PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Pennsylvania

Northumberland County, PA

Most of Northumberland County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

6.6%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
15.6%
on SNAP
91K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 PA

The food-access picture

6.6% of Northumberland County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 24 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
9.2%
households, no vehicle
12.6%
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).

By the USDA's measure, Northumberland County fares better than most: just 6.6% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 3 of the county's 24 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 6,223 people who live far from a supermarket, and 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,125 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 Northumberland County compares nationally

Food access in Northumberland County compares favorably nationally: its 6.6% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 13% of them (rank #2,726).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Northumberland County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 24 census tracts in Northumberland 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 Northumberland County, PA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 21 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 24 tracts evaluated. 21 tracts adequate (87.5%) 2 tracts limited (8.3%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (4.2%) Adequate 88% Limited 8% Severe 4% Food-access tier distribution: Northumberland County, PA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Northumberland 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 Northumberland County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts24
Atlas Population (2010 basis)94,528
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population6,223
Low-Access Share6.6%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,125

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Northumberland County
IndicatorValue
Population90,560
Median Household Income$60,583
Poverty Rate12.6%below the national average
SNAP Households5,909
SNAP Participation Rate15.6%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle9.2%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.1%
SNAP participation in Northumberland County 15.6%

About 15.6% of Northumberland County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 6.6% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 15.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,909 households here.
  • 9.2% 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 Northumberland County

below the national share

1 of Northumberland County's 24 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 4.2% 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 6,223 residents, roughly 6.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,125 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 21 tracts (87.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Northumberland County

Northumberland County has 79 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 35 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 35

  • 7-eleven 40157h, sunbury
  • 7-eleven 40413h, montandon
  • 7-eleven store 40415a, herndon
  • 7-eleven store #40401a 40401a, sunbury
  • 7-eleven store #40402a 40402a, milton
  • 7-eleven store 40405b, northumberland
  • 7-eleven store 40406a, milton
  • agam convenience llc, shamokin
  • fairview country farm, milton
  • j r's mini mart, coal township
  • kulpmont brothers, kulpmont
  • matrushree llc, northumberland
  • nilkanth225 llc, shamokin
  • penn jersey food 1, shamokin
  • penn jersey food mart, shamokin
  • penn jersey food mart, coal township
  • penn jersey food mart #2, sunbury
  • penn jersey food mart 3, mount carmel
  • rutter's 106, milton
  • saanchi llc, watsontown
  • sheetz 216, elysburg
  • sunoco, ranshaw
  • turkey hill minit market 950191, mount carmel
  • turkey hill minit market 950199, turbotville
  • turkey hill minit market 950207, elysburg
  • turkey hill minit markets 950129, kulpmont
  • turkey hill minit markets 950133, mount carmel
  • turkey hill minit markets 950135, shamokin
  • turkey hill minit markets 950184, shamokin
  • turkey hill minit markets 950208, milton
  • turkey hill minit markets 950225, sunbury
  • watson mart, watsontown
  • wawa store 8197, coal township
  • wawa store 8201, sunbury
  • zach's south front st, sunbury

Combination Grocery/Other · 21

  • cvs pharmacy 1575, northumberland
  • cvs pharmacy 1592, sunbury
  • cvs pharmacy 1606, milton
  • cvs pharmacy 1607, mount carmel
  • cvs pharmacy 1894, shamokin
  • dollar general 3455, milton
  • dollar general 8375, coal township
  • dal-hern pharmacy, herndon
  • dollar general 0398, shamokin
  • dollar general 10003, shamokin
  • dollar general 14923, turbotville
  • dollar general 21107, montandon
  • dollar general 22989, mount carmel
  • dollar general 2755, mount carmel
  • dollar general 31517, sunbury
  • dollar general 6569, northumberland
  • dollar general 6978, watsontown
  • dollar general 8723, elysburg
  • dollar general store 17875, sunbury
  • dollar tree 2853, coal township
  • family dollar store 3684, sunbury

Supermarket · 8

  • aldi 60102, coal township
  • ashi's grocery store 3, watsontown
  • boyer's food market inc 3556, mount carmel
  • surplus outlet, northumberland
  • weis markets 21, sunbury
  • weis markets 36, sunbury
  • weis markets 4, shamokin
  • weis markets 7, milton

Medium Grocery Store · 6

  • angies market 1, trevorton
  • anthracite provision co. inc., coal township
  • massers farm market, llc, paxinos
  • ridgeview foods llc, herndon
  • sensenig produce, danville
  • wholesale food outlet, mount carmel

Small Grocery Store · 4

  • farmhouse market, milton
  • las brisas mini-mart, sunbury
  • mount carmel one stop shop 1, mount carmel
  • tharptown general store, coal township

Large Grocery Store · 3

  • crest haven farm market, danville
  • irish pot of gold meat market, coal township
  • turbotville great valu, turbotville

Farmers' Market · 1

  • sunbury market house, sunbury

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 2481, coal township

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 Northumberland County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →

Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context

Northumberland 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 Northumberland County has low food access? ▼
6.6% of residents in Northumberland 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 Northumberland County? ▼
15.6% of households in Northumberland County receive SNAP, covering 5,909 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Northumberland County? ▼
The poverty rate in Northumberland County, PA is 12.6%, with a median household income of $60,583 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Northumberland County a food desert? ▼
1 of Northumberland County's 24 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 Northumberland County households lack a vehicle? ▼
9.2% of households in Northumberland 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.