PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · West Virginia

Ohio County, WV

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Ohio County 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).

21.1%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
18.5%
on SNAP
42K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 WV

The food-access picture

21.1% of Ohio County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 18 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
12.0%
households, no vehicle
17.7%
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 Ohio County's low-access share at 21.1%, above the national share. 6 of the county's 18 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 9,365 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,905 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 Ohio County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Ohio County's 21.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 49% of them and ranked #1,597 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Ohio County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 18 census tracts in Ohio 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 Ohio County, WV USDA-defined food-access tiers: 12 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 18 tracts evaluated. 12 tracts adequate (66.7%) 5 tracts limited (27.8%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (5.6%) Adequate 67% Limited 28% Severe 6% Food-access tier distribution: Ohio County, WV
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Ohio County vs. other West Virginia counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in West Virginia

% 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 Ohio County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts18
Atlas Population (2010 basis)44,443
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population9,365
Low-Access Share21.1%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,905

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Ohio County
IndicatorValue
Population41,582
Median Household Income$57,094
Poverty Rate17.7%above the national average
SNAP Households3,393
SNAP Participation Rate18.5%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle12.0%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population5.2%
SNAP participation in Ohio County 18.5%

About 18.5% of Ohio County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 21.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 18.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,393 households here.
  • 12.0% 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 Ohio County

above the national share

1 of Ohio County's 18 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 5.6% of all its tracts.

A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.

An estimated 9,365 residents, roughly 21.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,905 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 12 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Ohio County

Ohio County has 45 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 22 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 22

  • 7-eleven 36166, wheeling
  • appalachian homestead, wheeling
  • bfs foods 21, wheeling
  • bethany pike carryout & more, wheeling
  • butch's corner, wheeling
  • cfm 37, wheeling
  • cfm express 600, triadelphia
  • coen 1701, triadelphia
  • convenient food mart, wheeling
  • neelys grocery, wheeling
  • paradise food mart, wheeling
  • sheetz 362, wheeling
  • sheetz 650, triadelphia
  • smith oil #207, wheeling
  • stateline grocery & hot spot, valley grove
  • ta wheeling 032, valley grove
  • valley cheese company, wheeling
  • wv chapel 2 inc, wheeling
  • wv national 1243, wheeling
  • wv national 831 inc, wheeling
  • wv warwood 2110 inc, wheeling
  • wheeling food mart, wheeling

Combination Grocery/Other · 12

  • cvs pharmacy 6278, wheeling
  • dollar general 14716, wheeling
  • dollar general 12064, wheeling
  • dollar general 2457, wheeling
  • dollar tree 7291, wheeling
  • dollar tree 8556, wheeling
  • family dollar 12290, west liberty
  • family dollar store 1884, warwood
  • family dollar store 3445, wheeling
  • family dollar store 5755, wheeling
  • union fish market inc, wheeling
  • walgreens 17319, wheeling

Super Store · 4

  • kroger 202, wheeling
  • kroger 562, wheeling
  • target 2231, triadelphia
  • walmart 5088, triadelphia

Supermarket · 3

  • jebbias market inc, wheeling
  • riesbeck's food markets 5, wheeling
  • warwood save a lot 24699, wheeling

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • miklas meat market, inc, wheeling
  • the public market, wheeling

Farmers' Market · 1

  • warwood farmers market, wheeling

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • duggers market, wheeling

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in West Virginia

Barbour County
11.4% low-access · 19.5% SNAP
Berkeley County
38.8% low-access · 11.6% SNAP
Boone County
6.6% low-access · 22.0% SNAP
Braxton County
18.3% low-access · 22.0% SNAP
Brooke County
16.9% low-access · 14.1% SNAP
Cabell County
8.3% low-access · 16.7% SNAP

Compare Ohio County vs Barbour County → · All West Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, West Virginia in context

Ohio County sits inside West Virginia (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 Ohio County has low food access? ▼
21.1% of residents in Ohio County, WV 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 Ohio County? ▼
18.5% of households in Ohio County receive SNAP, covering 3,393 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Ohio County? ▼
The poverty rate in Ohio County, WV is 17.7%, with a median household income of $57,094 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Ohio County a food desert? ▼
1 of Ohio County's 18 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 Ohio County households lack a vehicle? ▼
12.0% of households in Ohio 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.