PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Mississippi

Pike County, MS

Pike 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.

10.5%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
18.2%
on SNAP
40K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MS

The food-access picture

10.5% of Pike County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
5.8%
households, no vehicle
27.1%
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).

Pike County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 10.5% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 8 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 4,233 residents who live far from a supermarket. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,305 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 Pike County compares nationally

Pike County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.5% low-access share that beats 22% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,457).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Pike County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 8 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, MS USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 8 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (50.0%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (50.0%) Adequate 50% Limited 0% Severe 50% Food-access tier distribution: Pike County, MS
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Pike County vs. other Mississippi counties

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

% 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 Tracts8
Atlas Population (2010 basis)40,404
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population4,233
Low-Access Share10.5%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,305

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Pike County
IndicatorValue
Population39,602
Median Household Income$43,814
Poverty Rate27.1%well above the national average
SNAP Households2,726
SNAP Participation Rate18.2%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.8%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.9%
SNAP participation in Pike County 18.2%

About 18.2% of Pike County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 10.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 18.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,726 households here.
  • 5.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Pike County

near the national share

4 of Pike County's 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 50.0% of all its tracts.

An estimated 4,233 residents, roughly 10.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,305 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 4 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Pike County

Pike County has 61 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (51% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 31

  • 4 way-2, magnolia
  • 4 way quick stop, summit
  • a&a empire llc, mccomb
  • b-kwik 11, mccomb
  • b-kwik 4, mccomb
  • bluesky 223, mccomb
  • bluesky 291, mccomb
  • broadway mart, mccomb
  • flowers bakery outlet 1215, mccomb
  • heer llc, summit
  • hillside gas n go, mccomb
  • j & n food mart, mccomb
  • lnc express llc, mccomb
  • lil buckeez, summit
  • love kwik stop 1 llc, mccomb
  • love's travel stops & country stores, inc 393, mccomb
  • mike s supermarket inc, mccomb
  • mr quick mart inc, summit
  • ms holmesville grocery 98, mccomb
  • murphy usa 7539, mccomb
  • n&j llc, summit
  • pb&j cafe, magnolia
  • panchal inc, summit
  • pike food mart, mccomb
  • pk country store, magnolia
  • pure gas station, summit
  • raceway 943, mccomb
  • shawns mart, summit
  • sk truck stop llc, mccomb
  • ska express llc, mccomb
  • ta express mccomb, mccomb

Combination Grocery/Other · 20

  • dollar general 14575, summit
  • dollar general 4510, mccomb
  • dollar general 6136, magnolia
  • dollar general 7585, mccomb
  • dollar general 784, mccomb
  • dollartree 9386, mccomb
  • dollar general 11640, osyka
  • dollar general 16033, mccomb
  • dollar general 16126, mccomb
  • dollar general 17061, mccomb
  • dollar general 19879, magnolia
  • dollar general 21172, mccomb
  • dollar general 24734, mccomb
  • dollar general 25982, summit
  • dollar tree 402, mccomb
  • family dollar store 5460, mccomb
  • family dollar 13793, summit
  • family dollar store 8040, magnolia
  • walgreens 10835, mccomb
  • walgreens 17350, mccomb

Supermarket · 5

  • aldi 82088, mccomb
  • corner market 6067, magnolia
  • corner market 6068, mccomb
  • grocery depot 6057, mccomb
  • summit piggly wiggly, summit

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • macomb wholesale, summit
  • smiths grocery, mccomb

Super Store · 2

  • mccomb market, mccomb
  • walmart 1025, mccomb

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • tom king & son packing, summit

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Mississippi

Adams County
28.3% low-access · 16.5% SNAP
Alcorn County
18.9% low-access · 16.1% SNAP
Amite County
13.9% low-access · 15.2% SNAP
Attala County
27.1% low-access · 15.6% SNAP
Benton County
35.7% low-access · 17.2% SNAP
Bolivar County
50.9% low-access · 26.0% SNAP

Compare Pike County vs Adams County → · All Mississippi counties →

Food access nationally, Mississippi in context

Pike County sits inside Mississippi (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? ▼
10.5% of residents in Pike County, MS 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? ▼
18.2% of households in Pike County receive SNAP, covering 2,726 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Pike County? ▼
The poverty rate in Pike County, MS is 27.1%, with a median household income of $43,814 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Pike County a food desert? ▼
4 of Pike County's 8 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 Pike County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.8% 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.