PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Kentucky

Pike County, KY

Most of Pike 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).

0.1%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
20.4%
on SNAP
57K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KY

The food-access picture

0.1% of Pike County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.

0
low-access tracts
38
food-desert residents
9.0%
households, no vehicle
24.4%
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, Pike County fares better than most: just 0.1% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 0 of the county's 19 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 92 people who live far from a supermarket, and 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 Pike County compares nationally

Food access in Pike County compares favorably nationally: its 0.1% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 2% of them (rank #3,079).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Pike County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 19 census tracts in Pike 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 Pike County, KY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 19 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 19 tracts evaluated. 19 tracts adequate (100.0%) Adequate 100% Limited 0% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Pike County, KY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Pike County vs. other Kentucky counties

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

% 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 Pike County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts19
Atlas Population (2010 basis)65,024
Low-Access Tracts0
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population92
Low-Access Share0.1%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population38

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Pike County
IndicatorValue
Population56,727
Median Household Income$44,312
Poverty Rate24.4%well above the national average
SNAP Households4,957
SNAP Participation Rate20.4%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle9.0%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.4%
SNAP participation in Pike County 20.4%

About 20.4% of Pike County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 0.1% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 20.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,957 households here.
  • 9.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • Median household income is $44,312 with a 24.4% 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 Pike County

below the national share

An estimated 92 residents, roughly 0.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 38 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 19 tracts (100.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

None of Pike County's tracts meet the USDA low-access threshold, so the county is not flagged for a food-access gap in the 2019 Atlas.

SNAP retailers in Pike County

Pike County has 76 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 32 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 32

  • 7-eleven 35925h, belfry
  • belfry double kwik 2014, belfry
  • caney double kwik 2011, pikeville
  • chloe double kwik 2010, pikeville
  • elkhorn city double kwik 2006, elkhorn city
  • goody double kwik 2032, south williamson
  • hillbillys, llc, virgie
  • justiceville double kwik 2060, pikeville
  • jiffy stop, elkhorn city
  • l & m mart inc, kimper
  • marrowbone double kwik 2005, regina
  • mays grocery, pikeville
  • murphy usa 7277, pikeville
  • north mayo double kwik 2053, pikeville
  • phelps double kwik 2018, phelps
  • phelps one stop, phelps
  • pit stop express, dorton
  • par mar store 233, freeburn
  • pikeville double kwik 2050, pikeville
  • pond creek grocery, mcandrews
  • quick stop 3 0, elkhorn city
  • rebel 888, belfry
  • south mayo double kwik 2052 2052, pikeville
  • speedway 9620, pikeville
  • the extra mile 501, pikeville
  • the extra mile 506 506, south williamson
  • the extra mile 508 508, pikeville
  • the extra mile llc 502, sidney
  • the extra mile llc 505, pikeville
  • virgie double kwik 2019 2019, virgie
  • zebulon double kwik 2034, pikeville
  • zip zone express 006, south williamson

Combination Grocery/Other · 26

  • cvs pharmacy 6340, south williamson
  • dollar general 18591, kimper
  • dollar general 2654, elkhorn city
  • dollar general 7113, pikeville
  • dollar general 7367, phelps
  • dollar general 10480, pikeville
  • dollar general 12338, dorton
  • dollar general 19848, pikeville
  • dollar general 22750, elkhorn city
  • dollar general 23779, mouthcard
  • dollar general 24252, pikeville
  • dollar general 24457, virgie
  • dollar general 30280, phelps
  • dollar general 30504, huddy
  • dollar general 9838, belfry
  • dollar tree 1847, pikeville
  • dollar tree 441, south williamson
  • family dollar 10595, mouthcard
  • family dollar 11281, pikeville
  • family dollar 11805, pikeville
  • family dollar store 10801, virgie
  • family dollar store 1318, mc carr
  • family dollar store 3353, pikeville
  • family dollar store 4502, phelps
  • family dollar store 4649, south williamson
  • family dollar store 5064, pikeville

Supermarket · 12

  • food city 425, s williamson
  • food city 458, pikeville
  • food city 475, pikeville
  • food city gas n go express 3458, pikeville
  • houchens save a lot 421, pikeville
  • justice quality foods 001, mccarr
  • justice quality foods 002, regina
  • pikeville fresh market, pikeville
  • super dollar 2446, pikeville
  • save a lot phelps 45108, phelps
  • save a lot south williamson 23506, goody
  • save a lot virgie 25000, virgie

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • justice quality foods 003, pikeville
  • quick market #1, pikeville

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • reynolds produce mkt inc, pikeville
  • sycamore general mercantile, llc, ashcamp

Super Store · 2

  • walmart 1505, pikeville
  • walmart supercenter 2548, south williamson

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Kentucky

Adair County
6.5% low-access · 16.9% SNAP
Allen County
21.7% low-access · 14.1% SNAP
Anderson County
7.8% low-access · 7.5% SNAP
Ballard County
0.0% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Barren County
15.5% low-access · 16.3% SNAP
Bath County
1.7% low-access · 19.6% SNAP

Compare Pike County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →

Food access nationally, Kentucky in context

Pike County sits inside Kentucky (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 Pike County has low food access? ▼
0.1% of residents in Pike County, KY 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 Pike County? ▼
20.4% of households in Pike County receive SNAP, covering 4,957 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Pike County? ▼
The poverty rate in Pike County, KY is 24.4%, with a median household income of $44,312 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Pike County a food desert? ▼
0 of Pike County's 19 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). No tracts here meet both conditions in the 2019 Atlas.
What share of Pike County households lack a vehicle? ▼
9.0% of households in Pike 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.