Signature · 0.6% low-access (3rd pct)
Nicholas County, KY
Nicholas County lands in the lower national band on low-access (0.6%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 0.6%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 15.5%
- on SNAP
- 8K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Nicholas County, KY
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ADEQUATE 0.6% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -21.5 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.5% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 11.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Bracken County (+ 0.0 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Nicholas County lands in the lower national band (0.6%, #3,042 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #3,042
- national by low-access %
- #105
- in KY
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 21
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 0.6% low-access (3rd pct) (-21.5 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Nicholas County compares nationally
Food access in Nicholas County compares favorably nationally: its 0.6% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 3% of them (rank #3,042).
Nicholas County's lower-band USDA tier split
2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 2 of Nicholas 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.
Nicholas County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Kentucky, not a full county-board reprint
- Robertson
Robertson 74.8%
74.8 % low-access
- Shelby 0.7
Shelby 0.7%
0.7 % low-access
- Nicholas 0.6
Nicholas 0.6%
0.6 % low-access
- Bracken 0.6
Bracken 0.6%
0.6 % low-access
- Pendleton 0.6
Pendleton 0.6%
0.6 % low-access
- Rockcastle 0.5
Rockcastle 0.5%
0.5 % low-access
- Ballard 0
Ballard 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 2 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 7,135 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 42 |
| Low-Access Share | 0.6%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 21 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 7,708 |
| Median Household Income | $59,531 |
| Poverty Rate | 17.6%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 430 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.5%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 11.4%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.2% |
SNAP retailers in Nicholas County
Nicholas County has 10 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 4 locations (40% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
All 10 authorized stores are in Carlisle, 1 of them grocery-grade (supermarket or large/medium grocery).
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 2210, carlisle
- dollar general 30762, carlisle
- dollar general 30847, carlisle
- family dollar 6895, carlisle
Convenience Store · 4
- carlisle 1st stop 103, carlisle
- ians market 128, carlisle
- ians market 129, carlisle
- shiv 2015, carlisle
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- bourbon barrel beef, carlisle
Supermarket · 1
- save a lot carlisle 21599, carlisle
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Kentucky
One of 119 counties in Kentucky, 6 are shown here.
Compare Nicholas County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →
Kentucky among East South Central states
Kentucky ranks 4th of 4 East South Central states by population-weighted low-access (19.8%). Nicholas County, at 0.6%, runs 19.2 pts below the Kentucky rate.
- Tennessee 27.2%
- Mississippi 26.4%
- Alabama 24.5%
- Kentucky 19.8%
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 Nicholas County, KY are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 21181. 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.