PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Florida

Washington County, FL

Washington County sits among the counties with the widest food-access gaps the USDA tracks, most residents here live well outside a comfortable walk or drive to a supermarket. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

40.7%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
12.4%
on SNAP
26K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 FL

The food-access picture

40.7% of Washington County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
5K
food-desert residents
2.9%
households, no vehicle
17.3%
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).

Washington County carries one of the more serious food-access burdens the USDA Atlas tracks: its low-access share of 40.7% is well above the national share. 4 of the county's 7 census tracts fall into that category, areas where residents live far from a supermarket, covering about 10,141 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,407 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 Washington County compares nationally

Washington County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 40.7% low-access share outpaces 88% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #375 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Washington County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 7 census tracts in Washington 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 Washington County, FL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 7 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (42.9%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (57.1%) Adequate 43% Limited 0% Severe 57% Food-access tier distribution: Washington County, FL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Washington County vs. other Florida counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Florida

% 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 Washington County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts7
Atlas Population (2010 basis)24,896
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population10,141
Low-Access Share40.7%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,407

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Washington County
IndicatorValue
Population25,529
Median Household Income$58,210
Poverty Rate17.3%above the national average
SNAP Households1,154
SNAP Participation Rate12.4%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle2.9%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population10.4%
SNAP participation in Washington County 12.4%

About 12.4% of Washington County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 40.7% of residents are low-access, well above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,154 households here.
  • 2.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Washington County

well above the national share

4 of Washington County's 7 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 57.1% of all its tracts.

An estimated 10,141 residents, roughly 40.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 5,407 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (42.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Washington County

Washington County has 34 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 15 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 15

  • chipley food mart, chipley
  • circle h, vernon
  • circle k 2708891, vernon
  • eagle world 612, caryville
  • express lane 766, chipley
  • express lane 773, chipley
  • fastlane drive-thru, chipley
  • murphy usa 7768, chipley
  • navan express, chipley
  • one stop shop, vernon
  • petro mart, chipley
  • quail hollow gen store & supply, chipley
  • quick stop 2, ebro
  • tom thumb 900040, wausau
  • tom thumb 900091, chipley

Combination Grocery/Other · 13

  • cvs pharmacy 4480, chipley
  • dollar general 4759, chipley
  • dollar general 6249, chipley
  • dollar general 8629, vernon
  • dollar general 11327, chipley
  • dollar general 18106, caryville
  • dollar general 21220, ebro
  • dollar general 22424, chipley
  • dollar general 25799, chipley
  • dollar general 30592, chipley
  • dollar general 30593, chipley
  • dollar tree 3658, chipley
  • family dollar 13187, vernon

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 2

  • main street market, chipley
  • nana and papa's country market, vernon

Super Store · 2

  • brickyard market, chipley
  • walmart 2114, chipley

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • greenhead market, chipley

Supermarket · 1

  • piggly wiggly, chipley

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Florida

Alachua County
19.2% low-access · 9.2% SNAP
Baker County
55.6% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Bay County
31.5% low-access · 12.6% SNAP
Bradford County
1.1% low-access · 17.3% SNAP
Brevard County
41.8% low-access · 9.4% SNAP
Broward County
9.4% low-access · 13.2% SNAP

Compare Washington County vs Alachua County → · All Florida counties →

Food access nationally, Florida in context

Washington County sits inside Florida (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 Washington County has low food access? ▼
40.7% of residents in Washington County, FL 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 Washington County? ▼
12.4% of households in Washington County receive SNAP, covering 1,154 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Washington County? ▼
The poverty rate in Washington County, FL is 17.3%, with a median household income of $58,210 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Washington County a food desert? ▼
4 of Washington County's 7 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 Washington County households lack a vehicle? ▼
2.9% of households in Washington 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.