Signature · 4 LILA tracts (44.4% of tracts)
Mecklenburg County, VA
Mecklenburg County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 4 LILA tracts (44.4% of the book) alongside 21.8% low-access.
- 21.8%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 16.8%
- on SNAP
- 31K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Mecklenburg County, VA
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 21.8% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.3 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 16.8% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 7.2% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 44% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Southampton County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Mecklenburg County ranks #1,539 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #49 of 123 counties in VA (21.8% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,539
- national by low-access %
- #49
- in VA
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 4 LILA tracts (44.4% of tracts) .
How Mecklenburg County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Mecklenburg County's 21.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 51% of them and ranked #1,539 most-affected nationwide.
Mecklenburg County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
9 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
Mecklenburg County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (7 rural, 2 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 2 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Mecklenburg County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Highland
Highland 99.7%
99.7 % low-access
- Suffolk city 22.4
Suffolk city 22.4%
22.4 % low-access
- Roanoke 22.2
Roanoke 22.2%
22.2 % low-access
- Mecklenburg 21.8
Mecklenburg 21.8%
21.8 % low-access
- Southampton 21.8
Southampton 21.8%
21.8 % low-access
- Bath 21.2
Bath 21.2%
21.2 % low-access
- Dickenson 0
Dickenson 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 9 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 32,727 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 7,119 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.8%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,125 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 30,516 |
| Median Household Income | $57,045 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.3%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,281 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 16.8%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.3% |
Thick SNAP store book in Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County has 44 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 18 locations (41% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
7 towns share the 44 authorized stores; Chase City holds 27% of them. 4 of the 7 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: La Crosse, Bracey, Boydton, Skipwith.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Chase City | 12 | 2 |
| South Hill | 12 | 3 |
| Clarksville | 8 | 2 |
| La Crosse | 5 | none |
| Bracey | 4 | none |
| Boydton | 2 | none |
| Skipwith | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 18
- cvs pharmacy 3915, chase city
- cvs pharmacy 5736, clarksville
- cvs/pharmacy 5507, south hill
- dollar general 14120, bracey
- dollar general 18378, south hill
- dollar general 0328, south hill
- dollar general 0375, chase city
- dollar general 24847, clarksville
- dollar general 3018, clarksville
- dollar general 30351, chase city
- dollar general 30878, bracey
- dollar general 31024, south hill
- dollar general 7338, boydton
- dollar tree 495, la crosse
- family dollar 128, chase city
- homestead ransom, skipwith
- maxway 1829, chase city
- rose's 406, south hill
Convenience Store · 18
- aplus 40014h, clarksville
- aplus 40035h, la crosse
- aplus 40001h, bracey
- aplus 40003h, chase city
- aplus 40002h, clarksville
- blue heron deli & grill, la crosse
- blue heron grocery & deli, chase city
- country boys, chase city
- gator's hwy 92, llc, chase city
- hines grocery, la crosse
- j. gill's, boydton
- j.b jones co, la crosse
- lee's convenience, clarksville
- love's travel stop 469, south hill
- quik fuel, south hill
- sadler travel plaza of south hill 390, south hill
- simmons travel center - bracey 001, bracey
- slip in, south hill
Supermarket · 4
- food lion 1152, south hill
- food lion 2102, chase city
- food lion 2620, clarksville
- food lion 2622, south hill
Super Store · 2
- dollar general market 12013, clarksville
- walmart supercenter 1934, south hill
Large Grocery Store · 1
- castle's butcher shop, chase city
Small Grocery Store · 1
- chase city fruit stand, chase city
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Virginia
One of 132 counties in Virginia, 6 are shown here.
Compare Mecklenburg County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Nationwide peers for Mecklenburg County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Mecklenburg County, both outside Virginia so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside VA (21.8% here).
- Wood County, TX · 21.8% low-access
- Perry County, MS · 21.8% low-access
- Baltimore County, MD · 21.8% low-access
- Champaign County, IL · 21.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside VA (16.8% here).
- Grundy County, TN · 16.8% SNAP
- Dallas County, MO · 16.8% SNAP
- Roscommon County, MI · 16.8% SNAP
- Androscoggin County, ME · 16.8% 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.
Virginia among South Atlantic states
Virginia ranks 8th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (20.4%). Mecklenburg County, at 21.8%, runs 1.4 pts above the 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 Mecklenburg County, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51117. 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.