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 #1,264 most-affected nationwide.
Wake County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
187 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 18 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Wake County has 171 urban and 16 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.
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 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 152 locations (23% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 152
- 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
- cvs pharmacy 4198, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 5313, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 5886, apex
- cvs pharmacy 6988, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 7311, cary
- cvs pharmacy 7513, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 7529, knightdale
- cvs pharmacy 7555, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 8911, holly springs
- cvs pharmacy 8935, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 10682, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 10863, raleigh
- cvs pharmacy 2754, cary
- cvs pharmacy 317, cary
- cvs pharmacy 5042, morrisville
- cvs pharmacy 5556, cary
- cvs pharmacy 7039, cary
- cvs pharmacy 7051, wake forest
- cvs pharmacy 7548, fuquay varina
- cvs pharmacy 8417, cary
- cloud 7, raleigh
- dollar general 0801, rolesville
- dollar general 15400, zebulon
- dollar general 1706, zebulon
- dollar general 4977, wake forest
- dollar general 7148, raleigh
- dollar general 7389, cary
- dollar general 7773, raleigh
- dollar general 8867, raleigh
- dollar general 9321, fuquay varina
- dollar general 9460, wendell
- dollar general 9495, cary
- dollar tree 2380, zebulon
- dollartree 10748, apex
- dollartree 11055, cary
- dollartree 978, raleigh
- dollartree 9814, raleigh
- dollar general 11622, raleigh
- dollar general 12480, willow springs
- dollar general 13053, garner
- dollar general 21250, zebulon
- dollar general 22194, willow spring
- dollar general 23626, raleigh
- dollar general 24331, apex
- dollar general 24774, fuquay varina
- dollar general 30400, holly springs
- dollar general 30822, raleigh
- dollar tree 126, raleigh
- dollar tree 145, raleigh
- dollar tree 2007, wake forest
- dollar tree 2013, fuquay varina
- dollar tree 2031, garner
- dollar tree 2261, holly springs
- dollar tree 2343, raleigh
- dollar tree 2728, morrisville
- dollar tree 324, raleigh
- dollar tree 3290, apex
- dollar tree 4051, garner
- dollar tree 4503, raleigh
- dollar tree 4674, raleigh
- dollar tree 4916, raleigh
- dollar tree 513, cary
- dollar tree 5153, raleigh
- dollar tree 5286, cary
- dollar tree 5314, cary
- dollar tree 5338, cary
- dollar tree 5456, wake forest
- dollar tree 5493, garner
- dollar tree 555, knightdale
- dollar tree 5629, garner
- dollar tree 5665, raleigh
- dollar tree 6205, raleigh
- dollar tree 6220, raleigh
- dollar tree 6812, raleigh
- dollar tree 7336, raleigh
- dollar tree 7745, raleigh
- family dollar 10583, knightdale
- family dollar 11752, raleigh
- family dollar 11800, raleigh
- family dollar 11959, knightdale
- family dollar 12032, raleigh
- family dollar 13904, raleigh
- family dollar 9329, raleigh
- family dollar store 10367, raleigh
- family dollar store 173, zebulon
- family dollar store 1730, wendell
- family dollar store 445, garner
- family dollar store 5640, raleigh
- family dollar store 5833, raleigh
- family dollar store 7205, raleigh
- family dollar store 7758, raleigh
- fresh international market, raleigh
- glenwood south pharmacy and market, raleigh
- jubba halal market, raleigh
- kim's asian market, raleigh
- nc international grocery store, raleigh
- ou llc, cary
- raleigh meat market, raleigh
- roses 378, zebulon
- roses 551, raleigh
- st. mary coptic orthodox church of north carolina, raleigh
- tienda mexicana tres hermanos 1, wake forest
- walgreen 07549, raleigh
- walgreen 7169, cary
- walgreens 07168, cary
- walgreens 07170, fuquay varina
- walgreens 07341, cary
- walgreens 07505, holly springs
- walgreens 10085, garner
- walgreens 10087, raleigh
- walgreens 10276, morrisville
- walgreens 10541, cary
- walgreens 11389, raleigh
- walgreens 11391, raleigh
- walgreens 11504, apex
- walgreens 11713, garner
- walgreens 12063, zebulon
- walgreens 12077, raleigh
- walgreens 12730, raleigh
- walgreens 15019, raleigh
- walgreens 15152, raleigh
- walgreens 15252, cary
- walgreens 15474, raleigh
- walgreens 15487, raleigh
- walgreens 15499, raleigh
- walgreens 15552, garner
- walgreens 16147, raleigh
- walgreens 16148, raleigh
- walgreens 16153, raleigh
- walgreens 17838, raleigh
- walgreens 17919, raleigh
- walgreens 18038, raleigh
- walgreens 19403, raleigh
- walgreens 19980, wake forest
- walgreens 7365, apex
- walgreens 9156, wake forest
- walgreens 9555, knightdale
- walgreens 9634, raleigh
- walgreens 9635, raleigh
- walgreens 9757, cary
- walgreens 9987, wake forest
- zando international, raleigh
Convenience Store · 94
- 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
Bakery Specialty · 4
- papa murphy's pizza nc002, cary
- papa murphy's pizza nc004, apex
- papa murphy's pizza nc033, wake forest
- papa murphy's pizza nc055, fuquay varina
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
- Haywood County, TN · 25.4% low-access
- Itasca County, MN · 25.4% low-access
- Itasca County, MN · 25.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NC (6.2% here).
- Cass County, ND · 6.2% SNAP
- Cass County, ND · 6.2% SNAP
- Richland County, ND · 6.2% SNAP
- Richland County, ND · 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.
Food access nationally, North Carolina in context
Wake County sits inside North Carolina (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 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.