36.5%

About 36.5% of McDowell County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 3.3% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 36.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,360 households here.
  • 10.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • Median household income is $31,559 with a 34.2% 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

An estimated 734 residents, roughly 3.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 436 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (100.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

None of McDowell County's tracts meet the USDA low-access threshold, so the county is not flagged for a food-access gap in the 2019 Atlas.

SNAP retailers in McDowell County

McDowell County has 34 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 19 locations (56% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 19

  • 3g maybeury mart llc, maybeury
  • brewster's service station, cucumber
  • coalwood grill & grocery, welch
  • d & d service center & convenience mart, bradshaw
  • ellers kwikstop, keystone
  • gary bantam market, gary
  • hillbilly market# 6, war
  • little general 5400, bradshaw
  • little general store 7750, iaeger
  • little general store inc 7725, welch
  • little general store inc 7730, welch
  • little general store inc 7735, roderfield
  • newberry food & fuel inc, iaeger
  • ol' country store of west virginia, newhall
  • ol' country store of west virginia llc, war
  • panther cash and carry inc., panther
  • small town river mart, iaeger
  • walali, northfork
  • welch bantam market, welch

Combination Grocery/Other · 9

  • dollar general 0910, iaeger
  • dollar general 23479, wilcoe
  • dollar general 24502, paynesville
  • dollar general 6173, bradshaw
  • dollar general 9156, welch
  • dollar general 932, war
  • family dollar 12109, bradshaw
  • family dollar store 3473, welch
  • family dollar store 939, northfork

Farmers' Market · 2

  • economic development greater east (edge), inc, berwind
  • go growcery market, welch

Supermarket · 2

  • grants supermarket 9, war
  • save a lot 106, welch

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • salyers family market, iaeger

Super Store · 1

  • goodsons 1, welch

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in West Virginia

Barbour County
11.4% low-access · 19.5% SNAP
Berkeley County
38.8% low-access · 11.6% SNAP
Boone County
6.6% low-access · 22.0% SNAP
Braxton County
18.3% low-access · 22.0% SNAP
Brooke County
16.9% low-access · 14.1% SNAP
Cabell County
8.3% low-access · 16.7% SNAP

Compare McDowell County vs Barbour County → · All West Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, West Virginia in context

McDowell County sits inside West 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 McDowell County has low food access? ▼
3.3% of residents in McDowell County, WV 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? ▼
36.5% of households in McDowell County receive SNAP, covering 2,360 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in McDowell County? ▼
The poverty rate in McDowell County, WV is 34.2%, with a median household income of $31,559 (Census ACS 2024).
Is McDowell County a food desert? ▼
0 of McDowell County's 8 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? ▼
10.7% 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.