Signature · 7 LILA tracts (28% of tracts)

Strafford County, NH

Strafford County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 7 LILA tracts (28% of the book) alongside 24.2% low-access.

24.2%
low-access pop.
7
food-desert tracts
7.3%
on SNAP
133K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NH

USDA FARA access plate

County Strafford County, NH

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-ELEVATED 24.2% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +2.1 pts vs US
  • LILA-CLUSTER 7 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 7.3% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 4.9% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 28% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Cheshire County ( -4.9 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Strafford County ranks #1,354 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #4 of 10 counties in NH (24.2% low-access; 7 food-desert tracts).

#1,354
national by low-access %
#4
in NH
10
low-access tracts
7K
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: 7 LILA tracts (28% of tracts) .

How Strafford County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Strafford County's 24.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 57% of them and ranked #1,355 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Strafford County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

25 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 7 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Strafford County, NH USDA-defined food-access tiers: 15 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 7 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 25 tracts evaluated. 15 tracts adequate (60.0%) 3 tracts limited (12.0%) 7 tracts severe / food desert (28.0%) Adequate 60% Limited 12% Severe 28% Food-access tier distribution: Strafford County, NH
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Strafford County has 16 urban and 9 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.

Strafford County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in New Hampshire, not a full county-board reprint

% 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 Strafford County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts25
Atlas Population (2010 basis)123,143
Low-Access Tracts10
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)7
Low-Access Population29,858
Low-Access Share24.2%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population6,976

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Strafford County
IndicatorValue
Population132,575
Median Household Income$88,570
Poverty Rate8.7%below the national average
SNAP Households3,816
SNAP Participation Rate7.3%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.9%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population6.2%

Thick SNAP store book in Strafford County

Strafford County has 84 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 45 locations (54% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 45

  • 4707248.0 7248, farmington
  • 7-eleven store 37365j, dover
  • circle k 4707264, dover
  • circle k 4707269, rochester
  • cumberland farms 5401, rochester
  • cumberland farms 5402, somersworth
  • cumberland farms 5403, milton
  • cumberland farms 5406, rochester
  • cumberland farms 5508, rochester
  • cumberland farms 5525, rochester
  • cumberland farms 5541, farmington
  • circle k 4707225, somersworth
  • circle k 4707226, dover
  • circle k 4707227, barrington
  • circle k 4707241, durham
  • circle k 4707244, rochester
  • crowley's variety & grill ii, farmington
  • cumberland farms 5434, rollinsford
  • cumberland farms 5447, somersworth
  • dicicco's market, dover
  • discount borderline beverage, rochester
  • dover discount beverages, dover
  • downtown discount beverages, dover
  • friendly stop store, rochester
  • hardee's market & deli, somersworth
  • highland street convenience store, rochester
  • market & cafe at emery farm, durham
  • mr mikes 324 324, dover
  • nouria 1 long hill road 1112, dover
  • nouria 130 washington street 1133, rochester
  • nouria 169 silver street 1113, dover
  • nouria 198 milton road 1134, rochester
  • nouria 420 route 108 1136, somersworth
  • nouria 46 central avenue 1114, dover
  • nouria 95 farmington road 1135, rochester
  • river corner market, dover
  • rochester food and beverage, rochester
  • rochester petroil and food mart, rochester
  • rt108 beverage, somersworth
  • rusty lantern 0048, lee
  • shiva market, somersworth
  • smiley's discount beverage, dover
  • stateline discount beverage, rollinsford
  • stateline mini mart, somersworth
  • swina corporation - borderline beverages, somersworth

Combination Grocery/Other · 14

  • cvs 10463, dover
  • cvs pharmacy 2197, rochester
  • cvs pharmacy 4314, somersworth
  • dollar tree 3064, somersworth
  • dollar general 14482, lee
  • dollar general 16388, milton
  • dollar tree 3990, rochester
  • dollar tree 7754, rochester
  • mills market, farmington
  • ocean state job lot 417, rochester
  • rigz kids inc-the city tobacco & beverage center 1, rochester
  • walgreens 10642, lee
  • walgreens 10780, dover
  • walgreens 3520, rochester

Super Store · 13

  • hannaford food & drug 8373, dover
  • hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8242, dover
  • hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8315, rochester
  • hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8317, rochester
  • hannaford supermarket 8440, durham
  • market basket 36, somersworth
  • market basket 50, rochester
  • market basket 51, lee
  • market basket 81, rochester
  • target 2182, somersworth
  • tendercrop farm at the red barn, inc., dover
  • walmart 2330, rochester
  • walmart supercenter 1749, somersworth

Farmers' Market · 4

  • dover farmers' market, dover
  • durham farmers' market, durham
  • rochester farmers' market, rochester
  • rollinsford winter market, rollinsford

Large Grocery Store · 3

  • fiddlehead farms, somersworth
  • george calef fine foods, barrington
  • janetos market, dover

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 73101, dover
  • shaw's supermarket 2479, dover

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • arthurs market, rochester

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • andover seafoods llc 1, somersworth

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • dover natural food and marketplace, dover

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in New Hampshire

One of 9 counties in New Hampshire, 6 are shown here.

Compare Strafford County vs Belknap County → · All New Hampshire counties →

Nationwide peers for Strafford County's low-access or SNAP share

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Strafford County, both outside New Hampshire so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside NH (24.2% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside NH (7.3% here).

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, New Hampshire in context

Strafford County sits inside New Hampshire (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 Strafford County, NH are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 33017. 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.