PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Smyth County, VA

Most of Smyth County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

3.8%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
17.0%
on SNAP
29K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

3.8% of Smyth County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

1
low-access tracts
370
food-desert residents
6.5%
households, no vehicle
16.8%
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).

By the USDA's measure, Smyth County fares better than most: just 3.8% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 1 of the county's 9 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 1,225 people who live far from a supermarket, and 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 370 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 Smyth County compares nationally

Food access in Smyth County compares favorably nationally: its 3.8% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 8% of them (rank #2,876).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Smyth County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Smyth 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 Smyth County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (88.9%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (11.1%) Adequate 89% Limited 0% Severe 11% Food-access tier distribution: Smyth County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Smyth County vs. other Virginia counties

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

% 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 Smyth County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)32,208
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population1,225
Low-Access Share3.8%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population370

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Smyth County
IndicatorValue
Population29,420
Median Household Income$49,883
Poverty Rate16.8%above the national average
SNAP Households2,152
SNAP Participation Rate17.0%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.6%
SNAP participation in Smyth County 17.0%

About 17.0% of Smyth County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 3.8% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 17.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,152 households here.
  • 6.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Smyth County

below the national share

1 of Smyth County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.1% of all its tracts.

An estimated 1,225 residents, roughly 3.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 370 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (88.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Smyth County

Smyth County has 40 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 19 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 19

  • adwolfe mart, marion
  • applewood food mart, chilhowie
  • circle k 2723373, atkins
  • ez stop, rural retreat
  • fas mart 466, marion
  • flowers bakery outlet 460, marion
  • gobble stop 9, marion
  • green hill market & deli, chilhowie
  • haydens market, marion
  • hare krishna 901, saltville
  • main street gas & grill, chilhowie
  • main street pit stop, marion
  • marion minute mart, marion
  • roadrunner market 6088, marion
  • robin's grocery & deli, saltville
  • samma food mart, marion
  • shirleys market, sugar grove
  • sugar grove food mart, sugar grove
  • village truck stop, rural retreat

Combination Grocery/Other · 12

  • cvs 7526, marion
  • dollar general 14304, atkins
  • dollar general 18449, sugar grove
  • dollar general 13145, marion
  • dollar general 13424, saltville
  • dollar general 15998, marion
  • dollar general 2451, marion
  • dollar general 4310, chilhowie
  • dollar tree 335, marion
  • family dollar 11214, rural retreat
  • family dollar store 712, chilhowie
  • walgreens 10700, marion

Supermarket · 4

  • food city 848, marion
  • food city 849, chilhowie
  • food lion 356, marion
  • ingles markets 503, marion

Farmers' Market · 2

  • chilhowie farmers market 1, chilhowie
  • marion regional farmers market, marion

Super Store · 2

  • food country usa 5, saltville
  • walmart 1336, marion

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • dutch pantry llc, rural retreat

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

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 Smyth County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Smyth County sits inside Virginia (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 Smyth County has low food access? ▼
3.8% of residents in Smyth County, VA 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 Smyth County? ▼
17.0% of households in Smyth County receive SNAP, covering 2,152 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Smyth County? ▼
The poverty rate in Smyth County, VA is 16.8%, with a median household income of $49,883 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Smyth County a food desert? ▼
1 of Smyth County's 9 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 Smyth County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.5% of households in Smyth 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.