Signature · 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts)
Rhea County, TN
Rhea County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 2 LILA tracts (33.3% of the book) alongside 21.2% low-access.
- 21.2%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 17.0%
- on SNAP
- 34K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Rhea County, TN
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 21.2% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.9 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 17.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 7.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 33% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Gibson County (+ 0.3 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Rhea County ranks #1,587 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #36 of 93 counties in TN (21.2% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,587
- national by low-access %
- #36
- in TN
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- 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 (33.3% of tracts) .
How Rhea County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Rhea County's 21.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 49% of them and ranked #1,587 most-affected nationwide.
Rhea County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
6 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Rhea County has 2 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.
Rhea County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Tennessee, not a full county-board reprint
- Montgomery
Montgomery 47%
47 % low-access
- Cocke
Cocke 21.9%
21.9 % low-access
- Gibson
Gibson 21.5%
21.5 % low-access
- Sevier
Sevier 21.5%
21.5 % low-access
- Rhea
Rhea 21.2%
21.2 % low-access
- Scott
Scott 20.5%
20.5 % low-access
- Grainger 0
Grainger 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 6 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 31,809 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 6,751 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.2%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,701 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 33,992 |
| Median Household Income | $55,033 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.9%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,297 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 17.0%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
Thick SNAP store book in Rhea County
Rhea County has 42 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 16 locations (38% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 16
- dollar general 18944, spring city
- dollar general 331, spring city
- dollar general 4498, dayton
- dollar general 48, dayton
- dollartree 9223, dayton
- dollar general 16416, evensville
- dollar general 17994, graysville
- dollar general 20318, dayton
- dollar general 22632, dayton
- dollar general 24307, spring city
- dollar general 24740, grandview
- dollar tree 2592, dayton
- family dollar 13257, evensville
- family dollar store 2640, spring city
- family dollar store 390, dayton
- walgreens 11634, dayton
Convenience Store · 16
- 27 market, spring city
- b & e convenience store, dayton
- blackburn's kountry korner, dayton
- circle k 4703622, dayton
- deli-mart, evensville
- highway 68 market, spring city
- iansmarket86, graysville
- j & l market, spring city
- lovely market, dayton
- murphy usa 7791, dayton
- rocky food mart, dayton
- rocky springs mart, spring city
- rocky top markets 922, spring city
- sp market 1, spring city
- the local market 140, dayton
- welcome market, dayton
Supermarket · 3
- food city 724, dayton
- houchens save -a- lot 196, dayton
- piggly wiggly, spring city
Small Grocery Store · 2
- la hacienda market, dayton
- tienda valencia 2, dayton
Food Buying Co-op · 1
- we care food cooperative, dayton
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- lee ann's fruit mkt, spring city
Large Grocery Store · 1
- united grocery outlet 18, dayton
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- american pride produce market, dayton
Super Store · 1
- walmart store 619, dayton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Tennessee
One of 94 counties in Tennessee, 6 are shown here.
Compare Rhea County vs Anderson County → · All Tennessee counties →
Nationwide peers for Rhea County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Rhea County, both outside Tennessee so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside TN (21.2% here).
- Jim Wells County, TX · 21.2% low-access
- Jim Wells County, TX · 21.2% low-access
- Greenbrier County, WV · 21.2% low-access
- Greenbrier County, WV · 21.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside TN (17.0% here).
- Matagorda County, TX · 17.0% SNAP
- Matagorda County, TX · 17.0% SNAP
- Buckingham County, VA · 17.0% SNAP
- Buckingham County, VA · 17.0% 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, Tennessee in context
Rhea County sits inside Tennessee (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 Rhea County, TN are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 47143. 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.