Signature · 12.9% SNAP (11th pct in WV)
Putnam County, WV
Putnam 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.
- 18.1%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 12.9%
- on SNAP
- 57K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Putnam County, WV
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 18.1% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -4.0 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 12.9% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Mason County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Putnam County ranks #1,852 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #24 of 52 counties in WV (18.1% low-access).
- #1,852
- national by low-access %
- #24
- in WV
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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: 12.9% SNAP (11th pct in WV) (+0.8 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Putnam County compares nationally
Putnam County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.1% low-access share that beats 41% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,854).
Putnam County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
10 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
By USDA urbanicity classification, Putnam County has 4 urban and 6 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.
Putnam County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in West Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Gilmer
Gilmer 81.6%
81.6 % low-access
- Clay 18.4
Clay 18.4%
18.4 % low-access
- Braxton 18.3
Braxton 18.3%
18.3 % low-access
- Putnam 18.1
Putnam 18.1%
18.1 % low-access
- Mason 18
Mason 18%
18 % low-access
- Jackson 17.7
Jackson 17.7%
17.7 % low-access
- Pleasants 0
Pleasants 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 10 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 55,486 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 10,063 |
| Low-Access Share | 18.1%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,224 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 57,177 |
| Median Household Income | $79,527 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.6%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,998 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.9%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.6% |
Thick SNAP store book in Putnam County
Putnam County has 62 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 31
- buffalo tiger mart 184, buffalo
- clark's pump-n-shop 13, winfield
- eleanor exxon, eleanor
- go mart 25, hurricane
- go mart 43, teays
- go mart 80, hurricane
- go mart 83, poca
- hill quick stop, red house
- little general 5015, winfield
- little general 5100, hurricane
- little general 5102, hurricane
- little general 5105, hurricane
- one stop 8135, nitro
- par mar store 17, hurricane
- par mar store 182, hurricane
- par mar store 222, saint albans
- pilot travel center 243, nitro
- poca quick stop, poca
- rock branch exxon 122, poca
- speedway 9328, hurricane
- sheetz 433, hurricane
- sheetz 467, hurricane
- sheetz 494, scott depot
- sheetz 517, poca
- speedway 9233, nitro
- speedway 9352, scott depot
- speedway 9363, winfield
- speedway 9384, culloden
- stokes grocery inc., buffalo
- ta hurricane 149, hurricane
- winfield quick stop, winfield
Combination Grocery/Other · 21
- cvs pharmacy 7124, hurricane
- call's meat market, hurricane
- dollar general 10429, buffalo
- dollar general 0612, hurricane
- dollar general 2092, nitro
- dollar general 22896, eleanor
- dollar general 30055, winfield
- dollar general 30577, hurricane
- dollar general 31066, scott depot
- dollar general 3334, teays
- dollar general 4830, poca
- dollar general 6080, winfield
- dollar tree 1018, hurricane
- dollar tree 4980, hurricane
- fruth pharmacy 10, hurricane
- fruth pharmacy 13, winfield
- fruth pharmacy 23, scott depot
- walgreens 12678, hurricane
- walgreens 17274, eleanor
- walgreens 17409, hurricane
- yoyogi market, hurricane
Super Store · 3
- kroger 794, scott depot
- target store t2897, hurricane
- walmart 4277, hurricane
Supermarket · 3
- aldi 81, hurricane
- piggly wiggly of eleanor, eleanor
- poca supermarket, poca
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- blankenship grocery, buffalo
- farmers meats & deli, llc, winfield
Large Grocery Store · 1
- save a lot, scott depot
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- joe's farm meat mkt., hurricane
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in West Virginia
One of 54 counties in West Virginia, 6 are shown here.
Compare Putnam County vs Barbour County → · All West Virginia counties →
Nationwide peers for Putnam County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Putnam County (12.9%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside West Virginia.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside WV (18.1% here).
- Chelan County, WA · 18.1% low-access
- Chelan County, WA · 18.1% low-access
- Grayson County, VA · 18.1% low-access
- Grayson County, VA · 18.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WV (12.9% here).
- Rock County, WI · 12.9% SNAP
- Rock County, WI · 12.9% SNAP
- Waller County, TX · 12.9% SNAP
- Waller County, TX · 12.9% SNAP
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, West Virginia in context
Putnam County sits inside West 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 Putnam County, WV are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 54079. 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.