Signature · 52 SNAP-authorized stores

Polk County, GA

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

24.2%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
17.3%
on SNAP
44K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 GA

USDA FARA access plate

County Polk County, GA

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-ELEVATED 24.2% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +2.1 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-HEAVY 17.3% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 5.0% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 14% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Baldwin County (+ 0.4 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Polk County ranks #1,353 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #65 of 151 counties in GA (24.2% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).

#1,353
national by low-access %
#65
in GA
2
low-access tracts
5K
food-desert residents

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).

Signature read: 52 SNAP-authorized stores .

How Polk County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Polk County's 24.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 57% of them and ranked #1,355 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Polk County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

7 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Polk County, GA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (71.4%) 1 tracts limited (14.3%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (14.3%) Adequate 71% Limited 14% Severe 14% Food-access tier distribution: Polk County, GA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Polk County has 2 urban and 5 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.

Polk County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Georgia, not a full county-board reprint

% 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 Polk County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)41,475
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population10,042
Low-Access Share24.2%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,041

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Polk County
IndicatorValue
Population43,785
Median Household Income$58,515
Poverty Rate16.4%above the national average
SNAP Households2,743
SNAP Participation Rate17.3%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.0%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.2%

Thick SNAP store book in Polk County

Polk County has 52 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 28 locations (54% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 28

  • antioch food mart, cedartown
  • arco quick stop, cedartown
  • burton's kwik stop, aragon
  • chapman's shoppette, cedartown
  • cedartown food mart, cedartown
  • cedartown grocery & tobacco, cedartown
  • cowboys, cedartown
  • d k convenience store, cedartown
  • dunn's quick stop, rockmart
  • dunn's quick stop 2, aragon
  • el camino mexican market, cedartown
  • express stop, rockmart
  • g & s cafe, cedartown
  • g b foodmart, rockmart
  • handy mart, rockmart
  • hi tech food mart, rockmart
  • indica oil company, cedartown
  • los amigos, cedartown
  • madi food mart, cedartown
  • murphy usa 7323, cedartown
  • poudel food mart, cedartown
  • raceway 6854, rockmart
  • rockmart food, rockmart
  • royal food mart, cedartown
  • shamrock food mart, cedartown
  • smart mart, rockmart
  • the corner store, cedartown
  • the country store, cedartown

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • cvs pharmacy 5356, cedartown
  • dollar general 14577, cedartown
  • dollar general 4163, rockmart
  • dollar general 8075, aragon
  • dollar general 13660, rockmart
  • dollar general 24859, cedartown
  • dollar general 25789, cedartown
  • dollar general 30530, aragon
  • dollar general 7839, cedartown
  • dollar tree 3513, cedartown
  • dollar tree 4653, rockmart
  • family dollar 276, cedartown
  • tienda y tortilleria la bendicion, cedartown
  • walgreens 17083, cedartown

Super Store · 5

  • dollar general market 9830, cedartown
  • kroger 429, cedartown
  • p m a supermarkets, cedartown
  • walmart 4409, rockmart
  • walmart 727, cedartown

Supermarket · 2

  • ingles markets 453, rockmart
  • triangle foods, rockmart

Farmers' Market · 1

  • rockmart farmers market, inc, rockmart

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • carniceria los molcajetes, cedartown

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • quetzal supermarket, cedartown

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Georgia

One of 158 counties in Georgia, 6 are shown here.

Compare Polk County vs Appling County → · All Georgia counties →

Nationwide peers for Polk County's low-access or SNAP share

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Polk County, both outside Georgia so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside GA (24.2% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside GA (17.3% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Food access nationally, Georgia in context

Polk County sits inside Georgia (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Read with this county

Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .

PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Polk County, GA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 13233. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.

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.