County food-access profile · North Carolina
Transylvania County, NC
Transylvania 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.
- 8.3%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 11.3%
- on SNAP
- 34K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
8.3% of Transylvania County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 977
- food-desert residents
- 4.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 13.2%
- 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).
Transylvania County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.3% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 7 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 2,752 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 Transylvania County compares nationally
Transylvania County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.3% low-access share that beats 16% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,623).
Transylvania County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 7 census tracts in Transylvania County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Transylvania County vs. other North Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in North Carolina
- Transylvania 8.3
Transylvania County, NC
8.3 % low-access
- Alamance
Alamance County, NC
25 % low-access
- Alexander
Alexander County, NC
20.4 % low-access
- Alleghany 4.3
Alleghany County, NC
4.3 % low-access
- Anson 8.4
Anson County, NC
8.4 % low-access
- Ashe
Ashe County, NC
22.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 7 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 33,090 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 2,752 |
| Low-Access Share | 8.3%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 977 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 33,691 |
| Median Household Income | $66,184 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.2%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,647 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.3%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.3% |
About 11.3% of Transylvania County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 8.3% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 11.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,647 households here.
- 4.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $66,184 with a 13.2% poverty rate.
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 Transylvania County
near the national share
A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 2.
An estimated 2,752 residents, roughly 8.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 977 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 5 tracts (71.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Transylvania County
Transylvania County has 29 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 11 locations (38% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 11
- cvs pharmacy 4165, brevard
- dollar general 16509, brevard
- dollar general 6931, brevard
- dollar general 10686, pisgah forest
- dollar general 11783, brevard
- dollar general 21507, brevard
- dollar general store 17261, sapphire
- dollar general store 17310, pisgah forest
- dollar tree 3191, brevard
- la favorita latin store llc, pisgah forest
- walgreens 10274, brevard
Convenience Store · 8
- balsam grove general store, balsam grove
- energy mart stores 4, brevard
- nouria 431 asheville highway 100, brevard
- the store, brevard
- the imarket 767, brevard
- triangle stop food stores 205, pisgah forest
- triangle stop food stores 208, brevard
- triangle stop food stores 217, brevard
Supermarket · 5
- aldi 76087, brevard
- food lion 2588, brevard
- food matters market, brevard
- ingles markets 67, brevard
- sav mor 867, brevard
Farmers' Market · 1
- transylvania farmers market, brevard
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- nature hollow, brevard
Large Grocery Store · 1
- grocery outlet 30, brevard
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- jarrett's, rosman
Super Store · 1
- walmart 1795, pisgah forest
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in North Carolina
Compare Transylvania County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, North Carolina in context
Transylvania County sits inside North Carolina (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Transylvania County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Transylvania County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Transylvania County? ▼
Is Transylvania County a food desert? ▼
What share of Transylvania County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.