PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Pennsylvania

McKean County, PA

Most of McKean 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
18.6%
on SNAP
40K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 PA

The food-access picture

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

1
low-access tracts
310
food-desert residents
8.7%
households, no vehicle
13.7%
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, McKean 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 12 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 1,215 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 McKean County compares nationally

Food access in McKean 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

McKean County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in McKean 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 McKean County, PA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 11 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 11 tracts adequate (91.7%) 1 tracts limited (8.3%) Adequate 92% Limited 8% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: McKean County, PA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

McKean County vs. other Pennsylvania counties

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

% 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 McKean County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)43,450
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population1,215
Low-Access Share2.8%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population310

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for McKean County
IndicatorValue
Population39,904
Median Household Income$62,905
Poverty Rate13.7%near the national average
SNAP Households3,038
SNAP Participation Rate18.6%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.7%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population7.3%
SNAP participation in McKean County 18.6%

About 18.6% of McKean 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.
  • 18.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,038 households here.
  • 8.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • Median household income is $62,905 with a 13.7% 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 McKean 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 1,215 residents, roughly 2.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 310 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 11 tracts (91.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in McKean County

McKean County has 40 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 16 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 16

  • choice gas and convenience, kane
  • country fair 64, bradford
  • country fair 69, kane
  • crosby's 40034, bradford
  • crosby's 40035, bradford
  • crosby's 40037, lewis run
  • crosby's 40038, bradford
  • dandy mini mart 62, eldred
  • kwik fill 201, bradford
  • nittany minit mart 255, kane
  • nittany minit mart 256, east smethport
  • paul's trading post, kane
  • sheetz 166, port allegany
  • sheetz 613, bradford
  • sheetz 656, kane
  • the grocery stretcher inc., bradford

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • cvs pharmacy 4270, bradford
  • dollar general 18148, bradford
  • dollar general 18692, kane
  • dollar general 2191, kane
  • dollar general 2993, bradford
  • dollar general 4308, bradford
  • dollar general 8455, smethport
  • dollartree 8088, kane
  • dollar general 10716, port allegany
  • dollar general 14894, eldred
  • dollar general 24098, bradford
  • dollar general 25358, duke center
  • dollar tree 2149, bradford
  • family dollar 12627, bradford

Supermarket · 6

  • aldi 69083, bradford
  • bradford save-a-lot 24446, bradford
  • costa's supermarket, inc, smethport
  • save a lot 24746, kane
  • tops markets 610, bradford
  • tops markets 672, kane

Super Store · 2

  • port foods llc/shop n save, port allegany
  • walmart supercenter 3514, bradford

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • bell's meat & poultry, kane

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • g l carlson, inc, turtlepoint

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Pennsylvania

Adams County
15.9% low-access · 8.2% SNAP
Allegheny County
26.4% low-access · 13.0% SNAP
Armstrong County
5.2% low-access · 15.6% SNAP
Beaver County
32.5% low-access · 13.8% SNAP
Bedford County
22.7% low-access · 15.8% SNAP
Berks County
17.5% low-access · 13.9% SNAP

Compare McKean County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →

Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context

McKean County sits inside Pennsylvania (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 McKean County has low food access? ▼
2.8% of residents in McKean County, PA 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 McKean County? ▼
18.6% of households in McKean County receive SNAP, covering 3,038 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in McKean County? ▼
The poverty rate in McKean County, PA is 13.7%, with a median household income of $62,905 (Census ACS 2024).
Is McKean County a food desert? ▼
0 of McKean County's 12 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 McKean County households lack a vehicle? ▼
8.7% of households in McKean 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.