PlainFoodAccess
Browse

Signature · 27 SNAP-authorized stores

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)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

USDA FARA access plate

County Salem city, VA

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR

  • LA-ELEVATED 23.4% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +1.3 pts vs US
  • LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 7.8% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 6.4% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Newport News city ( -0.2 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Salem city ranks #1,411 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #43 of 123 counties in VA (23.4% low-access).

#1,411
national by low-access %
#43
in VA
3
low-access tracts
1K
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: 27 SNAP-authorized stores .

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.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Salem city: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Salem city, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (40.0%) 3 tracts limited (60.0%) Adequate 40% Limited 60% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Salem city, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Salem city has 5 urban and 0 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.

Salem city low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, not a full county-board reprint

% 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 Salem city
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)24,802
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population5,805
Low-Access Share23.4%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,180

ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Salem city
IndicatorValue
Population25,618
Median Household Income$66,725
Poverty Rate10.2%below the national average
SNAP Households795
SNAP Participation Rate7.8%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.4%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population8.9%

Thick SNAP store book 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 stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Virginia

One of 132 counties in Virginia, 6 are shown here.

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 Salem city vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Nationwide peers for Salem city's low-access or SNAP share

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Salem city, both outside Virginia so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside VA (23.4% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside VA (7.8% here).

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, Virginia in context

Salem city sits inside Virginia (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; 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

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 Salem city, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51775. 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.