PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Georgia

Toombs County, GA

Toombs County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

11.6%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
22.5%
on SNAP
27K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 GA

The food-access picture

11.6% of Toombs County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
10.4%
households, no vehicle
22.5%
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).

Toombs County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 11.6% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 6 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,170 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,436 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 Toombs County compares nationally

Toombs County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 11.6% low-access share that beats 25% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,365).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Toombs County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 6 census tracts in Toombs 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 Toombs County, GA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (66.7%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (33.3%) Adequate 67% Limited 0% Severe 33% Food-access tier distribution: Toombs County, GA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Toombs 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 Toombs County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)27,223
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population3,170
Low-Access Share11.6%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,436

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Toombs County
IndicatorValue
Population27,102
Median Household Income$52,621
Poverty Rate22.5%well above the national average
SNAP Households2,337
SNAP Participation Rate22.5%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle10.4%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.1%
SNAP participation in Toombs County 22.5%

About 22.5% of Toombs County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 11.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 22.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,337 households here.
  • 10.4% 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 Toombs County

near the national share

2 of Toombs County's 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 33.3% of all its tracts.

An estimated 3,170 residents, roughly 11.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,436 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 4 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Toombs County

Toombs County has 46 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 26 locations (57% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 26

  • aman quik stop, lyons
  • cedar crossing grocery, uvalda
  • fast break, lyons
  • fast break, vidalia
  • flash foods llc 274259, vidalia
  • flash foods llc 274290, vidalia
  • friendly foods, vidalia
  • friendly in & out, lyons
  • gas & go, vidalia
  • jani's mart, vidalia
  • los paisas market, vidalia
  • lyons open air, lyons
  • michael's coffee & tobacco, vidalia
  • micntosh foodmart, vidalia
  • murphy usa 6557, vidalia
  • nouria 1401 east first street 591, vidalia
  • nouria 2501 east 1st street 756, vidalia
  • nouria 277 west liberty avenue 748, lyons
  • nouria 612 south state street 752, lyons
  • parkers 46, lyons
  • parkers 51, vidalia
  • pick-n-move, vidalia
  • pops general store, lyons
  • tammy's, vidalia
  • the pantry shelf, lyons
  • tienda los olivos, vidalia

Combination Grocery/Other · 9

  • big lots 3326, vidalia
  • cvs pharmacy 7717, vidalia
  • dollar general 19395, lyons
  • dollar general 6250, vidalia
  • dollar general 674, vidalia
  • dollar general 20833, vidalia
  • dollar tree 1757, vidalia
  • family dollar 241, vidalia
  • family dollar store 3073, lyons

Super Store · 3

  • dollar general market 14022, lyons
  • thriftway food store, lyons
  • walmart supercenter 864, vidalia

Supermarket · 3

  • food lion 2813, vidalia
  • food world 794, vidalia
  • save-a-lot 45070, vidalia

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2

  • mclemore's abattoir, vidalia
  • reedy creek meat company, vidalia

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • toombs county farmers market, lyons

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • el centenario tienda mexicana, vidalia

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • taylors fresh seafood, vidalia

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 Toombs County vs Appling County → · All Georgia counties →

Food access nationally, Georgia in context

Toombs 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 Toombs County has low food access? ▼
11.6% of residents in Toombs 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 Toombs County? ▼
22.5% of households in Toombs County receive SNAP, covering 2,337 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Toombs County? ▼
The poverty rate in Toombs County, GA is 22.5%, with a median household income of $52,621 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Toombs County a food desert? ▼
2 of Toombs County's 6 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 Toombs County households lack a vehicle? ▼
10.4% of households in Toombs 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.