Signature · 3 LILA tracts (27.3% of tracts)

Tazewell County, VA

Tazewell County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 3 LILA tracts (27.3% of the book) alongside 19.3% low-access.

19.3%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
15.3%
on SNAP
40K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

USDA FARA access plate

County Tazewell County, VA

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE

  • LA-MODERATE 19.3% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -2.8 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-HEAVY 15.3% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 6.6% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-DENSE 27% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Bland County (+ 0.2 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Tazewell County ranks #1,746 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #62 of 123 counties in VA (19.3% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).

#1,746
national by low-access %
#62
in VA
3
low-access tracts
4K
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: 3 LILA tracts (27.3% of tracts) .

How Tazewell County compares nationally

Tazewell County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.3% low-access share that beats 44% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,746).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Tazewell County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

11 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Tazewell County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (72.7%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (27.3%) Adequate 73% Limited 0% Severe 27% Food-access tier distribution: Tazewell County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Tazewell County has 3 urban and 8 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.

Tazewell County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, 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 Tazewell County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)45,078
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population8,709
Low-Access Share19.3%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,734

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Tazewell County
IndicatorValue
Population39,624
Median Household Income$47,313
Poverty Rate18.5%above the national average
SNAP Households2,490
SNAP Participation Rate15.3%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.6%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.2%

Thick SNAP store book in Tazewell County

Tazewell County has 54 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 26 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 26

  • buds shopping center, north tazewell
  • corner market 6, bluefield
  • corner mart, bluefield
  • corner mart 2 richland, richlands
  • corner mart 3, bluefield
  • corner mart 460, north tazewell
  • corner mart 5, richlands
  • doran food mart, richlands
  • fas mart 429, pounding mill
  • fas mart 434, cedar bluff
  • fas mart 435, richlands
  • fast stop, bluefield
  • graham mart, bluefield
  • happy mart, north tazewell
  • jay bhoja 2, pounding mill
  • midway, pounding mill
  • pm quickmart, pounding mill
  • pop shop 1, tazewell
  • pop shop 2, north tazewell
  • raven mart, raven
  • stop & save 1, bluefield
  • stop & save 2, north tazewell
  • the cave, tazewell
  • the lucky dog, tazewell
  • va hillbilly 4, bishop
  • valley mart 1, cedar bluff

Combination Grocery/Other · 17

  • big lots 3120, richlands
  • cvs 6302, north tazewell
  • cvs pharmacy 6303, richlands
  • dollar general 19042, pocahontas
  • dollar general 0265, richlands
  • dollar general 0359, north tazewell
  • dollar general 15629, raven
  • dollar general 17153, north tazewell
  • dollar general 21508, cedar bluff
  • dollar general 22185, bluefield
  • dollar general 30541, tazewell
  • dollar general 3505, richlands
  • dollar general store 16142, north tazewell
  • dollar tree 1914, bluefield
  • dollar tree 2030, pounding mill
  • family dollar store 357, north tazewell
  • family dollar store 721, richlands

Supermarket · 6

  • food city 827, cedar bluff
  • food city 852, bluefield
  • food lion 1176, north tazewell
  • food lion 730, richlands
  • grants supermarket 2, north tazewell
  • grants supermarket 1, richlands

Super Store · 4

  • dollar general market 9817, bluefield
  • sam's club 6569, bluefield
  • walmart supercenter 1763, bluefield
  • walmart supercenter 2761, pounding mill

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • triple j angus farm, cedar bluff

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 Tazewell County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

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

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

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside VA (19.3% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside VA (15.3% 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, Virginia in context

Tazewell County sits inside Virginia (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 Tazewell County, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51185. 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.