Signature · 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts)

Prince Edward County, VA

Prince Edward County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (40% of the book) alongside 17.8% low-access.

17.8%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
17.2%
on SNAP
22K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

USDA FARA access plate

County Prince Edward County, VA

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-MODERATE 17.8% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -4.3 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-HEAVY 17.2% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 6.1% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 40% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Fairfax County (+ 0.2 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Prince Edward County ranks #1,884 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #67 of 123 counties in VA (17.8% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).

#1,884
national by low-access %
#67
in VA
3
low-access tracts
1K
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: 2 LILA tracts (40% of tracts) .

How Prince Edward County compares nationally

Prince Edward County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.8% low-access share that beats 40% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,885).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Prince Edward County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Prince Edward County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (40.0%) 1 tracts limited (20.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (40.0%) Adequate 40% Limited 20% Severe 40% Food-access tier distribution: Prince Edward County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Prince Edward County has 1 urban and 4 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.

Prince Edward County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, 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 Prince Edward County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)23,368
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population4,152
Low-Access Share17.8%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,198

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Prince Edward County
IndicatorValue
Population21,996
Median Household Income$56,315
Poverty Rate20.9%above the national average
SNAP Households1,314
SNAP Participation Rate17.2%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.1%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population20.9%

Thick SNAP store book in Prince Edward County

Prince Edward County has 26 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 12 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 12

  • 460 community market, prospect
  • fas mart 36, farmville
  • flowers bakery outlet 397, farmville
  • four season, farmville
  • hendricks store llc, prospect
  • murphy usa 7636, farmville
  • prospect convenience mart, prospect
  • pump & pantry, farmville
  • tolley market, pamplin
  • tom's country store, farmville
  • wawa store 6611, farmville
  • worsham grocery, farmville

Combination Grocery/Other · 9

  • cvs pharmacy 1559, farmville
  • dollar general 18171, rice
  • dollar general 20398, prospect
  • dollar general 20662, green bay
  • dollar general 25161, farmville
  • dollar general 961, farmville
  • dollar tree 530, farmville
  • family dollar 12155, farmville
  • walgreens 17429, farmville

Farmers' Market · 2

  • farmville community marketplace, farmville
  • pamplin community market, pamplin

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • 5 pillar meats, farmville

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 1486, farmville

Supermarket · 1

  • food lion 282, farmville

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

Other Counties in Virginia

One of 132 counties in Virginia, 6 are shown here.

Compare Prince Edward County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

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

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

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside VA (17.8% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside VA (17.2% 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, Virginia in context

Prince Edward County sits inside Virginia (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 Prince Edward County, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51147. 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.