Signature · 5.4% SNAP (14th pct in VA)

Rappahannock County, VA

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

20.5%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
5.4%
on SNAP
7K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

USDA FARA access plate

County Rappahannock County, VA

LA-ELEVATED · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR

  • LA-ELEVATED 20.5% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -1.6 pts vs US
  • LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 5.4% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 1.9% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Norfolk city (+ 0.1 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Rappahannock County ranks #1,644 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #55 of 123 counties in VA (20.5% low-access).

#1,644
national by low-access %
#55
in VA
1
low-access tracts
378
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: 5.4% SNAP (14th pct in VA) (-6.7 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .

How Rappahannock County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Rappahannock County's 20.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,645 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Rappahannock County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

2 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Rappahannock County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 1 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 2 tracts evaluated. 1 tracts adequate (50.0%) 1 tracts limited (50.0%) Adequate 50% Limited 50% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Rappahannock County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Rappahannock County has 0 urban and 2 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.

Rappahannock 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 Rappahannock County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts2
Atlas Population (2010 basis)7,373
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population1,515
Low-Access Share20.5%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population378

ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Rappahannock County
IndicatorValue
Population7,427
Median Household Income$83,380
Poverty Rate10.3%below the national average
SNAP Households161
SNAP Participation Rate5.4%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle1.9%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.1%

Slim SNAP store book in Rappahannock County

Rappahannock County has 1 store currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 1 store category. Every authorized retailer here is a farmers' market.

Farmers' Market · 1

  • rappahannock famers market, sperryville

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 Rappahannock County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Rappahannock 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 Rappahannock County, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51157. 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.