County food-access profile · North Carolina
Onslow County, NC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Onslow 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).
- 38.9%
- low-access pop.
- 8
- food-desert tracts
- 12.1%
- on SNAP
- 208K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
38.9% of Onslow County residents live in a low-access area, and 8 of its 31 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 18
- low-access tracts
- 26K
- food-desert residents
- 4.3%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.6%
- 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).
USDA data puts Onslow County's low-access share at 38.9%, above the national share. 18 of the county's 31 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 69,209 people. 8 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 25,795 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 Onslow County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Onslow County's 38.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 86% of them and ranked #444 most-affected nationwide.
Onslow County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 31 census tracts in Onslow County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Onslow County vs. other North Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in North Carolina
- Onslow
Onslow County, NC
38.9 % low-access
- Alamance
Alamance County, NC
25 % low-access
- Alexander
Alexander County, NC
20.4 % low-access
- Alleghany 4.3
Alleghany County, NC
4.3 % low-access
- Anson 8.4
Anson County, NC
8.4 % low-access
- Ashe
Ashe County, NC
22.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 31 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 177,772 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 18 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 8 |
| Low-Access Population | 69,209 |
| Low-Access Share | 38.9%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 25,795 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 207,906 |
| Median Household Income | $68,148 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.6%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,138 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.1%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.3%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 10.4% |
About 12.1% of Onslow County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 38.9% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 9,138 households here.
- 4.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 8 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 Onslow County
above the national share
8 of Onslow County's 31 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 25.8% of all its tracts.
A further 10 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 18.
An estimated 69,209 residents, roughly 38.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 25,795 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 13 tracts (41.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Onslow County
Onslow County has 138 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 57 locations (41% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 57
- big als country mart, maple hill
- blue creek mini mart, jacksonville
- boost up jv llc, richlands
- bp, jacksonville
- circle k store 8221, jacksonville
- carniceria el dorado, jacksonville
- circle k 2704488, holly ridge
- circle k 2704577, jacksonville
- circle k 2704589, jacksonville
- circle k 2706623, jacksonville
- circle k 2709205, jacksonville
- circle k 2720825, jacksonville
- circle k 2720930, jacksonville
- circle k 2723075, jacksonville
- circle k 2723126, midway park
- circle k store 8216, jacksonville
- dempseys kwik mart, jacksonville
- flowers bakery outlet 410, jacksonville
- hoffmans grocery, richlands
- han-dee hugo's 33, jacksonville
- handy mart 4707, sneads ferry
- handy mart 4709, jacksonville
- handy mart 4712, jacksonville
- handy mart 4715, jacksonville
- handy mart 4716, swansboro
- handy mart 4729, jacksonville
- handy mart 4731, jacksonville
- handy mart 4734, jacksonville
- j & n grocery, richlands
- marine whizz mart 4, jacksonville
- minuteman food mart 215, surf city
- minuteman food mart 222, jacksonville
- minuteman food mart 224, jacksonville
- minuteman food mart 44, hubert
- murphy express 8569, jacksonville
- murphy usa 7881, jacksonville
- one stop shop, jacksonville
- reada mini mart, midway park
- reid's mini market, hubert
- scotchman 3045, richlands
- scotchman 3139, hubert
- scotchman 3149, holly ridge
- speedway 7941, jacksonville
- speedway 7945, swansboro
- speedway 7952, richlands
- speedway 7954, richlands
- speedway 8181, jacksonville
- speedway 8182, jacksonville
- speedway 8226, jacksonville
- speedway 8289, jacksonville
- speedway 8657, sneads ferry
- speedway 8659, holly ridge
- verona quick mart 0, jacksonville
- wawa store 6107, jacksonville
- western mart, jacksonville
- whizz mart gum branch 1, jacksonville
- wili's mini mart, midway park
Combination Grocery/Other · 42
- cvs pharmacy 5585, jacksonville
- cvs pharmacy 5594, jacksonville
- cvs pharmacy 7550, sneads ferry
- cvs/pharmacy 11349, swansboro
- dollar general 0869, swansboro
- dollar general 1832, jacksonville
- dollar general 4395, jacksonville
- dollar general 4396, jacksonville
- dollar general 6719, hubert
- dollar general 6866, richlands
- dollar general 9033, sneads ferry
- dollar tree 2531, jacksonville
- dollartree 9612, jacksonville
- dollar general 15720, jacksonville
- dollar general 16912, holly ridge
- dollar general 17727, sneads ferry
- dollar general 17839, peletier
- dollar general 20173, hubert
- dollar general 21116, holly ridge
- dollar general 24562, jacksonville
- dollar general 24974, midway park
- dollar general 25111, jacksonville
- dollar general 30588, jacksonville
- dollar general 3869, jacksonville
- dollar tree 291, jacksonville
- dollar tree 4906, jacksonville
- dollar tree 5359, sneads ferry
- dollar tree 6347, swansboro
- dollar tree 7827, richlands
- family dollar 11669, jacksonville
- family dollar 11872, jacksonville
- family dollar 3526, jacksonville
- family dollar 8764, jacksonville
- family dollar store 10479, hubert
- family dollar store 342, jacksonville
- mynichi services, inc., jacksonville
- oriental market, jacksonville
- roses 213, jacksonville
- walgreen 09348, jacksonville
- walgreens 07748, jacksonville
- walgreens 10436, swansboro
- walgreens 12133, jacksonville
Supermarket · 16
- aldi 80020, jacksonville
- aldi 80054, jacksonville
- food lion 1275, richlands
- food lion 146, jacksonville
- food lion 1494, jacksonville
- food lion 1495, jacksonville
- food lion 167, jacksonville
- food lion 349, jacksonville
- food lion 401, sneads ferry
- food lion 683, swansboro
- food lion 775, jacksonville
- lowes food store 181, cape carteret
- lowes foods 260, jacksonville
- piggly wiggly 21, jacksonville
- piggly wiggly 22, maysville
- publix north carolina 1660, jacksonville
Super Store · 9
- piggly wiggly 46, swansboro
- piggly wiggly 57, richlands
- sam's club 6573, jacksonville
- target store 1226, jacksonville
- walmart neighborhood market 7137, jacksonville
- walmart supercenter 1298, jacksonville
- walmart supercenter 3864, jacksonville
- walmart supercenter 7009, richlands
- walmart supercenter 7179, swansboro
Seafood Specialty · 5
- bright's seafood, jacksonville
- midgett & sons crab company, sneads ferry
- phillips seafood, swansboro
- seafood center, jacksonville
- southern breeze seafood, jacksonville
Small Grocery Store · 3
- asian market llc corporation 1, jacksonville
- la superior hispanic store, richlands
- we mehm asian market, jacksonville
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- riggs pork market #1, maysville
- richlands cajun market, richlands
Military Commissary · 2
- camp lejeune mcb commissary 2902, camp lejeune
- new river mcas commissary 2920, jacksonville
Farmers' Market · 1
- onslow county farmers market, jacksonville
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- double r farm market, maple hill
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in North Carolina
Compare Onslow County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, North Carolina in context
Onslow County sits inside North Carolina (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 Onslow County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Onslow County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Onslow County? ▼
Is Onslow County a food desert? ▼
What share of Onslow 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.