Signature · 6.2% SNAP (4th pct in NC)
Wake County, NC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Wake 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).
- 25.4%
- low-access pop.
- 18
- food-desert tracts
- 6.2%
- on SNAP
- 1.2M
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Wake County, NC
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-ELEVATED 25.4% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +3.3 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 18 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 6.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 10% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Lincoln County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Wake County ranks #1,263 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #24 of 100 counties in NC (25.4% low-access; 18 food-desert tracts).
- #1,263
- national by low-access %
- #24
- in NC
- 90
- low-access tracts
- 49K
- 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: 6.2% SNAP (4th pct in NC) (-5.9 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Wake County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Wake County's 25.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 60% of them and ranked #1,263 most-affected nationwide.
Wake County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
187 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 18 LILA.
Wake County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (171 urban, 16 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 16 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Wake County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in North Carolina, not a full county-board reprint
- Hyde
Hyde 60.5%
60.5 % low-access
- Henderson
Henderson 25.7%
25.7 % low-access
- Wake
Wake 25.4%
25.4 % low-access
- Lincoln
Lincoln 25.3%
25.3 % low-access
- Davidson
Davidson 25.2%
25.2 % low-access
- Alamance
Alamance 25%
25 % low-access
- Greene 0.1
Greene 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 187 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 900,993 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 90 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 18 |
| Low-Access Population | 228,500 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.4%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 48,529 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,178,653 |
| Median Household Income | $105,768 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.1%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 28,628 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.2%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.4%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.8% |
Thick SNAP store book in Wake County
Wake County has 662 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 12 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 240 locations (36% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
20 towns share the 662 authorized stores; Raleigh holds 51% of them. 5 of the 20 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Willow Spring, Angier, Durham, Releigh, Willow Springs.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | 338 | 110 |
| Cary | 90 | 42 |
| Apex | 38 | 16 |
| Wake Forest | 36 | 12 |
| Garner | 33 | 8 |
| Morrisville | 29 | 13 |
| Fuquay Varina | 22 | 7 |
| Zebulon | 20 | 5 |
| Knightdale | 16 | 5 |
| Holly Springs | 14 | 6 |
Top 10 of 20 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 240
- 6 twelve convenience store, raleigh
- 7-eleven #41842a 41842a, raleigh
- 7-eleven 42378h, zebulon
- 7-eleven 44657h, raleigh
- 7-eleven, inc. 42196k, raleigh
- 7-eleven #41841a 41841a, morrisville
- 7-eleven #41993a 41993a, cary
- 712 c store, raleigh
- a2z, zebulon
- african continental grocery, raleigh
- asa food mart 2, wake forest
- asa food mart 3, raleigh
- bayleaf covenience & deli, raleigh
- buffaloe grocery, raleigh
- buy & go 8, fuquay varina
- circle k store 08620, raleigh
- capital mart 1, raleigh
- carolina open air market, raleigh
- central mini mart, raleigh
- circle k 2701403, morrisville
- circle k 2701511, raleigh
- circle k 2703126, raleigh
- circle k 2704270, raleigh
- circle k 2706314, raleigh
- circle k 2706329, raleigh
- circle k 2706992, garner
- circle k 2707212, angier
- circle k 2708524, raleigh
- circle k 2708527, raleigh
- circle k 2708610, raleigh
- circle k 2708621, raleigh
- circle k 2720320, raleigh
- circle k 2720457, apex
- circle k 2720816, cary
- circle k 2720823, cary
- circle k 2720850, morrisville
- circle k 2720869, raleigh
- circle k 2720914, cary
- circle k 2720916, raleigh
- circle k 2721516, cary
- circle k 2723095, raleigh
- circle k 2723098, raleigh
- circle k 2723100, raleigh
- circle k 2723118, wake forest
- circle k 2723146, fuquay varina
- circle k 2723302, apex
- circle k 2723303, raleigh
- circle k 2723475, raleigh
- circle k 2723479, garner
- circle k 2723488, cary
- circle k 2723633, apex
- circle k 2723635, apex
- circle k 2723795, apex
- circle k 2723797, apex
- circle k 2723886, morrisville
- cool mart, raleigh
- country corner grocery, wake forest
- cross link mart, raleigh
- duraleigh family fare 213, raleigh
- eagles express inc, knightdale
- east raleigh family fare 227, raleigh
- el rinco del sabor, zebulon
- elite mart, fuquay varina
- ep mart 10, knightdale
- ep mart 12, raleigh
- ezway, raleigh
- ezway old stage, raleigh
- falls lake mini mart, wake forest
- fast food mart 1, raleigh
- five points family fare 245, raleigh
- flowers bakery outlet 400, raleigh
- gabes mart, raleigh
- garner ezway, raleigh
- garner family fare 261, garner
- gnd food mart, raleigh
- grocery boy jr, garner
- grocery boy jr. 30, willow spring
- han-dee hugo's 42, garner
- han-dee hugo's 50, cary
- han-dee hugo's 72, cary
- han-dee hugo's 82, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 84, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 88, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 94, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 98, raleigh
- han-dee hugos 251, raleigh
- han-dee hugos 252, raleigh
- han-dee hugos 253, cary
- han-dee hugos 254, cary
- han-dee hugos 255, apex
- han-dee hugos 256, apex
- han-dee hugos 257, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 40, garner
- han-dee hugo's 41, cary
- han-dee hugo's 43, garner
- han-dee hugo's 45, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 46, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 47, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 53, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 54, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 56, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 57, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 58, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 60, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 62, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 64, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 65, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 66, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 67, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 69, apex
- han-dee hugo's 71, cary
- han-dee hugo's 79, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 80, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 83, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 85, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 86, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 89, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 90, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 91, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 92, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 95, raleigh
- han-dee hugo's 96, raleigh
- hillsborough mart, raleigh
- in & out kwik mart, raleigh
- in & out market 5 llc, raleigh
- in & out market llc, raleigh
- jimmy's food mart, willow spring
- knightdale family fare 320, knightdale
- kyromina, inc., raleigh
- l and m mini mart 02, raleigh
- las carolinas supermarket, fuquay varina
- mario mini mart, wendell
- mr gs mart llc 1, zebulon
- murphy express 8644, fuquay varina
- murphy express 8724, raleigh
- murphy usa 7112, releigh
- murphy usa 7613, apex
- n and a food mart 1, knightdale
- new bern ave. family fare 352, raleigh
- oak park mart, raleigh
- on the way gas and grocery, raleigh
- oudeh market,inc. dba rush street food market, raleigh
- peace street market, raleigh
- pauls cash grocery & service, raleigh
- pizza express, raleigh
- quality mart 20 1417, cary
- quality mart 40 1140, raleigh
- quality mart 47 1147, morrisville
- refuel 1103, cary
- refuel 1108, raleigh
- refuel 1109, wake forest
- refuel 1114, raleigh
- refuel 1116, apex
- refuel 1121, wendell
- refuel 1125, rolesville
- refuel 1166, apex
- refuel 1174, knightdale
- refuel 1175, raleigh
- refuel 1176, raleigh
- refuel 1177, raleigh
- refuel 1179, morrisville
- refuel 1180, raleigh
- refuel 1182, holly springs
- refuel 1184, raleigh
- refuel 1186, cary
- refuel 1187, raleigh
- refuel 1189, apex
- refuel 120, raleigh
- refuel 190, wake forest
- riley hill mart, wendell
- rose mart, wake forest
- rose mart 17361, wake forest
- rose mart 17369, raleigh
- rose mart 17370, cary
- sheetz 361, raleigh
- sheetz 365, fuquay varina
- sheetz 371, raleigh
- sandy forks mini mart, raleigh
- sandy plain mini mart, wake forest
- sheetz 399, morrisville
- sheetz 416, zebulon
- sheetz 480, raleigh
- sheetz 481, wendell
- sheetz 505, wake forest
- sheetz 507, raleigh
- sheetz 513, raleigh
- sheetz 525, morrisville
- sheetz 536, raleigh
- sheetz 537, raleigh
- sheetz 540, apex
- sheetz 555, cary
- sheetz 598, fuquay varina
- sheetz 600, morrisville
- sheetz 607, garner
- sheetz 620, raleigh
- sheetz 634, raleigh
- sheetz 642, durham
- sheetz 659, holly springs
- sheetz 664, knightdale
- sheetz 669, raleigh
- sheetz 675, raleigh
- sheetz 703, garner
- sheetz 897, raleigh
- sheetz 925, wake forest
- shop n go 39, zebulon
- siaf inc, raleigh
- sky food mart, cary
- smart mart llc, raleigh
- south gate vape & smoke shop, raleigh
- south wilmington family fare 420, raleigh
- speedway 6961, garner
- speedway 6962, garner
- speedway 6973, wake forest
- speedway 6975, raleigh
- speedway 6982, raleigh
- speedway 6983, raleigh
- speedway 6984, garner
- speedway 6986, raleigh
- speedway 6989, raleigh
- speedway 8291, fuquay varina
- spring mart llc, raleigh
- starmount mart, raleigh
- steve's mini mart inc no, garner
- stop and drive mart, zebulon
- stop n go 4, raleigh
- stop-n-quick, raleigh
- super stop, raleigh
- tala euro russian food mart, raleigh
- the ship grocery store, raleigh
- tienda la roca, cary
- trawick convenience store, raleigh
- tri mart llc, raleigh
- tryon ezway, raleigh
- twins groceries, raleigh
- uncle bills mini-mart, raleigh
- united food mart, rolesville
- wake forest bp, wake forest
- wawa store 6129, garner
- wilderness eagle mart llc, cary
- zebulon bp, zebulon
Combination Grocery/Other · 152 (10 shown)
- apna bazar, morrisville
- baghdad bakery 1, cary
- bharath bazar, cary
- black farmer's hub nafmnp, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 2306, cary
- cvs pharmacy 2313, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 2356, garner
- cvs pharmacy 2471, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 3589, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 3918, rolesville
Showing 250 of 662 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in North Carolina
One of 99 counties in North Carolina, 6 are shown here.
Compare Wake County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Nationwide peers for Wake County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Wake County (6.2%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside North Carolina.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NC (25.4% here).
- Haywood County, TN · 25.4% low-access
- Itasca County, MN · 25.4% low-access
- Winchester city, VA · 25.4% low-access
- Juneau County, WI · 25.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NC (6.2% here).
- Cass County, ND · 6.2% SNAP
- Richland County, ND · 6.2% SNAP
- Dawson County, NE · 6.2% SNAP
- Franklin County, TX · 6.2% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
North Carolina among South Atlantic states
North Carolina ranks 5th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (22.9%). Wake County, at 25.4%, runs 2.5 pts above the North Carolina rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Wake County, NC are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 37183. 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.