Signature · 36.5% SNAP (100th pct in WV)
McDowell County, WV
McDowell County stands out on SNAP (36.5%, +24.4 pts vs U.S.) with 3.3% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 3.3%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 36.5%
- on SNAP
- 18K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County McDowell County, WV
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ADEQUATE 3.3% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -18.8 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 36.5% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 10.7% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Lincoln County ( -0.3 pts)
Lower-band low-access
McDowell County lands in the lower national band (3.3%, #2,896 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,896
- national by low-access %
- #48
- in WV
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 436
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 36.5% SNAP (100th pct in WV) (+24.4 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
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 #2,896).
McDowell County's lower-band USDA tier split
8 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 8 of McDowell 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.
McDowell County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in West Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Gilmer
Gilmer 81.6%
81.6 % low-access
- Webster 5
Webster 5%
5 % low-access
- Doddridge 4.2
Doddridge 4.2%
4.2 % low-access
- McDowell 3.3
McDowell 3.3%
3.3 % low-access
- Lincoln 3
Lincoln 3%
3 % low-access
- Tucker 2.9
Tucker 2.9%
2.9 % low-access
- Pleasants 0
Pleasants 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 8 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 22,113 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 734 |
| Low-Access Share | 3.3%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 436 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 17,943 |
| Median Household Income | $31,559 |
| Poverty Rate | 34.2%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,360 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 36.5%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 10.7%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 12.2% |
Thick SNAP store book 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.
Where the store book sits, by town
15 towns share the 34 authorized stores; Welch holds 26% of them. 12 of the 15 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Bradshaw, Northfork, Berwind, Cucumber, Gary, Keystone and 6 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Welch | 9 | 2 |
| Iaeger | 5 | 1 |
| Bradshaw | 4 | none |
| War | 4 | 1 |
| Northfork | 2 | none |
| Berwind | 1 | none |
| Cucumber | 1 | none |
| Gary | 1 | none |
| Keystone | 1 | none |
| Maybeury | 1 | none |
Top 10 of 15 towns by store count.
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 stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in West Virginia
One of 54 counties in West Virginia, 6 are shown here.
Compare McDowell County vs Barbour County → · All West Virginia counties →
Counties near McDowell County's lower low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for McDowell County (36.5%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside West Virginia.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside WV (3.3% here).
- Smith County, TN · 3.3% low-access
- Cayuga County, NY · 3.3% low-access
- Watonwan County, MN · 3.3% low-access
- Sibley County, MN · 3.3% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WV (36.5% here).
- Dallas County, AL · 36.2% SNAP
- Wilcox County, AL · 37.0% SNAP
- Magoffin County, KY · 37.2% SNAP
- McKinley County, NM · 37.7% 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.
West Virginia among South Atlantic states
West Virginia ranks 7th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (21.3%). McDowell County, at 3.3%, runs 18.0 pts below the West Virginia 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 McDowell County, WV are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 54047. 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.