PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Stafford County, VA

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

33.4%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
4.4%
on SNAP
163K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

33.4% of Stafford County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 27 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

13
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
2.0%
households, no vehicle
4.7%
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 Stafford County's low-access share at 33.4%, above the national share. 13 of the county's 27 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 43,076 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,580 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 Stafford County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Stafford County's 33.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 77% of them and ranked #715 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Stafford County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 27 census tracts in Stafford 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 Stafford County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 14 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 11 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 27 tracts evaluated. 14 tracts adequate (51.9%) 11 tracts limited (40.7%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (7.4%) Adequate 52% Limited 41% Severe 7% Food-access tier distribution: Stafford County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Stafford 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 Stafford County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts27
Atlas Population (2010 basis)128,961
Low-Access Tracts13
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population43,076
Low-Access Share33.4%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,580

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Stafford County
IndicatorValue
Population163,466
Median Household Income$137,807
Poverty Rate4.7%well below the national average
SNAP Households2,299
SNAP Participation Rate4.4%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle2.0%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.3%
SNAP participation in Stafford County 4.4%

About 4.4% of Stafford County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 33.4% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 4.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,299 households here.
  • 2.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Stafford County

above the national share

2 of Stafford County's 27 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 7.4% of all its tracts.

A further 11 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 13.

An estimated 43,076 residents, roughly 33.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 5,580 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 14 tracts (51.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Stafford County

Stafford County has 87 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 39 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 39

  • 7-eleven 32170h, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven #34649c 34649c, stafford
  • 7-eleven 17219a, stafford
  • 7-eleven 32633a, stafford
  • 7-eleven 40037, stafford
  • 7-eleven inc f 32140, stafford
  • 7-eleven inc f 33605a, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven, inc. 28596l, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven #33701c 33701c, stafford
  • 7-eleven #41617a 41617a, stafford
  • 7-eleven 18551d 18551d, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven 28422d, fredericksburg
  • 7-eleven 40045b, stafford
  • al kareem llc 1710, fredericksburg
  • fas mart 19, fredericksburg
  • gloria luz market and restaurant inc 01, stafford
  • mountain view market, fredericksburg
  • murphy express 8731, fredericksburg
  • onville kwik mart, stafford
  • royal farms 237, fredericksburg
  • royal farms 430, fredericksburg
  • sheetz 264, fredericksburg
  • sheetz 590, stafford
  • sheetz 718, stafford
  • sheetz 905, fredericksburg
  • taylors market, stafford
  • wawa 665, stafford
  • wawa 668, fredericksburg
  • wawa 688, fredericksburg
  • wawa 689, stafford
  • wawa 697, stafford
  • warrenton exxon, fredericksburg
  • wawa 8627, fredericksburg
  • wawa store 8674, stafford
  • wawa store 8677, fredericksburg
  • wawa store 8679, stafford
  • wawa store 8684, midlothian
  • wawa store 8689, stafford
  • white oak mart, fredericksburg

Combination Grocery/Other · 19

  • cvs 10454, fredericksburg
  • cvs 4335, fredericksburg
  • cvs pharmacy 1423, stafford
  • cvs pharmacy 2129, stafford
  • cvs pharmacy 1569, fredericksburg
  • cvs/pharmacy 3396, stafford
  • catfish kelly's country store, fredericksburg
  • dollar general 17277, stafford
  • dollartree 9196, stafford
  • dollartree 9297, fredericksburg
  • dollar general 4823, stafford
  • dollar general 7906, fredericksburg
  • dollar general 8906, fredericksburg
  • dollar tree 498, stafford
  • dollar tree 7702, fredericksburg
  • dollar tree 944, fredericksburg
  • international halal food, stafford
  • mavis international foods, stafford
  • walgreens 15445, fredericksburg

Super Store · 11

  • giant food 243, stafford
  • giant food 789, fredericksburg
  • lidl 1039, fredericksburg
  • shoppers food warehouse 2372, stafford
  • super giant 234, fredericksburg
  • target stores 1857, stafford
  • target stores 2175, stafford
  • walmart 2520, fredericksburg
  • walmart 6936, stafford
  • walmart supercenter 2438, stafford
  • walmart supercenter 4258, fredericksburg

Small Grocery Store · 7

  • blessed international, llc, stafford
  • btrix international market, fredericksburg
  • halal boys meat & grocery 101, stafford
  • moldova european food market, stafford
  • natus & vandy international foods, stafford
  • royal halal market 1, stafford
  • santa fe latino market, stafford

Supermarket · 6

  • aldi 03, stafford
  • aldi 80013, fredericksburg
  • publix north carolina, lp 1720, stafford
  • weis markets 297, fredericksburg
  • weis markets 307, stafford
  • weis markets 308, stafford

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • la vaquita market 2, fredericksburg
  • maihan halal market llc,, fredericksburg
  • stafford halal market and bakery na, stafford

Farmers' Market · 1

  • long family markets, stafford

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • cockeye cox's crab co., 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 Stafford County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Stafford 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 Stafford County has low food access? ▼
33.4% of residents in Stafford 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 Stafford County? ▼
4.4% of households in Stafford County receive SNAP, covering 2,299 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Stafford County? ▼
The poverty rate in Stafford County, VA is 4.7%, with a median household income of $137,807 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Stafford County a food desert? ▼
2 of Stafford County's 27 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 Stafford County households lack a vehicle? ▼
2.0% of households in Stafford 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.