County food-access profile · Maryland
Washington County, MD
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Washington 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).
- 28.7%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 15.3%
- on SNAP
- 156K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
28.7% of Washington County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 32 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 12
- low-access tracts
- 8K
- food-desert residents
- 7.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.4%
- 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).
USDA data puts Washington County's low-access share at 28.7%, above the national share. 12 of the county's 32 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 42,243 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 8,104 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
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Washington County's 28.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 67% of them and ranked #1,025 most-affected nationwide.
Washington County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 32 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).
Washington County vs. other Maryland counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Maryland
- Washington
Washington County, MD
28.7 % low-access
- Allegany
Allegany County, MD
30.4 % low-access
- Anne Arundel
Anne Arundel County, MD
33.7 % low-access
- Baltimore city 4.5
Baltimore city, MD
4.5 % low-access
- Baltimore
Baltimore County, MD
21.8 % low-access
- Calvert
Calvert County, MD
38.6 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 32 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 147,430 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 12 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 42,243 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.7%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 8,104 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 155,709 |
| Median Household Income | $77,747 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.4%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,180 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.3%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.7%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.8% |
About 15.3% of Washington County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 28.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 15.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 9,180 households here.
- 7.7% 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
above the national share
4 of Washington County's 32 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 12.5% of all its tracts.
A further 8 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 12.
An estimated 42,243 residents, roughly 28.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 8,104 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 20 tracts (62.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Washington County
Washington County has 131 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 51 locations (39% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 51
- 7 star mini market 1, hagerstown
- a c & t - halfway truck stop 130, hagerstown
- a c & t boonsboro exxon 170, boonsboro
- a c & t burhans exxon, hagerstown
- a c & t dual highway exxon 240, hagerstown
- a c & t lappans 700, fairplay
- bfs foods 68, hancock
- battleview market, sharpsburg
- big pool exxon 350, big pool
- bk sons, hagerstown
- fuel king mart, hagerstown
- garland groh a c & t 750, hagerstown
- hancock exxon 650, hancock
- highs of baltimore, llc 3, hagerstown
- highs of baltimore, llc 5, smithsburg
- horizon corner store 5260, hagerstown
- horizon corner store 5263, hagerstown
- hub city convenience store, hagerstown
- lims makola international market, hagerstown
- love's travel stop 682, hagerstown
- mart plus, hagerstown
- maugans ave rocs 616, hagerstown
- penny mart, hagerstown
- penny mart # 4, hagerstown
- penny mart #03, hagerstown
- penny mart 08, hagerstown
- penny mart 2, hagerstown
- pilot travel center 150, hagerstown
- pilot travel center 179, hagerstown
- potomac liquors & grocery, hagerstown
- quick mart exxon, hagerstown
- royal farms 387, hagerstown
- sharpsburg pike exxon 320, hagerstown
- sheetz 145, hagerstown
- sheetz 163, hagerstown
- sheetz 209, boonsboro
- sheetz 262, hagerstown
- sheetz 43, hancock
- sheetz 464, hagerstown
- sheetz 68, williamsport
- sheetz 713, hagerstown
- sheetz 818, hagerstown
- sheetz 853, hagerstown
- sheetz 893, williamsport
- smithsburg exxon 270, smithsburg
- snackers 24/7, hagerstown
- wawa store 8557, hagerstown
- wawa store 8559, hagerstown
- west end liberty, hagerstown
- williamsport ac&t 190, williamsport
- williamsport sunoco, williamsport
Combination Grocery/Other · 34
- cvs pharmacy 1442, hagerstown
- cvs pharmacy 1524, hagerstown
- cvs pharmacy 1435, hagerstown
- cvs pharmacy 3166, hagerstown
- dollar general 8664, hagerstown
- dollar tree 1800, hagerstown
- dollar general 0492, hancock
- dollar general 11679, hagerstown
- dollar general 12763, hagerstown
- dollar general 1277, hagerstown
- dollar general 1317, hagerstown
- dollar general 13532, williamsport
- dollar general 16363, boonsboro
- dollar general 21089, boonsboro
- dollar general 21914, hagerstown
- dollar general 21968, clear spring
- dollar general 22157, hagerstown
- dollar general 25437, hagerstown
- dollar general 25536, hagerstown
- dollar general 25896, hagerstown
- dollar general 3008, smithsburg
- dollar tree 1079, hagerstown
- dollar tree 1708, hagerstown
- dollar tree 7847, hagerstown
- family dollar store 2022, hancock
- family dollar store 3703, hagerstown
- family dollar store 669, hagerstown
- family dollar store 7398, hagerstown
- ocean state job lot 650, hagerstown
- penn avenue meats, hagerstown
- walgreens 13892, hagerstown
- walgreens 13893, hagerstown
- walgreens 15978, hagerstown
- walgreens 17640, smithsburg
Medium Grocery Store · 13
- al khair halal meat & groceries, hagerstown
- byers stop n go, hagerstown
- hoffman's country market, hagerstown
- jasmin grocery & halal meat llc, hagerstown
- la bodega international market, hagerstown
- la despensa international market, hagerstown
- locust point market, hagerstown
- maranatha latino market, hagerstown
- martin's farm market, hagerstown
- phil & jerrys meats & more inc, smithsburg
- sanders choice meat market, cascade
- tropical mercado latino, hagerstown
- vanuel international market, hagerstown
Supermarket · 13
- aldi 70063 70063, hagerstown
- aldi 71075, hagerstown
- food lion 2233, hancock
- grocery outlet of hagerstown 737, hagerstown
- martins food market 6104, hagerstown
- martins food market 6275, hagerstown
- martins food market 6444, hagerstown
- martins food market 6556, smithsburg
- save-a-lot 23569, hancock
- save-a-lot 24392, hagerstown
- weis markets 167, hagerstown
- weis markets 178, boonsboro
- weis markets 81, hagerstown
Small Grocery Store · 7
- belen latin market, hagerstown
- darrell enterprises, hagerstown
- himes store, knoxville
- halal market, hagerstown
- melodys corner market and deli, hagerstown
- osorios bakery and pastry shop, hagerstown
- potomac seafood of hagerstown 1, hagerstown
Super Store · 5
- lidl 1285, hagerstown
- sam's club 8193, hagerstown
- target store 1257, hagerstown
- walmart supercenter 1674, hagerstown
- walmart supercenter 2790, hagerstown
Large Grocery Store · 3
- apna grocery, hagerstown
- ernst market inc, clear spring
- el eden international market, hagerstown
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- holsinger's meat market, maugansville
- horst meats retail market, hagerstown
- j&d meats, hagerstown
Farmers' Market · 1
- boonsboro farmers market, boonsboro
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- greensburg farm market, hagerstown
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Maryland
Compare Washington County vs Allegany County → · All Maryland counties →
Food access nationally, Maryland in context
Washington County sits inside Maryland (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
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? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Washington County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Washington County? ▼
Is Washington County a food desert? ▼
What share of Washington County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.