County food-access profile · Pennsylvania
Schuylkill County, PA
Schuylkill 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.
- 8.4%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 17.2%
- on SNAP
- 144K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
8.4% of Schuylkill County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 40 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 7
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- food-desert residents
- 8.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.8%
- 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).
Schuylkill County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.4% per the USDA Atlas. 7 of the county's 40 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 12,409 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,564 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 Schuylkill County compares nationally
Schuylkill County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.4% low-access share that beats 17% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,614).
Schuylkill County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 40 census tracts in Schuylkill County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Schuylkill County vs. other Pennsylvania counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Pennsylvania
- Schuylkill 8.4
Schuylkill County, PA
8.4 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, PA
15.9 % low-access
- Allegheny
Allegheny County, PA
26.4 % low-access
- Armstrong 5.2
Armstrong County, PA
5.2 % low-access
- Beaver
Beaver County, PA
32.5 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, PA
22.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 40 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 148,289 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 7 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 12,409 |
| Low-Access Share | 8.4%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,564 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 143,558 |
| Median Household Income | $68,313 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.8%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,958 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 17.2%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.0%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.9% |
About 17.2% of Schuylkill County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 8.4% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 17.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 9,958 households here.
- 8.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 2 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 Schuylkill County
near the national share
2 of Schuylkill County's 40 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 5.0% of all its tracts.
A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 7.
An estimated 12,409 residents, roughly 8.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 3,564 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 33 tracts (82.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County has 140 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 60 locations (43% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 60
- 7-eleven 40153h, pottsville
- abrams patel kwik stop, pine grove
- awdi tobacco llc, port carbon
- best ever market, ashland
- c&c candies & country store, inc, friedensburg
- citgo tamaqua, tamaqua
- cocoa hut, mahanoy city
- deemart, saint clair
- delcamps deli, saint clair
- exxon 352, pottsville
- fastfill #4 4, schuylkill haven
- fastfill 3, andreas
- fuelup, minersville
- hinavi llc, shenandoah
- isha himani, girardville
- isha himani 2, shenandoah
- lucky's corner deli & kielbasi, shenandoah
- lucky food & beer 1, ashland
- mahanoy market 2, mahanoy city
- minersville general store, minersville
- new philly market, new philadelphia
- onvo travel plaza - highridge 43, pottsville
- pereira 3 gas llc, coaldale
- pereira 4 gas llc, tamaqua
- pereira 7 gas llc, mahanoy city
- quick mart rt 61 inc., pottsville
- raman & jass, pottsville
- rancho krupa food mart llc, tamaqua
- redners quick shoppe 43, shenandoah
- ringtown one stop, ringtown
- ruff n tuff, mcadoo
- rutter's 80, orwigsburg
- sheetz 258, pottsville
- sheetz 410, schuylkill haven
- shell, lavelle
- shenandoah one stop, shenandoah
- sheppton mini mart, zion grove
- speedway 6755, frackville
- speedway 6756, pine grove
- svs foodmart llc, mahanoy city
- ta express pine grove, pine grove
- tamaqua mart, tamaqua
- the brown bag, barnesville
- top star express 114, valley view
- top star express 117, tower city
- top star express 139, tower city
- tremont mini mart, tremont
- turkey hill minit market 950229, pottsville
- turkey hill minit market 950232, ashland
- turkey hill minit market 950303, tamaqua
- turkey hill minit markets 950083, schuylkill haven
- turkey hill minit markets 950085, tamaqua
- turkey hill minit markets 950089, port carbon
- turkey hill minit markets 950117, ashland
- turkey hill minit markets 950123, shenandoah
- turkey hill minit markets 950200, pine grove
- turkey hill minit markets 950213, frackville
- valley street food market, new philadelphia
- vegas convenience store inc, tamaqua
- weilands mini mart, port carbon
Combination Grocery/Other · 36
- cvs pharmacy 1324, pottsville
- cvs/pharmacy 1323, pottsville
- chestnut street market, cressona
- dollar general 18245, valley view
- dollar general 19368, auburn
- dollar general 19412, new ringgold
- dollar general 2940, mahanoy city
- dollar general 3854, tamaqua
- dollar general 4624, pottsville
- dollar general 11598, pine grove
- dollar general 13288, minersville
- dollar general 14547, mcadoo
- dollar general 15666, schuylkill haven
- dollar general 19605, new ringgold
- dollar general 20367, barnesville
- dollar general 20811, pottsville
- dollar general 21494, ringtown
- dollar general 22831, brockton
- dollar general 23224, ashland
- dollar general 23333, pottsville
- dollar general 23367, pine grove
- dollar general 24468, port carbon
- dollar general 30354, shenandoah
- dollar general 9283, ashland
- dollar general 9962, pottsville
- dollar general store 16449, orwigsburg
- dollar tree 3663, tamaqua
- dollar tree 4484, pottsville
- dollar tree 5933, shenandoah
- family dollar 11303, mahanoy city
- family dollar 11589, tamaqua
- family dollar 12166, frackville
- family dollar store 10493, shenandoah
- family dollar store 2147, minersville
- family dollar store 7319, tremont
- family dollar store 7359, pottsville
Supermarket · 16
- aldi 73, pottsville
- boyer's food markets inc 3557, tamaqua
- boyer's food markets inc 3558, frackville
- boyers food markets inc 3563, orwigsburg
- boyers food markets inc 3567, mcadoo
- boyers food markets inc 3570, schuylkill haven
- boyers food mkts inc 3582, ashland
- boyer's food market 3549, pine grove
- boyers food markets 3754, pottsville
- boyers food markets inc 3569, shenandoah
- coal town supermarket, minersville
- giant food store 6030, pottsville
- redner's warehouse market 37, hegins
- redners warehouse market 34, shenandoah
- redners warehouse market 61, schuylkill haven
- weis markets 72, pottsville
Small Grocery Store · 10
- almonte super deli corp, mcadoo
- brok-sel mkts inc, schuylkill haven
- brok-sel markets, pottsville
- f & j deli grocery corp, mahanoy city
- mcadoo grocery corp, mcadoo
- new york deli grocery corp, mahanoy city
- rodnick's discount grocery, minersville
- shenandoah mini market, shenandoah
- sunny cupboard llc, schuylkill haven
- universal grocery, shenandoah
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 5
- kowaloneks kielbasy shop llc, shenandoah
- millers charm farm 1 1, tamaqua
- tony's meat market, minersville
- tony's meat market, orwigsburg
- valley country meats llc, valley view
Medium Grocery Store · 4
- marlin mkts 2, marlin
- pottsville provision co, pottsville
- paradise cafe deli and grocery, shenandoah
- the farm store, pottsville
Super Store · 3
- coal town supermarket- pine grove, pine grove
- walmart 3634, tamaqua
- walmart supercenter 2535, saint clair
Farmers' Market · 2
- mease meats inc, tamaqua
- mease meats inc., pine grove
Large Grocery Store · 2
- bills produce & mkt, schuylkill haven
- mahanoy city food store, mahanoy city
Seafood Specialty · 2
- adelphia seafood co, pottsville
- mikes seafood, shenandoah
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Compare Schuylkill County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Schuylkill County sits inside Pennsylvania (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 Schuylkill County has low food access? ▼
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What is the poverty rate in Schuylkill County? ▼
Is Schuylkill County a food desert? ▼
What share of Schuylkill 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.