County food-access profile · Kentucky
Mercer County, KY
Mercer County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 14.7%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 10.9%
- on SNAP
- 23K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
14.7% of Mercer County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
- 4.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 10.7%
- 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).
Mercer County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.7% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 5 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,142 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,148 low-income residents.
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 Mercer County compares nationally
Mercer County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.7% low-access share that beats 32% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,140).
Mercer County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 5 census tracts in Mercer County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Mercer County vs. other Kentucky counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Kentucky
- Mercer
Mercer County, KY
14.7 % low-access
- Adair 6.5
Adair County, KY
6.5 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, KY
21.7 % low-access
- Anderson 7.8
Anderson County, KY
7.8 % low-access
- Ballard 0
Ballard County, KY
0 % low-access
- Barren
Barren County, KY
15.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 21,331 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,142 |
| Low-Access Share | 14.7%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,148 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 23,028 |
| Median Household Income | $64,824 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.7%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,004 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.9%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.0% |
About 10.9% of Mercer County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 14.7% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,004 households here.
- 4.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 1 tract meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).
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 Mercer County
near the national share
1 of Mercer County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 20.0% of all its tracts.
An estimated 3,142 residents, roughly 14.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,148 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 4 tracts (80.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Mercer County
Mercer County has 22 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 10 locations (45% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 10
- cvs pharmacy 6348, harrodsburg
- dollar general 0075, harrodsburg
- dollar general 10394, burgin
- dollar general 11962, salvisa
- dollar general 17294, harrodsburg
- dollar general 25360, harrodsburg
- dollar general 30810, harrodsburg
- dollar general 31397, harrodsburg
- dollar tree 3875, harrodsburg
- harvest fresh meat and market, harrodsburg
Convenience Store · 9
- apple market 540, harrodsburg
- burgin food & fuel, burgin
- danville food mart, harrodsburg
- fivestar 4440, harrodsburg
- harrodsburg marathon, harrodsburg
- harry's market, harrodsburg
- minit mart 4436, harrodsburg
- old bridge general store 2, salvisa
- redi mart 40, harrodsburg
Super Store · 2
- kroger #l-00363 l363, harrodsburg
- walmart supercenter 519, harrodsburg
Small Grocery Store · 1
- c&t food mart, harrodsburg
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Kentucky
Compare Mercer County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →
Food access nationally, Kentucky in context
Mercer County sits inside Kentucky (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Mercer County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Mercer County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Mercer County? ▼
Is Mercer County a food desert? ▼
What share of Mercer County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.