PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Georgia

Spalding County, GA

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Spalding 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).

26.4%
low-access pop.
5
food-desert tracts
18.5%
on SNAP
69K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 GA

The food-access picture

26.4% of Spalding County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
8K
food-desert residents
6.2%
households, no vehicle
18.9%
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).

USDA data puts Spalding County's low-access share at 26.4%, above the national share. 6 of the county's 12 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 16,887 people. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 8,108 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 Spalding County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Spalding County's 26.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 62% of them and ranked #1,194 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Spalding County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Spalding 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 Spalding County, GA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 6 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 5 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 6 tracts adequate (50.0%) 1 tracts limited (8.3%) 5 tracts severe / food desert (41.7%) Adequate 50% Limited 8% Severe 42% Food-access tier distribution: Spalding County, GA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Spalding County vs. other Georgia counties

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

% 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 Spalding County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)64,073
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)5
Low-Access Population16,887
Low-Access Share26.4%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population8,108

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Spalding County
IndicatorValue
Population68,892
Median Household Income$62,071
Poverty Rate18.9%above the national average
SNAP Households4,900
SNAP Participation Rate18.5%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.2%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.3%
SNAP participation in Spalding County 18.5%

About 18.5% of Spalding County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 26.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 18.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,900 households here.
  • 6.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 5 tracts 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 Spalding County

above the national share

5 of Spalding County's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 41.7% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.

An estimated 16,887 residents, roughly 26.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 8,108 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 6 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Spalding County

Spalding County has 77 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 40 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 40

  • a1 food mart 0, griffin
  • am pm express, griffin
  • aman food mart 0, griffin
  • bone appetit market, griffin
  • chevron foodmart, griffin
  • circle k 2723331, griffin
  • citgo griffin 1639 llc, griffin
  • cleveland food mart, griffin
  • coles corner, brooks
  • copeland grocery, griffin
  • flowers bakery outlet 165, griffin
  • food station, griffin
  • geraro grocery store, griffin
  • griffin convenience store, griffin
  • griffin express, griffin
  • griffin food mart, griffin
  • griffin foodmart, griffin
  • h and m food mart, griffin
  • harry's grocery, griffin
  • highfalls country store, griffin
  • hot shot, griffin
  • jv's corner, griffin
  • jay mahakali 1080 inc, griffin
  • jp griffin 210, griffin
  • just fresh meat, inc, griffin
  • liberty gas station 0, griffin
  • marathon food mart 0, griffin
  • monoprix foodmart llc, griffin
  • murphy usa 7801, griffin
  • nash food mart, griffin
  • neighborhood food mart, griffin
  • neighbors mart, griffin
  • orchard hill food mart, griffin
  • racetrac 2495, griffin
  • royal seven #10, griffin
  • s&m grocery, griffin
  • shell food mart 0, griffin
  • sunshine grocery, griffin
  • super food, griffin
  • wing-it deli, griffin

Combination Grocery/Other · 23

  • b cook's grocery, griffin
  • cvs pharmacy 4404, griffin
  • dollar general 1325, griffin
  • dollar general 13850, brooks
  • dollar general 19459, griffin
  • dollar general 4572, griffin
  • dollar general 8581, griffin
  • dollartree 10678, griffin
  • dollar general 13222, griffin
  • dollar general 16757, griffin
  • dollar general 17521, griffin
  • dollar general 23324, griffin
  • dollar general 25856, griffin
  • dollar general 30257, griffin
  • dollar general 6084, griffin
  • dollar general store 17055, griffin
  • dollar tree 2339, griffin
  • family dollar 12213, griffin
  • family dollar store 267, griffin
  • reeces farmers market, griffin
  • walgreens 10632, griffin
  • walgreens 18188, griffin
  • walgreens 19322, griffin

Supermarket · 5

  • aldi 76101, griffin
  • easy shop supermarket, griffin
  • food depot 34, griffin
  • food depot 57, griffin
  • ingles markets 457, griffin

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • abuzaidieh inc., griffin
  • fast break, griffin
  • la pinata mexican market, griffin

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • florencia, griffin
  • wilsons warehouse, griffin

Super Store · 2

  • kroger 619, griffin
  • walmart supercenter 932, griffin

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • samtarv food pride, griffin

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • five star cut foods, griffin

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Georgia

Appling County
47.8% low-access · 19.6% SNAP
Atkinson County
23.5% low-access · 26.2% SNAP
Bacon County
3.3% low-access · 20.9% SNAP
Baker County
61.3% low-access · 15.2% SNAP
Baldwin County
24.6% low-access · 16.2% SNAP
Banks County
1.8% low-access · 9.0% SNAP

Compare Spalding County vs Appling County → · All Georgia counties →

Food access nationally, Georgia in context

Spalding County sits inside Georgia (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 Spalding County has low food access? ▼
26.4% of residents in Spalding County, GA 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 Spalding County? ▼
18.5% of households in Spalding County receive SNAP, covering 4,900 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Spalding County? ▼
The poverty rate in Spalding County, GA is 18.9%, with a median household income of $62,071 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Spalding County a food desert? ▼
5 of Spalding County's 12 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 Spalding County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.2% of households in Spalding 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.