County food-access profile · North Carolina
Robeson County, NC
Robeson 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.
- 8.5%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 32.6%
- on SNAP
- 117K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
8.5% of Robeson County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 31 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 6
- low-access tracts
- 7K
- food-desert residents
- 7.9%
- households, no vehicle
- 27.2%
- below poverty line
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, 1-and-10-mile measure).
Robeson County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.5% per the USDA Atlas. 6 of the county's 31 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 11,383 residents who live far from a supermarket. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 7,264 low-income residents.
How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts
The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.
How Robeson County compares nationally
Robeson County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.5% low-access share that beats 17% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,602).
Robeson County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 31 census tracts in Robeson County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Robeson County vs. other North Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in North Carolina
- Robeson 8.5
Robeson County, NC
8.5 % low-access
- Alamance
Alamance County, NC
25 % low-access
- Alexander
Alexander County, NC
20.4 % low-access
- Alleghany 4.3
Alleghany County, NC
4.3 % low-access
- Anson 8.4
Anson County, NC
8.4 % low-access
- Ashe
Ashe County, NC
22.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 31 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 134,168 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 6 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 11,383 |
| Low-Access Share | 8.5%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 7,264 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 116,902 |
| Median Household Income | $41,978 |
| Poverty Rate | 27.2%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 14,065 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 32.6%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.9%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.0% |
About 32.6% of Robeson County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 8.5% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 32.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 14,065 households here.
- 7.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 6 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).
USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).
What the food-access data shows for Robeson County
near the national share
6 of Robeson County's 31 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 19.4% of all its tracts.
An estimated 11,383 residents, roughly 8.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 7,264 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 25 tracts (80.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Robeson County
Robeson County has 194 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 96 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 96
- 211 quick stop, lumberton
- 301 kwik shop, parkton
- 41 mini mart, lumberton
- 7-eleven 42259h, lumberton
- 71 grocery & grill 1, maxton
- 74 kwik stop, rowland
- 7th street mini mart, lumberton
- alamac grocery llc, lumberton
- alex mini mart, pembroke
- allenton grocery, lumberton
- atkinson cigarette land, lumberton
- atkinson gas station, lumberton
- b & g gas, shannon
- buds corner, fairmont
- c&p mini mart #3, pembroke
- chapel mini mart, pembroke
- cherry blossom gas, lumberton
- circle k 2721649, pembroke
- country star, shannon
- country tobacco oasis, pembroke
- diamond mart, maxton
- e z food mart, shannon
- fairmont kwik shop, fairmont
- fine cigar & vape mart, lumberton
- five star food mart, pembroke
- flowers bakery outlet 50001405, lumberton
- graceland food mart, lumberton
- gas & goods, parkton
- get n go gas & grill, lumberton
- h & a one stop, lumberton
- hardins grocery, red springs
- high school liberty, lumberton
- hn'm mart, red springs
- jeco kwik stop 1, pembroke
- jeco kwik stop 3, pembroke
- jiffy mart, red springs
- joeys place 1, saint pauls
- kaid mini mart 2, lumberton
- l & m convenient mart, fairmont
- la roca mexican store, saint pauls
- lucky 7 - 3, rowland
- lucky 7-4, rowland
- lucky stop, maxton
- lumberton corner store, lumberton
- lumberton quick check, lumberton
- marshall's food mart, fairmont
- mid town mini mart, red spring
- minuteman food mart 2, lumberton
- minuteman food mart 23, lumberton
- minuteman food mart 25, lumberton
- minuteman food mart 27, lumberton
- minuteman food mart 29, pembroke
- minuteman food mart 38, lumberton
- minuteman food mart 39, lumberton
- minuteman food mart 40, lumberton
- minuteman food mart 41, saint pauls
- minuteman food mart 42, saint pauls
- minuteman food mart 43, red springs
- minuteman food mart 59, lumberton
- minuteman food mart 7, lumberton
- mos food mart, maxton
- mr. g's, fairmont
- n & a gas and grocery llc, rowland
- nic's pic kwik 16, maxton
- nic's pic kwik 4, maxton
- nic's pik kwik 11, pembroke
- om convenience mart, shannon
- one stop, red springs
- orrum grocery & grill, orrum
- pmg ss 54 54, parkton
- pembroke mini mart, pembroke
- poco 2, saint pauls
- roscoes, red springs
- royal farms 475, lumberton
- sun do kwik shop-i95&74 4, lumberton
- sun do kwik shop-magnolia, lumberton
- sun-do 711, lumberton
- sun-do cabinet shop road, maxton
- sun-do etown rd, lumberton
- sun-do fairmont, fairmont
- sun-do kwik shop 301 6, lumberton
- sun-do kwik shop 72 east 7, lumberton
- sun-do kwik shop hwy 41 south 8, lumberton
- sun-do kwik shop red springs 9, red springs
- sun-do kwik shop-allenton, lumberton
- sun-do kwik shop-mayfair, lumberton
- saddletree grocery, lumberton
- sami puffs corner, maxton
- sammys mini mart, pembroke
- save more, lumberton
- short stop mart, maxton
- stocks grocery, lumberton
- sun-do carthage, lumberton
- tanglewood shell, lumberton
- traveler's bp, lumberton
- wawa store 6106, lumberton
Combination Grocery/Other · 53
- big lots 3224, lumberton
- cvs pharmacy 4374, red springs
- cvs pharmacy 7641, lumberton
- dollar general 10673, lumberton
- dollar general 1633, lumberton
- dollar general 1813, fairmont
- dollar general 18347, pembroke
- dollar general 19711, lumberton
- dollar general 452, lumberton
- dollar general 4769, red springs
- dollar general 4774, saint pauls
- dollar general 4829, pembroke
- dollar general 6695, lumberton
- dollar general 8145, rowland
- dollar tree 1727, lumberton
- dollartree 10306, lumberton
- dollartree 9712, maxton
- dollar general 12046, parkton
- dollar general 13124, lumberton
- dollar general 16635, lumber bridge
- dollar general 20198, pembroke
- dollar general 21623, maxton
- dollar general 22631, pembroke
- dollar general 23435, lumberton
- dollar general 23682, maxton
- dollar general 23754, shannon
- dollar general 23960, lumberton
- dollar general 24332, orrum
- dollar general 24874, lumberton
- dollar general 30318, fairmont
- dollar general 47, fairmont
- dollar general store 16904, lumberton
- dollar tree 3274, pembroke
- dollar tree 6851, lumberton
- dollar tree 7927, fairmont
- family dollar 1071, fairmont
- family dollar 108, lumberton
- family dollar 109, saint pauls
- family dollar 11544, rowland
- family dollar 11646, lumberton
- family dollar 12359, fairmont
- family dollar 490, red springs
- family dollar 722, maxton
- family dollar store 10597, parkton
- family dollar store 10949, lumberton
- family dollar store 730, pembroke
- family dollar store 7793, rowland
- maxway 613, fairmont
- rose's 314, lumberton
- tienda hispana la preferida, saint pauls
- two friends store, lumberton
- walgreen 01056, lumberton
- walgreens 16171, saint pauls
Supermarket · 20
- aldi 66037, lumberton
- food lion 1217, lumberton
- food lion 1464, pembroke
- food lion 1667, lumberton
- food lion 2100, maxton
- food lion 2106, saint pauls
- food lion 338, lumberton
- food lion 900, red springs
- food lion 993, fairmont
- fresh foods 1, lumberton
- fresh foods 12, saint pauls
- fresh foods 2, lumberton
- fresh foods 3, lumberton
- fresh foods 4, lumberton
- fresh foods 5, fairmont
- fresh foods 6, pembroke
- piggly wiggly 339, saint pauls
- piggly wiggly 340, red springs
- piggly wiggly 345, pembroke
- piggly wiggly 346, maxton
Medium Grocery Store · 9
- brockett's, lumberton
- el mezquita mexican store, lumberton
- just deals, lumberton
- long branch country store, lumberton
- la flor de izucar, red springs
- pembroke discount grocery, pembroke
- tienda garibaldi, lumberton
- tienda mexicana mi tiendita 1, shannon
- tienda mexicana y carniceria el rey inc 1, lumberton
Small Grocery Store · 6
- discount grocery 1, rowland
- el caminante, lumberton
- el mercadito latino, parkton
- super tienda ebenezer, saint pauls
- tienda latina emanuel, lumberton
- tienda mexicana hernandez, red springs
Super Store · 4
- walmart neighborhood market 7209, lumberton
- walmart neighborhood market 7329, saint pauls
- walmart supercenter 5489, pembroke
- walmart supercenter 1155, lumberton
Seafood Specialty · 2
- lowerys seafood market, lumberton
- lumbee fish market, pembroke
Farmers' Market · 1
- robeson county farmers market, inc., lumberton
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- lumberton produce mkt, lumberton
Large Grocery Store · 1
- krisha 1 llc, rowland
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- tienda y carniceria tauro, st pauls
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in North Carolina
Compare Robeson County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, North Carolina in context
Robeson County sits inside North Carolina (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Robeson County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Robeson County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Robeson County? ▼
Is Robeson County a food desert? ▼
What share of Robeson County households lack a vehicle? ▼
Data Sources & Methodology
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →
Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).
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.