PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Spotsylvania County, VA

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

25.5%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
6.6%
on SNAP
147K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

25.5% of Spotsylvania County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 30 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

16
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
2.9%
households, no vehicle
7.1%
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 Spotsylvania County's low-access share at 25.5%, above the national share. 16 of the county's 30 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 31,173 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 6,095 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 Spotsylvania County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Spotsylvania County's 25.5% low-access share is elevated, higher than 60% of them and ranked #1,256 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Spotsylvania County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 30 census tracts in Spotsylvania 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 Spotsylvania County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 14 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 12 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 30 tracts evaluated. 14 tracts adequate (46.7%) 12 tracts limited (40.0%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (13.3%) Adequate 47% Limited 40% Severe 13% Food-access tier distribution: Spotsylvania County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Spotsylvania 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 Spotsylvania County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts30
Atlas Population (2010 basis)122,397
Low-Access Tracts16
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population31,173
Low-Access Share25.5%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population6,095

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Spotsylvania County
IndicatorValue
Population146,603
Median Household Income$112,738
Poverty Rate7.1%well below the national average
SNAP Households3,489
SNAP Participation Rate6.6%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle2.9%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.2%
SNAP participation in Spotsylvania County 6.6%

About 6.6% of Spotsylvania County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 25.5% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 6.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,489 households here.
  • 2.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Spotsylvania County

above the national share

4 of Spotsylvania County's 30 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 13.3% of all its tracts.

A further 12 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 16.

An estimated 31,173 residents, roughly 25.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 6,095 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 14 tracts (46.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Spotsylvania County

Spotsylvania County has 89 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 40 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 40

  • 208 variety store, spotsylvania
  • 7-eleven #20560f 20560f, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven #41814h 41814h, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven 40041a, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven inc f 32331c, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven inc f 32910b, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven store 40039h, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven #32713c 32713c, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven #33641b 33641b, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven 33288c, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven 41812a, fredericksburg
  • d mart, fredericksburg
  • d mart 3 n/a, partlow
  • fas mart 11, fredericksburg
  • fas mart 17, spotsylvania
  • fas mart 23, spotsylvania
  • fas mart 32, fredericksburg
  • fas mart 35, fredericksburg
  • fas mart 47, fredericksburg
  • fas mart 48, spotsylvania
  • i-95 fuel stop, fredericksburg
  • keystone grocery, spotsylvania
  • miller's 580, woodford
  • new york fas mart, fredericksburg
  • people's market & deli, fredericksburg
  • post oak himalayan market, spotsylvania
  • royal farms 297, fredericksburg
  • royal farms 359, fredericksburg
  • sheetz 532, fredericksburg
  • sheetz 543, fredericksburg
  • sheetz 545, fredericksburg
  • sheetz 672, woodford
  • sheetz 800, fredericksburg
  • wawa 653, fredericksburg
  • wawa 663, fredericksburg
  • wawa 664, fredericksburg
  • wawa 691, fredericksburg
  • wawa 8617, fredericksburg
  • wawa food market 658, fredericksburg
  • wawa store 8685, spotsylvania

Combination Grocery/Other · 23

  • cvs pharmacy 1564, fredericksburg
  • cvs pharmacy 1568, fredericksburg
  • cvs pharmacy 7589, fredericksburg
  • cvs pharmacy 11179, fredericksburg
  • cvs pharmacy 1539, fredericksburg
  • cvs pharmacy 3397, spotsylvania
  • cvs pharmacy 7951, fredericksburg
  • dollar general 18049, spotsylvania
  • dollar tree 2120, fredericksburg
  • dollartree 9502, fredericksburg
  • dollar general 14557, spotsylvania
  • dollar general 14856, fredericksburg
  • dollar general 9623, fredericksburg
  • dollar tree 7824, fredericksburg
  • dollartree 8892, fredericksburg
  • family dollar 3019, spotsylvania
  • family dollar 8599, fredericksburg
  • family dollar store 10737, fredericksburg
  • family dollar store 3763, fredericksburg
  • ma kumba international store, fredericksburg
  • two sister market, fredericksburg
  • walgreens 11571, fredericksburg
  • walgreens 12135, fredericksburg

Supermarket · 10

  • aldi 44070 44070, fredericksburg
  • aldi 80015 80015, fredericksburg
  • food lion 1424, spotsylvania
  • publix 1632, fredericksburg
  • publix north carolina lp 1885, fredericksburg
  • weis markets 296, fredericksburg
  • weis markets 298, fredericksburg
  • weis markets 301, fredericksburg
  • weis markets 303, fredericksburg
  • weis markets 304, spotsylvania

Super Store · 7

  • b js wholesale club 69, fredericksburg
  • costco wholesale 0340, fredericksburg
  • giant food 256, spotsylvania
  • lidl 1038, fredericksburg
  • super giant 235, fredericksburg
  • target stores 2138, fredericksburg
  • walmart supercenter 5343, fredericksburg

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • five mile international market, fredericksburg
  • milagrito market and bakery, fredericksburg
  • selectos latin market & deli, fredericksburg

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • k&k island spice and produce, fredericksburg
  • la vaquita market 3, fredericksburg
  • sierra international market, inc., fredericksburg

Farmers' Market · 2

  • spotsylvania farmers market, fredericksburg
  • spotsylvania farmers market 2, fredericksburg

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • fiesta supermarket, fredericksburg

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 Spotsylvania County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Spotsylvania 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 Spotsylvania County has low food access? ▼
25.5% of residents in Spotsylvania 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 Spotsylvania County? ▼
6.6% of households in Spotsylvania County receive SNAP, covering 3,489 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Spotsylvania County? ▼
The poverty rate in Spotsylvania County, VA is 7.1%, with a median household income of $112,738 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Spotsylvania County a food desert? ▼
4 of Spotsylvania County's 30 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 Spotsylvania County households lack a vehicle? ▼
2.9% of households in Spotsylvania 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.