County food-access profile · Virginia
Salem city, VA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Salem city 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).
- 23.4%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 7.8%
- on SNAP
- 26K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
23.4% of Salem city residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
- 6.4%
- households, no vehicle
- 10.2%
- 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).
USDA data puts Salem city's low-access share at 23.4%, above the national share. 3 of the county's 5 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 5,805 people. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 Salem city compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Salem city's 23.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 55% of them and ranked #1,413 most-affected nationwide.
Salem city: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 5 census tracts in Salem city, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Salem city vs. other Virginia counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Virginia
- Salem city
Salem city, VA
23.4 % low-access
- Accomack 2.2
Accomack County, VA
2.2 % low-access
- Albemarle
Albemarle County, VA
11.9 % low-access
- Alexandria city 0
Alexandria city, VA
0 % low-access
- Alleghany
Alleghany County, VA
16.4 % low-access
- Amelia
Amelia County, VA
16.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 24,802 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 5,805 |
| Low-Access Share | 23.4%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,180 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 25,618 |
| Median Household Income | $66,725 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.2%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 795 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 7.8%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.4%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 8.9% |
About 7.8% of Salem city households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 23.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 7.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 795 households here.
- 6.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $66,725 with a 10.2% poverty rate.
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 Salem city
above the national share
A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.
An estimated 5,805 residents, roughly 23.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 1,180 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 2 tracts (40.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Salem city
Salem city has 27 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 13 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 13
- 7-eleven 35044a, salem
- craig superette, salem
- easy day #1, salem
- go mart 97, salem
- metro express #6-liberty 6, salem
- metro express #7-liberty 7, salem
- p & n market #110, salem
- quick way, salem
- salem mini market, salem
- sheetz 325, salem
- sheetz 333, salem
- shell e-z mart, salem
- two stars llc, salem
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- cvs pharmacy 3794, salem
- cvs pharmacy 7389, salem
- dollartree 10314, salem
- dollar general 4055, salem
- dollar tree 2209, salem
- dollar tree 6540, salem
- walgreens 07604, salem
Super Store · 4
- kroger 226, salem
- kroger 320, salem
- kroger 330, salem
- walmart supercenter 1309, salem
Delivery Route · 1
- feeding southwest virginia, salem
Farmers' Market · 1
- salem farmers market, salem
Supermarket · 1
- food lion 365, salem
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Virginia
Compare Salem city vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Food access nationally, Virginia in context
Salem city sits inside Virginia (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 Salem city has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Salem city? ▼
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Is Salem city a food desert? ▼
What share of Salem city 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.