PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · North Carolina

Scotland County, NC

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Scotland 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).

20.8%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
31.6%
on SNAP
34K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NC

The food-access picture

20.8% of Scotland County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

5
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
10.8%
households, no vehicle
25.8%
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).

USDA data puts Scotland County's low-access share at 20.8%, above the national share. 5 of the county's 7 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 7,511 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,440 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 Scotland County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Scotland County's 20.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 48% of them and ranked #1,622 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Scotland County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 7 census tracts in Scotland 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 Scotland County, NC USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (28.6%) 1 tracts limited (14.3%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (57.1%) Adequate 29% Limited 14% Severe 57% Food-access tier distribution: Scotland County, NC
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Scotland County vs. other North Carolina counties

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

% 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 Scotland County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)36,157
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population7,511
Low-Access Share20.8%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,440

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Scotland County
IndicatorValue
Population33,590
Median Household Income$45,730
Poverty Rate25.8%well above the national average
SNAP Households3,980
SNAP Participation Rate31.6%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle10.8%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population6.8%
SNAP participation in Scotland County 31.6%

About 31.6% of Scotland County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 20.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 31.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,980 households here.
  • 10.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Scotland County

above the national share

4 of Scotland County's 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 57.1% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 5.

An estimated 7,511 residents, roughly 20.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,440 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 2 tracts (28.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Scotland County

Scotland County has 53 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 29 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 29

  • breeden mart, laurinburg
  • community mart, laurinburg
  • city xpress, laurinburg
  • corner pantry, laurinburg
  • first stop, laurinburg
  • harry food mart, laurinburg
  • joe's kwik marts 6016, laurinburg
  • khan & dee store llc, laurel hill
  • laurinburg food mart, laurinburg
  • murphy usa 6760, laurinburg
  • nickys stop n shop, laurinburg
  • nic's pic kwik 1, laurinburg
  • nic's pic kwik 13, laurel hill
  • nic's pic kwik 14, laurinburg
  • nic's pic kwik 15, laurinburg
  • nic's pic kwik 3, wagram
  • nic's pic kwik 7, laurinburg
  • nic's pik kwik 12, laurinburg
  • nic's pik kwik 8, laurinburg
  • nic's pik kwik 9, laurinburg
  • old wire road convinience, laurel hill
  • scotland stop n shop, laurinburg
  • shivaadhya inc, gibson
  • shop right, laurinburg
  • speedway 8180, laurinburg
  • speedway 8664, laurinburg
  • springfield convenience, laurel hill
  • stop & go, laurinburg
  • wagram food mart, wagram

Combination Grocery/Other · 16

  • big lots 3214, laurinburg
  • dollar general 11074, laurel hill
  • dollar general 1948, laurinburg
  • dollar general 4770, maxton
  • dollar general 4946, laurinburg
  • dollar general 6287, laurinburg
  • dollar general 11459, wagram
  • dollar general 20967, laurinburg
  • dollar general 24816, gibson
  • dollar tree 1039, laurinburg
  • family dollar store 141, laurinburg
  • family dollar store 2890, laurinburg
  • family dollar store 7679, laurel hill
  • family dollar 12458, gibson
  • family dollar 12942, wagram
  • walgreens 15648, laurinburg

Supermarket · 4

  • charlie c's iga 795, laurinburg
  • food lion 612, laurinburg
  • food lion 690, laurinburg
  • piggly wiggly 351, laurinburg

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • c & b grocery, laurinburg
  • laurinburg discount grocery 1, laurinburg
  • manleys popoddles, laurinburg

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 1255, laurinburg

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in North Carolina

Alamance County
25.0% low-access · 13.6% SNAP
Alexander County
20.4% low-access · 13.5% SNAP
Alleghany County
4.3% low-access · 14.0% SNAP
Anson County
8.4% low-access · 33.8% SNAP
Ashe County
22.2% low-access · 14.0% SNAP
Avery County
0.3% low-access · 13.9% SNAP

Compare Scotland County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →

Food access nationally, North Carolina in context

Scotland County sits inside North Carolina (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 Scotland County has low food access? ▼
20.8% of residents in Scotland County, NC 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 Scotland County? ▼
31.6% of households in Scotland County receive SNAP, covering 3,980 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Scotland County? ▼
The poverty rate in Scotland County, NC is 25.8%, with a median household income of $45,730 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Scotland County a food desert? ▼
4 of Scotland County's 7 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 Scotland County households lack a vehicle? ▼
10.8% of households in Scotland 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.