PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Pennsylvania

Mifflin County, PA

Mifflin 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.

19.6%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
17.0%
on SNAP
46K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 PA

The food-access picture

19.6% of Mifflin County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
10.1%
households, no vehicle
16.2%
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).

Mifflin County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.6% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 12 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 9,135 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,240 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 Mifflin County compares nationally

Mifflin County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.6% low-access share that beats 45% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,715).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Mifflin County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Mifflin 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 Mifflin County, PA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (75.0%) 2 tracts limited (16.7%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (8.3%) Adequate 75% Limited 17% Severe 8% Food-access tier distribution: Mifflin County, PA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Mifflin 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 Mifflin County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)46,682
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population9,135
Low-Access Share19.6%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,240

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Mifflin County
IndicatorValue
Population46,041
Median Household Income$63,953
Poverty Rate16.2%above the national average
SNAP Households3,151
SNAP Participation Rate17.0%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle10.1%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.5%
SNAP participation in Mifflin County 17.0%

About 17.0% of Mifflin County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 19.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 17.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,151 households here.
  • 10.1% 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 Mifflin County

near the national share

1 of Mifflin County's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 8.3% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 9,135 residents, roughly 19.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,240 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (75.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Mifflin County

Mifflin County has 45 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 23 locations (51% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 23

  • a & r mini mart, llc, lewistown
  • am pm mini mart, lewistown
  • aplus 40162h, lewistown
  • g quick stop, lewistown
  • harry's kwik mart no, lewistown
  • mcveytown market, mcveytown
  • nittany minit mart 229, mcveytown
  • nittany minit mart 230, lewistown
  • nittany minit mart 232, lewistown
  • nittany minit mart 238, reedsville
  • nittany minit mart 339, mount union
  • nittany minit mart 340, belleville
  • riverfront store, newton hamilton
  • rutter's 96, milroy
  • savenfill, belleville
  • sheetz 158, lewistown
  • sheetz 576, burnham
  • sheetz 583, reedsville
  • snappy's 14, lewistown
  • the old country store, milroy
  • the point store, mc clure
  • top star express 133, mcclure
  • zom & rab deli llc, lewistown

Combination Grocery/Other · 12

  • cvs pharmacy 1677, lewistown
  • cvs pharmacy 1687, burnham
  • dollar general 0673, lewistown
  • dollar general 8526, burnham
  • dollar general 9249, belleville
  • dollar general 15767, mcveytown
  • dollar general 20859, lewistown
  • dollar general 21649, mcclure
  • dollar general 23038, lewistown
  • dollar general 9586, milroy
  • dollar tree 177, burnham
  • dollar tree 2337, lewistown

Supermarket · 4

  • aldi 69066, burnham
  • giant food store 6025, lewistown
  • giant food store 6055, burnham
  • weis markets 35, burnham

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • klingler produce, burnham
  • wilsons meats & groceries inc, lewistown

Super Store · 2

  • sharp shopper inc/sharp shopper grocery outlet 5, belleville
  • walmart supercenter 1607, lewistown

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • peights store 1, belleville

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • peachey foods & locker llc, belleville

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 Mifflin County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →

Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context

Mifflin 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 Mifflin County has low food access? ▼
19.6% of residents in Mifflin 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 Mifflin County? ▼
17.0% of households in Mifflin County receive SNAP, covering 3,151 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Mifflin County? ▼
The poverty rate in Mifflin County, PA is 16.2%, with a median household income of $63,953 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Mifflin County a food desert? ▼
1 of Mifflin County's 12 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Mifflin County households lack a vehicle? ▼
10.1% of households in Mifflin 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.