Signature · 6.6% low-access (13th pct)

Seneca County, NY

Seneca County lands in the lower national band on low-access (6.6%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

6.6%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
12.0%
on SNAP
33K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NY

USDA FARA access plate

County Seneca County, NY

LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-CLEAR

  • LA-ADEQUATE 6.6% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -15.5 pts vs US
  • LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-TYPICAL 12.0% SNAP
  • VEH-TYPICAL 8.8% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Schoharie County (+ 0.3 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Seneca County lands in the lower national band (6.6%, #2,726 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,726
national by low-access %
#48
in NY
1
low-access tracts
726
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 6.6% low-access (13th pct) (-15.5 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Seneca County compares nationally

Food access in Seneca County compares favorably nationally: its 6.6% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 13% of them (rank #2,726).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Seneca County's lower-band USDA tier split

10 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Seneca County, NY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 10 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (90.0%) 1 tracts limited (10.0%) Adequate 90% Limited 10% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Seneca County, NY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Seneca County has 3 urban and 7 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.

Seneca County vs nearby low low-access peers

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

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Seneca County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts10
Atlas Population (2010 basis)35,251
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population2,316
Low-Access Share6.6%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population726

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Seneca County
IndicatorValue
Population32,920
Median Household Income$68,089
Poverty Rate13.5%near the national average
SNAP Households1,637
SNAP Participation Rate12.0%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.8%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population5.8%

Thick SNAP store book in Seneca County

Seneca County has 30 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 15 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 15

  • byrne dairy border city 6, waterloo
  • byrne dairy tyre 14, waterloo
  • byrne dairy waterloo 154, seneca falls
  • circle k 4707622, seneca falls
  • circle k 4707632, seneca falls
  • d&m grocery, inc, waterloo
  • fastrac eg llc 500285, ovid
  • love's travel stop 820, waterloo
  • petro waterloo 371, waterloo
  • quik shoppe 1, interlaken
  • smileys mini mart, seneca falls
  • speedie fill inc, waterloo
  • speedway 9915, waterloo
  • speedway 9916, waterloo
  • wny seneca falls inc, seneca falls

Combination Grocery/Other · 10

  • dollar general 10064, trumansburg
  • dollar general 20950, interlaken
  • dollar general 24131, lodi
  • dollar general 6429, ovid
  • dollar general 6841, waterloo
  • dollar tree 4838, seneca falls
  • kinney drugs 111, ovid
  • kinney drugs 65, seneca falls
  • sauders store inc, seneca falls
  • walgreens 19876, waterloo

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 64034 64034, seneca falls
  • tops pt, llc d/b/a tops pt 565, waterloo

Farmers' Market · 1

  • ovid farmers market, ovid

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • glenwood foods of new york, seneca falls

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 1705, waterloo

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in New York

One of 61 counties in New York, 6 are shown here.

Compare Seneca County vs Albany County → · All New York counties →

Counties near Seneca County's lower low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Seneca County, both outside New York so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside NY (6.6% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside NY (12.0% 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.

Seneca County inside a lower low-access state context

Seneca County sits inside New York (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

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 Seneca County, NY are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 36099. 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.