Signature · 11.2% low-access (23rd pct)

Washington County, AL

Washington County lands in the lower national band on low-access (11.2%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

11.2%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
13.8%
on SNAP
15K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 AL

USDA FARA access plate

County Washington County, AL

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-MODERATE 11.2% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -10.9 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-HEAVY 13.8% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 5.1% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 20% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Escambia County ( -0.6 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Washington County lands in the lower national band (11.2%, #2,399 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,399
national by low-access %
#49
in AL
3
low-access tracts
788
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 11.2% low-access (23rd pct) (-10.9 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Washington County compares nationally

Washington County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 11.2% low-access share that beats 23% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,400).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Washington County's lower-band USDA tier split

5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Washington County, AL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 2 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 2 tracts adequate (40.0%) 2 tracts limited (40.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (20.0%) Adequate 40% Limited 40% Severe 20% Food-access tier distribution: Washington County, AL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Washington County has 0 urban and 5 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.

Washington County vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Alabama, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Washington County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)17,581
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population1,965
Low-Access Share11.2%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population788

ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Washington County
IndicatorValue
Population15,143
Median Household Income$61,042
Poverty Rate17.1%above the national average
SNAP Households821
SNAP Participation Rate13.8%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.1%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.8%

SNAP retailers in Washington County

Washington County has 15 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 7 locations (47% of the total), followed by convenience store.

Combination Grocery/Other · 7

  • dollar general 13986, leroy
  • dollar general 6693, millry
  • dollar general 7854, chatom
  • dollar general 9969, mc intosh
  • dollar general 18588, fruitdale
  • family dollar 13534, chatom
  • family dollar store 4089, mcintosh

Convenience Store · 5

  • goco 204, chatom
  • goco 212, millry
  • map 1, mcintosh
  • merri mart 002, calvert
  • schultz gro, frankville

Supermarket · 3

  • cashsaver 10, millry
  • cashsaver 3, mcintosh
  • ramey's 26, chatom

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Alabama

One of 66 counties in Alabama, 6 are shown here.

Compare Washington County vs Autauga County → · All Alabama counties →

Counties near Washington County's lower low-access or SNAP band

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

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside AL (11.2% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside AL (13.8% 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.

Washington County inside a lower low-access state context

Washington County sits inside Alabama (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 Washington County, AL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 01129. 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.