Signature · 14.5% SNAP (64th pct in VA)
Southampton County, VA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Southampton 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).
- 21.8%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 14.5%
- on SNAP
- 18K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Southampton County, VA
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 21.8% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.3 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.5% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 20% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Mecklenburg County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Southampton County ranks #1,542 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #50 of 123 counties in VA (21.8% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #1,542
- national by low-access %
- #50
- in VA
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 947
- 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: 14.5% SNAP (64th pct in VA) (+2.4 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Southampton County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Southampton County's 21.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 51% of them and ranked #1,544 most-affected nationwide.
Southampton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Southampton County has 0 urban and 5 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.
Southampton County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, not a full county-board reprint
- Highland
Highland 99.7%
99.7 % low-access
- Suffolk city 22.4
Suffolk city 22.4%
22.4 % low-access
- Roanoke 22.2
Roanoke 22.2%
22.2 % low-access
- Southampton 21.8
Southampton 21.8%
21.8 % low-access
- Mecklenburg 21.8
Mecklenburg 21.8%
21.8 % low-access
- Bath 21.2
Bath 21.2%
21.2 % low-access
- Dickenson 0
Dickenson 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 18,570 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,041 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.8%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 947 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 17,964 |
| Median Household Income | $70,795 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.7%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 999 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.5%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.4%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 8.0% |
SNAP retailers in Southampton County
Southampton County has 13 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 7 locations (54% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 7
- 7-eleven 26645j, courtland
- 7-eleven inc f 19701a, courtland
- duck thru food store 35, courtland
- duck thru food store 39, franklin
- duck thru food store 5, franklin
- meadows express, franklin
- meat on main, newsoms
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- dollar general 18962, ivor
- dollar general 11705, boykins
- dollar general 1937, courtland
- dollar general 20400, capron
Farmers' Market · 1
- grayson and emmas garden spot, llc, courtland
Supermarket · 1
- food lion 2111, courtland
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Virginia
One of 132 counties in Virginia, 6 are shown here.
Compare Southampton County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →
Nationwide peers for Southampton County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Southampton County (14.5%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Virginia.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside VA (21.8% here).
- Wood County, TX · 21.8% low-access
- Wood County, TX · 21.8% low-access
- Perry County, MS · 21.8% low-access
- Perry County, MS · 21.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside VA (14.5% here).
- Abbeville County, SC · 14.5% SNAP
- Abbeville County, SC · 14.5% SNAP
- Elk County, PA · 14.5% SNAP
- Elk County, PA · 14.5% 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.
Food access nationally, Virginia in context
Southampton County sits inside Virginia (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 Southampton County, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51175. 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.