County food-access profile · Virginia
Norfolk city, VA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Norfolk city residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 20.6%
- low-access pop.
- 16
- food-desert tracts
- 17.0%
- on SNAP
- 234K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
20.6% of Norfolk city residents live in a low-access area, and 16 of its 79 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 25
- low-access tracts
- 20K
- food-desert residents
- 11.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.5%
- 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).
USDA data puts Norfolk city's low-access share at 20.6%, above the national share. 25 of the county's 79 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 49,969 people. 16 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 19,766 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 Norfolk city compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Norfolk city's 20.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 48% of them and ranked #1,638 most-affected nationwide.
Norfolk city: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 79 census tracts in Norfolk city, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Norfolk city vs. other Virginia counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Virginia
- Norfolk city
Norfolk city, VA
20.6 % low-access
- Accomack 2.2
Accomack County, VA
2.2 % low-access
- Albemarle
Albemarle County, VA
11.9 % low-access
- Alexandria city 0
Alexandria city, VA
0 % low-access
- Alleghany
Alleghany County, VA
16.4 % low-access
- Amelia
Amelia County, VA
16.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 79 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 242,803 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 25 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 16 |
| Low-Access Population | 49,969 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.6%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 19,766 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 233,596 |
| Median Household Income | $66,109 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 16,170 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 17.0%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 11.5%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 8.4% |
About 17.0% of Norfolk city households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 20.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 17.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 16,170 households here.
- 11.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 16 tracts 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 Norfolk city
above the national share
16 of Norfolk city's 79 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 20.3% of all its tracts.
A further 9 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 25.
An estimated 49,969 residents, roughly 20.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 19,766 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 54 tracts (68.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Norfolk city
Norfolk city has 177 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 97 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 97
- 7 star food & convenience inc, norfolk
- 7-11.inc 27188 b, norfolk
- 7-eleven 10803j, norfolk
- 7-eleven 20485, norfolk
- 7-eleven 21017, norfolk
- 7-eleven 23345j, norfolk
- 7-eleven 24025j, norfolk
- 7-eleven 35655h, norfolk
- 7-eleven 35772c, norfolk
- 7-eleven 36813h, norfolk
- 7-eleven 36873t, norfolk
- 7-eleven 36998j, norfolk
- 7-eleven 37219a, norfolk
- 7-eleven 39586, norfolk
- 7-eleven inc f 10802a, norfolk
- 7-eleven inc f 10806a, norfolk
- 7-eleven inc f 33387a, norfolk
- 7-eleven inc f 33653a, norfolk
- 7-eleven store 19119j, norfolk
- 7-eleven store 24641j, norfolk
- 7-eleven, inc. 18160j, norfolk
- 7-eleven, inc. 23151j, norfolk
- 7-eleven 10811b 10811b, norfolk
- 7-eleven 16170d 16170d, norfolk
- 7-eleven 16672a 16672a, norfolk
- 7-eleven 19108b, norfolk
- 7-eleven 22667b 22667b, norfolk
- 7-eleven 24624b 24624b, norfolk
- 7-eleven 25925b 25925b, norfolk
- 7-eleven 33533b, norfolk
- 7-eleven 35685, norfolk
- 7-eleven 36463b 36463b, norfolk
- 7-eleven 36467b 36463b, norfolk
- 7-eleven 37272a, norfolk
- 7-eleven 37629a, norfolk
- airport quick mart, norfolk
- airport shell, norfolk
- azalea food mart, norfolk
- citgo mart, norfolk
- dodge store 8301, norfolk
- express and tobacco food mart, norfolk
- fastrack citgo, norfolk
- freedom food mart 10, norfolk
- freedom food mart 11, norfolk
- freedom food mart 12, norfolk
- freedom food mart 9, norfolk
- global montello group corp. 562, norfolk
- goodtimes mini mart, norfolk
- granby bistro & deli, norfolk
- happy shopper 19, norfolk
- harit shell station, norfolk
- holiday food mart, norfolk
- jr market 6, norfolk
- jr market 168, norfolk
- love food mart 10, norfolk
- love food mart 12, norfolk
- love food mart 14, norfolk
- love food mart 6, norfolk
- miller's 571, norfolk
- old dominion university, norfolk
- one stop shop, norfolk
- park avenue market, norfolk
- pulperia latina, norfolk
- quick stop foods, norfolk
- quick serve food store, norfolk
- riverview shell, norfolk
- royal farms 317, norfolk
- royal farms 471, norfolk
- sewells point convenience, norfolk
- shivya 2 inc, norfolk
- shop n go 1, norfolk
- shop n go iv, norfolk
- subtrack foodmart, norfolk
- tienda latina genesis, norfolk
- tiendita latinos unidos latin store 7579040356, norfolk
- tinee giant 128, norfolk
- tinee giant 221, norfolk
- tinee giant 223, norfolk
- tinee giant citgo 147, norfolk
- tinee giant citgo 157, norfolk
- tinee giant citgo 172, norfolk
- tinee giant citgo 249, norfolk
- tinee giant citgo 351, norfolk
- tinee giant citgo 352, norfolk
- tinee giant citgo 355, norfolk
- trinidad latin store llc 1, norfolk
- wawa 8628, norfolk
- watergate 5 foodmart, norfolk
- watergate 7 food mart, norfolk
- watergate food mart, norfolk
- watergate food mart 4, norfolk
- watergate2, norfolk
- wawa 8633, norfolk
- wawa 8645, norfolk
- wawa food market 8604, norfolk
- wawa food market 8606, norfolk
- wawa store 8661, norfolk,
Combination Grocery/Other · 39
- cvs 10021, norfolk
- cvs 1826, norfolk
- cvs 6146, norfolk
- cvs pharmacy 3048, norfolk
- cvs pharmacy 3521, norfolk
- cvs pharmacy 6403, norfolk
- dollar general 31, norfolk
- dollartree 6374, norfolk
- dollartree 8174, norfolk
- dollar general 16503, norfolk
- dollar general 19317, norfolk
- dollar general 19318, norfolk
- dollar general 19319, norfolk
- dollar general 19638, norfolk
- dollar general 4125, norfolk
- dollar general 7263, norfolk
- dollar general 8134, norfolk
- dollar tree 1144, norfolk
- dollar tree 2123, norfolk
- dollar tree 333, norfolk
- dollar tree 377, norfolk
- dollar tree 4976, norfolk
- dollar tree 7377, norfolk
- dollar tree 8532, norfolk
- dollar tree 864, norfolk
- family dollar 12275, norfolk
- family dollar 600, norfolk
- family dollar 8816, norfolk
- family dollar store 2577, norfolk
- family dollar store 5029, norfolk
- family dollar store 5524, norfolk
- family dollar store 5863, norfolk
- family dollar store 7222, norfolk
- family dollar store 7889, norfolk
- walgreens 07117, norfolk
- walgreens 07588, norfolk
- walgreens 07644, norfolk
- walgreens 04924, norfolk
- walgreens 5876, norfolk
Supermarket · 16
- aldi 37, norfolk
- aldi 60, norfolk
- aldi 80059, norfolk
- berkley supermarket, norfolk
- food lion 1188, norfolk
- food lion 1416, norfolk
- food lion 1629, norfolk
- food lion 1658, norfolk
- food lion 195, norfolk
- food lion 201, norfolk
- food lion 557, norfolk
- food lion 752, norfolk
- piggly wiggly 5280, norfolk
- royal bazaar 1, norfolk
- save a lot, norfolk
- the fresh market 198, norfolk
Super Store · 11
- b js wholesale club 180, norfolk
- costco wholesale 0202, norfolk
- harris teeter 378, norfolk
- harris teeter 407, norfolk
- harris teeter 461, norfolk
- lidl 1103, norfolk
- target store 1048, norfolk
- walmart 5488, norfolk
- walmart neighborhood market 5755, norfolk
- walmart neighborhood market 6798, norfolk
- walmart supercenter 1811, norfolk
Medium Grocery Store · 6
- food mart, norfolk
- halal grocery n/a, norfolk
- labotica hispana, norfolk
- nikko's tindahan oriental, norfolk
- organic food depot, norfolk
- watergate food mart 3, norfolk
Small Grocery Store · 3
- lempira latin store, norfolk
- lempira latin store 3 7579041204, norfolk
- m p international grocery, norfolk
Farmers' Market · 2
- black farmers marketplace, norfolk
- community harvest farmers market, norfolk
Military Commissary · 2
- little creek commissary 2817, virginia beach
- norfolk naval station commissary 2821, norfolk
Seafood Specialty · 1
- george's seafood, norfolk
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Virginia
Compare Norfolk city vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Food access nationally, Virginia in context
Norfolk city sits inside Virginia (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 Norfolk city has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Norfolk city? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Norfolk city? ▼
Is Norfolk city a food desert? ▼
What share of Norfolk city 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.