Signature · 33.9% SNAP (100th pct in NC)
Washington County, NC
Washington County stands out on SNAP (33.9%, +21.8 pts vs U.S.) with 1.4% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 1.4%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 33.9%
- on SNAP
- 11K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Washington County, NC
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ADEQUATE 1.4% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -20.7 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 33.9% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 14.1% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Currituck County (+ 0.1 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Washington County lands in the lower national band (1.4%, #2,992 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,992
- national by low-access %
- #95
- in NC
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 37
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 33.9% SNAP (100th pct in NC) (+21.8 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Washington County compares nationally
Food access in Washington County compares favorably nationally: its 1.4% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 5% of them (rank #2,992).
Washington County's lower-band USDA tier split
3 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 3 of Washington County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Washington County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in North Carolina, not a full county-board reprint
- Hyde
Hyde 60.5%
60.5 % low-access
- Currituck 1.5
Currituck 1.5%
1.5 % low-access
- Washington 1.4
Washington 1.4%
1.4 % low-access
- Northampton 1.2
Northampton 1.2%
1.2 % low-access
- Yancey 1.2
Yancey 1.2%
1.2 % low-access
- Avery 0.3
Avery 0.3%
0.3 % low-access
- Greene 0.1
Greene 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 3 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 13,228 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 179 |
| Low-Access Share | 1.4%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 37 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 10,812 |
| Median Household Income | $41,813 |
| Poverty Rate | 24.1%well above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,608 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 33.9%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 14.1%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.4% |
SNAP retailers in Washington County
Washington County has 18 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 7 locations (39% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
3 towns share the 18 authorized stores; Plymouth holds 83% of them. 1 of the 3 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Roper.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Plymouth | 15 | 2 |
| Creswell | 2 | 1 |
| Roper | 1 | none |
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- dollar general 2449, plymouth
- dollar general 12454, roper
- dollar general 22576, creswell
- dollar general 30143, plymouth
- dollar general 30266, plymouth
- dollar tree 5222, plymouth
- walgreens 16130, plymouth
Convenience Store · 7
- carol's variety shop 2, plymouth
- carols variety shop inc 3155986, plymouth
- duck thru food store 49, plymouth
- royal farms 546, plymouth
- speedway 6966, plymouth
- speedway 8288, plymouth
- speedway 8668, plymouth
Large Grocery Store · 1
- mark's supermarket nc inc, creswell
Seafood Specialty · 1
- bay brothers seafood market market 1, plymouth
Super Store · 1
- piggly wiggly #54, plymouth
Supermarket · 1
- food lion 541, plymouth
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 Washington County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Counties near Washington County's lower low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Washington County (33.9%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside North Carolina.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NC (1.4% here).
- Lake County, MI · 1.4% low-access
- Charlevoix County, MI · 1.4% low-access
- Harris County, GA · 1.3% low-access
- Carroll County, NH · 1.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NC (33.9% here).
- Claiborne Parish, LA · 33.8% SNAP
- Bullock County, AL · 34.0% SNAP
- McCreary County, KY · 33.3% SNAP
- Breathitt County, KY · 34.5% 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.
North Carolina among South Atlantic states
North Carolina ranks 5th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (22.9%). Washington County, at 1.4%, runs 21.5 pts below the North Carolina rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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, NC are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 37187. 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.