County food-access profile · Virginia
Northumberland County, VA
Northumberland 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.
- 9.3%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 6.6%
- on SNAP
- 12K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
9.3% of Northumberland County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 259
- food-desert residents
- 4.1%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.5%
- 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).
Northumberland County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 9.3% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 3 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 1,150 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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
Northumberland County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 9.3% low-access share that beats 19% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,542).
Northumberland County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 3 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).
Northumberland County vs. other Virginia counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Virginia
- Northumberland
Northumberland County, VA
9.3 % 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 | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 12,330 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,150 |
| Low-Access Share | 9.3%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 259 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 12,188 |
| Median Household Income | $66,480 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.5%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 371 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.6%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.1%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | N/A |
About 6.6% of Northumberland County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 9.3% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 6.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 371 households here.
- 4.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $66,480 with a 11.5% poverty rate.
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
near the national share
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 1.
An estimated 1,150 residents, roughly 9.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 259 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 2 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Northumberland County
Northumberland County has 15 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 7 locations (47% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- dollar general 11400, callao
- dollar general 11686, burgess
- dollar general 24738, heathsville
- dollar general 25865, heathsville
- family dollar 13238, burgess
- family dollar 13521, callao
- walgreens 18087, callao
Convenience Store · 5
- corner market, wicomico church
- e & c enterprises va649, heathsville
- e & c enterprises va650, burgess
- fas mart 91, lottsburg
- urbanna c store llc, heathsville
Seafood Specialty · 1
- baughan seafood, lottsburg
Small Grocery Store · 1
- jeffs country market, heathsville
Supermarket · 1
- food lion 1148, heathsville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Virginia
Compare Northumberland County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Food access nationally, Virginia in context
Northumberland County 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 Northumberland County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Northumberland County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Northumberland County? ▼
Is Northumberland County a food desert? ▼
What share of Northumberland 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.