Signature · 73 SNAP-authorized stores
Somerset County, PA
Somerset 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.
- 15.9%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 14.3%
- on SNAP
- 73K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Somerset County, PA
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 15.9% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.2 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.3% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 14% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Adams County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Somerset County ranks #2,044 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #41 of 67 counties in PA (15.9% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #2,044
- national by low-access %
- #41
- in PA
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- 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: 73 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Somerset County compares nationally
Somerset County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.9% low-access share that beats 35% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,044).
Somerset County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
21 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
Somerset County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (16 rural, 5 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 5 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Somerset County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Pennsylvania, not a full county-board reprint
- Chester
Chester 45.1%
45.1 % low-access
- Centre 16.1
Centre 16.1%
16.1 % low-access
- Somerset 15.9
Somerset 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Adams 15.9
Adams 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Delaware 15.9
Delaware 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Clarion 15.7
Clarion 15.7%
15.7 % low-access
- Wyoming 0.9
Wyoming 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 21 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 77,742 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 12,368 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 4,472 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 72,799 |
| Median Household Income | $61,446 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.0%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 4,209 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.3%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.8% |
Thick SNAP store book in Somerset County
Somerset County has 73 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 30 locations (41% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
22 towns share the 73 authorized stores; Somerset holds 34% of them. 16 of the 22 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Central City, Boswell, Hollsopple, Jennerstown, Rockwood, Friedens and 10 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Somerset | 25 | 5 |
| Berlin | 6 | 1 |
| Meyersdale | 5 | 2 |
| Central City | 4 | none |
| Windber | 4 | 1 |
| Boswell | 3 | none |
| Hollsopple | 3 | none |
| Jennerstown | 3 | none |
| Rockwood | 3 | none |
| Confluence | 2 | 1 |
Top 10 of 22 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 30
- 7-eleven 40272, somerset
- 7-eleven 40273, somerset
- bfs foods 75, somerset
- boswell prescription center, boswell
- coalfield mini-market, berlin
- central city enterprises inc, central city
- coen markets 1217, somerset
- diamond mini market, berlin
- frenklin bp lnc 6, johnstown
- getgo 3054, somerset
- go moore store llc, hollsopple
- kc food & fuel mart, central city
- malik associates inc, jennerstown
- martin general store somerset 223, somerset
- martin general stores boswell 225, boswell
- par mar store 103, somerset
- par mar store 205, jennerstown
- par mar store 209, garrett
- rock city express, rockwood
- sheetz 179, somerset
- sheetz 27, windber
- sheetz 57, somerset
- sheetz 60, somerset
- sheetz 89, meyersdale
- snida's corner store, shanksville
- stoystown express mart, friedens
- sunoco food mart, somerset
- sunoco somerset, somerset
- turkey hill minit markets 950239, somerset
- windber pit stop, windber
Combination Grocery/Other · 26
- cvs pharmacy 5720, somerset
- dollar general 1271, meyersdale
- dollar general 18521, stoystown
- dollar general 18655, breezewood
- dollar general 18835, salisbury
- dollar general 2846, windber
- dollar general 4403, somerset
- dollar general 6081, jennerstown
- dollar general 7063, confluence
- dollar general 7646, somerset
- dollar general 8127, berlin
- dollar general 11772, hollsopple
- dollar general 14951, friedens
- dollar general 16242, davidson
- dollar general 16464, central city
- dollar general 2039, central city
- dollar general 22705, hooversville
- dollar general 23189, rockwood
- dollar general 31070, somerset
- dollar general 6964, somerset
- dollar tree 4146, somerset
- family dollar 11607, rockwood
- family dollar 2322, somerset
- family dollar 7691, meyersdale
- family dollar store 5083, johnstown
- family dollar store 7584, boswell
Small Grocery Store · 5
- blue goose foods, addison
- dormina's kitchen cupboard, stoystown
- ken's sales and savings, hollsopple
- listie economy store, listie
- rob's meat, berlin
Large Grocery Store · 4
- berlin market, l.lc, berlin
- confluence food mart, confluence
- somerset roof garden market, inc, somerset
- summit country market, meyersdale
Super Store · 3
- bilo foods, windber
- giant eagle 54, somerset
- walmart supercenter 1765, somerset
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- cascio's market, somerset
- springs store n/a, springs
Supermarket · 2
- aldi 73105 73105, somerset
- food lion 2195, meyersdale
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- bingman packing co, berlin
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
One of 66 counties in Pennsylvania, 6 are shown here.
Compare Somerset County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Nationwide peers for Somerset County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Somerset County, both outside Pennsylvania so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside PA (15.9% here).
- Providence County, RI · 15.9% low-access
- Ottawa County, OK · 15.9% low-access
- Murray County, OK · 15.9% low-access
- Creek County, OK · 15.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside PA (14.3% here).
- Fayette County, OH · 14.3% SNAP
- Carter County, TN · 14.3% SNAP
- Yadkin County, NC · 14.3% SNAP
- Caldwell County, NC · 14.3% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Pennsylvania among Middle Atlantic states
Pennsylvania ranks 2nd of 3 Middle Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (21.4%). Somerset County, at 15.9%, runs 5.5 pts below the Pennsylvania rate.
- New Jersey 23.8%
- Pennsylvania 21.4%
- New York 12.0%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Somerset County, PA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 42111. 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.