County food-access profile · North Carolina
Rowan County, NC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Rowan 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).
- 22.7%
- low-access pop.
- 7
- food-desert tracts
- 16.0%
- on SNAP
- 150K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
22.7% of Rowan County residents live in a low-access area, and 7 of its 30 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 12
- low-access tracts
- 12K
- food-desert residents
- 6.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 16.0%
- 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).
USDA data puts Rowan County's low-access share at 22.7%, above the national share. 12 of the county's 30 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 31,408 people. 7 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 12,193 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 Rowan County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Rowan County's 22.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 53% of them and ranked #1,469 most-affected nationwide.
Rowan County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 30 census tracts in Rowan County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Rowan County vs. other North Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in North Carolina
- Rowan
Rowan County, NC
22.7 % 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 | 30 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 138,428 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 12 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 7 |
| Low-Access Population | 31,408 |
| Low-Access Share | 22.7%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 12,193 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 149,875 |
| Median Household Income | $65,725 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.0%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,438 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 16.0%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.5%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.6% |
About 16.0% of Rowan County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 22.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 16.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 9,438 households here.
- 6.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 7 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 Rowan County
above the national share
7 of Rowan County's 30 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 23.3% of all its tracts.
A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 12.
An estimated 31,408 residents, roughly 22.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 12,193 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 18 tracts (60.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Rowan County
Rowan County has 127 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 64 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 64
- 7-eleven #41129j 41129h, salisbury
- 7-eleven 35553, kannapolis
- 7-eleven 41905h, salisbury
- circle k stores inc. 2707292, salisbury
- circle k stores inc. 2720131, china grove
- circle k 1491, granite quarry
- circle k 2723189, salisbury
- circle k 5115, salisbury
- d mart #3, salisbury
- dd express 1, woodleaf
- durga mart llc, salisbury
- easy pick, kannapolis
- express corner, china grove
- flowers bakery outlet 478, salisbury
- gammie's corner store, salisbury
- gas-n-go food& beverage, salisbury
- gold hill market, gold hill
- grocery tobacco outlet, salisbury
- han-dee hugo's 221, salisbury
- han-dee hugo's 222, salisbury
- han-dee hugo's 223, salisbury
- han-dee hugo's 224, salisbury
- han-dee hugo's 225, salisbury
- han-dee hugo's 226, salisbury
- han-dee hugo's 227, salisbury
- han-dee hugo's 228, china grove
- han-dee hugo's 231, kannapolis
- hill's minnow farm, salisbury
- hop in, spencer
- kangaroo express, rockwell
- l k mart #, mooresville
- latin mix, salisbury
- little buck food mart 4, kannapolis
- love's travel stop 507, salisbury
- mike's convenience store, salisbury
- murphy express 8520, salisbury
- pilot travel center 7983, salisbury
- pine ridge general store, salisbury
- quality mart #1 1526, rockwell
- quick stop, salisbury
- reds mart, salisbury
- ron's food mart, kannapolis
- steve's corner store, china grove
- sandy's one stop, china grove
- sandy's one stop 105, landis
- sheetz 470, salisbury
- sheetz 838, salisbury
- sheetz 898, salisbury
- speedway 7973, salisbury
- speedway 7982, salisbury
- speedway 7986, salisbury
- swami shreeji enterprises llc, salisbury
- tamarac marina, salisbury
- the drive thru store #1 1, salisbury
- the fast stop, east spencer
- the pop shoppe #148, salisbury
- three star mini mart 2 llc, salisbury
- three stars mini mart #3 inc, salisbury
- three stars mini mart inc, salisbury
- tobacco house 3, salisbury
- west a kwik mart, kannapolis
- woodleaf bp, woodleaf
- zams mini mart, salisbury
- zip-n-go 1, china grove
Combination Grocery/Other · 36
- cvs pharmacy 3592, salisbury
- cvs pharmacy 7539, salisbury
- cvs pharmacy 7566, rockwell
- dollar general 10367, salisbury
- dollar general 18434, salisbury
- dollar general 2568, salisbury
- dollar general 346, china grove
- dollar general 4905, salisbury
- dollar general 6073, rockwell
- dollar general 9000, spencer
- dollar tree 0035, salisbury
- dollar general 16429, salisbury
- dollar general 17220, mooresville
- dollar general 19670, china grove
- dollar general 20477, woodleaf
- dollar general 20632, rockwell
- dollar general 21350, salisbury
- dollar general 22446, salisbury
- dollar general 23654, salisbury
- dollar general 24556, salisbury
- dollar general 25122, rockwell
- dollar general 7991, cleveland
- dollar tree 5151, salisbury
- dollar tree 943, salisbury
- family dollar 10862, granite quarry
- family dollar 185, kannapolis
- family dollar 232, salisbury
- family dollar 354, salisbury
- family dollar 4993, rockwell
- family dollar 528, spencer
- family dollar 8846, china grove
- family dollar store 7928, salisbury
- walgreen 09661, salisbury
- walgreens 07278, salisbury
- walgreens 10133, salisbury
- walgreens 17880, china grove
Supermarket · 12
- aldi 66089, salisbury
- aldi 66117, salisbury
- food lion 1, salisbury
- food lion 10, salisbury
- food lion 1417, salisbury
- food lion 2228, china grove
- food lion 2263, cleveland
- food lion 2650, china grove
- food lion 381, rockwell
- food lion 435, salisbury
- food lion 547, spencer
- la alcancia, salisbury
Medium Grocery Store · 6
- billy asian market, china grove
- carniceria acapulco inc., kannapolis
- carniceria la raza, salisbury
- lupitas variedades supermarket, china grove
- reyes xpress, salisbury
- variety produce., rockwell
Small Grocery Store · 3
- casa el paisano, kannapolis
- main street marketplace, china grove
- mclaughlin's grocery 1, salisbury
Seafood Specialty · 2
- inland point fresh seafood no, salisbury
- stone seafood, china grove
Super Store · 2
- harris teeter 178, salisbury
- walmart s/c 1552, salisbury
Farmers' Market · 1
- salisbury rowan farmer's market, salisbury
Large Grocery Store · 1
- father & son produce market, llc, salisbury
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in North Carolina
Compare Rowan County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, North Carolina in context
Rowan 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 Rowan County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Rowan County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Rowan County? ▼
Is Rowan County a food desert? ▼
What share of Rowan 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.