PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Rockingham County, VA

Rockingham 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.

9.9%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
5.9%
on SNAP
86K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

9.9% of Rockingham County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 19 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
4.8%
households, no vehicle
9.8%
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).

Rockingham County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 9.9% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 19 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,542 residents who live far from a supermarket. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,120 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 Rockingham County compares nationally

Rockingham County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 9.9% low-access share that beats 20% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,493).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Rockingham County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 19 census tracts in Rockingham County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Rockingham County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 15 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 19 tracts evaluated. 15 tracts adequate (78.9%) 1 tracts limited (5.3%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (15.8%) Adequate 79% Limited 5% Severe 16% Food-access tier distribution: Rockingham County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Rockingham County vs. other Virginia counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Virginia

% 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 Rockingham County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts19
Atlas Population (2010 basis)76,314
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population7,542
Low-Access Share9.9%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,120

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Rockingham County
IndicatorValue
Population85,600
Median Household Income$80,693
Poverty Rate9.8%below the national average
SNAP Households1,941
SNAP Participation Rate5.9%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.8%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.3%
SNAP participation in Rockingham County 5.9%

About 5.9% of Rockingham County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 9.9% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 5.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,941 households here.
  • 4.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 3 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 Rockingham County

near the national share

3 of Rockingham County's 19 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 15.8% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 7,542 residents, roughly 9.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,120 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 15 tracts (78.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Rockingham County

Rockingham County has 47 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 26 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 26

  • 257 grocery express, dayton
  • 340 market & deli, elkton
  • 7 eleven 39952h, timberville
  • 7 eleven 39955h, broadway
  • 7-eleven #28415d 28415d, grottoes
  • 7-eleven #34518b 34518b, rockingham
  • 7-eleven 28426k, penn laird
  • 7-eleven 28584j, broadway
  • 7-eleven 35857a, broadway
  • 7-eleven 39953h, rockingham
  • 7-eleven 34517b 34517b, bridgewater
  • 7-eleven 39845b, mc gaheysville
  • 7elevenstore 28552j, elkton
  • bridgewater psm, bridgewater
  • c & m market & deli express, hinton
  • capon run general store 0, bergton
  • country side market, elkton
  • dry river store, dayton
  • go mart 129, elkton
  • i-81 truck stop, rockingham
  • krossroads country store, dayton
  • mac's superette, fulks run
  • sheetz 872, mount crawford
  • the valley pantry & deli, elkton
  • valleys convience, penn laird
  • wawa store 6620, elkton

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • 340 quick stop inc, port republic
  • dollar general 18050, mcgaheysville
  • dollar general 10596, broadway
  • dollar general 11518, grottoes
  • dollar general 24193, broadway
  • dollar general 31602, timberville
  • dollar general store 9786, elkton
  • dollar tree 1457, harrisonburg
  • dollar tree 6843, timberville
  • family dollar 8303, bridgewater
  • family dollar store 11056, broadway
  • family dollar store 2753, grottoes
  • family dollar store 476, elkton
  • walgreens 17535, elkton

Super Store · 3

  • bridgewater iga, bridgewater
  • walmart neighborhood market 7177, rockingham
  • walmart supercenter 6952, timberville

Supermarket · 3

  • food lion 1425, timberville
  • food lion 2542, grottoes
  • food lion 596, elkton

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • woods edge farm llc, rockingham

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

Accomack County
2.2% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Albemarle County
11.9% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Alexandria city
0.0% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Alleghany County
16.4% low-access · 8.1% SNAP
Amelia County
16.5% low-access · 13.4% SNAP
Amherst County
11.3% low-access · 10.5% SNAP

Compare Rockingham County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Rockingham County sits inside Virginia (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Rockingham County has low food access? ▼
9.9% of residents in Rockingham County, VA live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Rockingham County? ▼
5.9% of households in Rockingham County receive SNAP, covering 1,941 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Rockingham County? ▼
The poverty rate in Rockingham County, VA is 9.8%, with a median household income of $80,693 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Rockingham County a food desert? ▼
3 of Rockingham County's 19 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Rockingham County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.8% of households in Rockingham County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.