Signature · 1 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts)
Washington County, KY
Washington County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 1 LILA tracts (33.3% of the book) alongside 16.2% low-access.
- 16.2%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 16.2%
- on SNAP
- 12K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Washington County, KY
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-MODERATE 16.2% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -5.9 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 16.2% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.3% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 33% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Warren County ( -0.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Washington County ranks #2,016 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #42 of 110 counties in KY (16.2% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #2,016
- national by low-access %
- #42
- in KY
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 605
- 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: 1 LILA tracts (33.3% of tracts) .
How Washington County compares nationally
Washington County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.2% low-access share that beats 36% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,016).
Washington County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Washington County has 0 urban and 3 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 low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Kentucky, not a full county-board reprint
- Robertson
Robertson 74.8%
74.8 % low-access
- Meade 16.6
Meade 16.6%
16.6 % low-access
- Calloway 16.5
Calloway 16.5%
16.5 % low-access
- Washington 16.2
Washington 16.2%
16.2 % low-access
- Warren 16
Warren 16%
16 % low-access
- Harrison 15.6
Harrison 15.6%
15.6 % low-access
- Ballard 0
Ballard 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 11,717 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,894 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.2%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 605 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 12,140 |
| Median Household Income | $61,616 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.7%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 785 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 16.2%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.3%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.9% |
SNAP retailers in Washington County
Washington County has 13 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 6 locations (46% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- dollar general 12470, springfield
- dollar general 13050, willisburg
- dollar general 25641, springfield
- dollar general 30454, willisburg
- family dollar 12644, springfield
- walgreens 17432, springfield
Convenience Store · 5
- bg 555 fuel mart, willisburg
- corner market, willisburg
- fivestar 9860, springfield
- grab n go springfield, springfield
- par mart, springfield
Super Store · 1
- parkview iga, springfield
Supermarket · 1
- springfield price cutter 5262, springfield
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Kentucky
One of 119 counties in Kentucky, 6 are shown here.
Compare Washington County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →
Nationwide peers for Washington County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Washington County, both outside Kentucky so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside KY (16.2% here).
- Jasper County, IA · 16.2% low-access
- Jasper County, IA · 16.2% low-access
- Livingston County, IL · 16.2% low-access
- Livingston County, IL · 16.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside KY (16.2% here).
- St. Clair County, IL · 16.2% SNAP
- St. Clair County, IL · 16.2% SNAP
- Morgan County, IL · 16.2% SNAP
- Morgan County, IL · 16.2% 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, Kentucky in context
Washington County sits inside Kentucky (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, KY are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 21229. 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.