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 #1,542 most-affected nationwide.
Southampton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
All 5 of Southampton County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
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.
Where the store book sits, by town
6 towns share the 13 authorized stores; Courtland holds 46% of them. 5 of the 6 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Franklin, Boykins, Capron, Ivor, Newsoms.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Courtland | 6 | 1 |
| Franklin | 3 | none |
| Boykins | 1 | none |
| Capron | 1 | none |
| Ivor | 1 | none |
| Newsoms | 1 | none |
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
- Perry County, MS · 21.8% low-access
- Baltimore County, MD · 21.8% low-access
- Champaign County, IL · 21.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside VA (14.5% here).
- Abbeville County, SC · 14.5% SNAP
- Elk County, PA · 14.5% SNAP
- Bradford County, PA · 14.5% SNAP
- Craig County, OK · 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.
Virginia among South Atlantic states
Virginia ranks 8th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (20.4%). Southampton County, at 21.8%, runs 1.4 pts above the Virginia rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
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 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.