PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Ohio

Washington County, OH

Washington County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

11.2%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
13.5%
on SNAP
59K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 OH

The food-access picture

11.2% of Washington County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 16 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
5.5%
households, no vehicle
13.7%
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's low-access share sits near the national share, at 11.2% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 16 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 6,899 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,512 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 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: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 16 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, OH USDA-defined food-access tiers: 12 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 16 tracts evaluated. 12 tracts adequate (75.0%) 2 tracts limited (12.5%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (12.5%) Adequate 75% Limited 13% Severe 13% Food-access tier distribution: Washington County, OH
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Washington County vs. other Ohio counties

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

% 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 Tracts16
Atlas Population (2010 basis)61,778
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population6,899
Low-Access Share11.2%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,512

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Washington County
IndicatorValue
Population58,978
Median Household Income$63,603
Poverty Rate13.7%near the national average
SNAP Households3,347
SNAP Participation Rate13.5%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.4%
SNAP participation in Washington County 13.5%

About 13.5% of Washington County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 11.2% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 13.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,347 households here.
  • 5.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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

near the national share

2 of Washington County's 16 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 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 6,899 residents, roughly 11.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,512 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 12 tracts (75.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Washington County

Washington County has 64 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 30 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 30

  • 50-a carry out & grocery, fleming
  • bfs foods 85, newport
  • beverly food mart 279, beverly
  • dalzell cash & carry, lower salem
  • go mart 58, marietta
  • harris west side carryout, llc, marietta
  • lowell 1212, lowell
  • marathon food center 275, little hocking
  • marietta marathon 281, marietta
  • mariettafoodmart, marietta
  • par mar store 1, marietta
  • par mar store 101, marietta
  • par mar store 11, beverly
  • par mar store 14, little hocking
  • par mar store 148, belpre
  • par mar store 152, bartlett
  • par mar store 2, vincent
  • par mar store 216, marietta
  • par mar store 33, marietta
  • par mar store 6, marietta
  • par mar store 7, marietta
  • par mar store 82, newport
  • par mar store 83, marietta
  • pike street duchess 1237, marietta
  • speedway 9185, marietta
  • speedway 9236, marietta
  • speedway 9237, marietta
  • speedway 9743, belpre
  • speedway 9260, belpre
  • staley countryside meat, llc, little hocking

Combination Grocery/Other · 24

  • big lots 3034, marietta
  • cvs 2394, belpre
  • cvs 3422, marietta
  • dollar general 10297, vincent
  • dollar general 18514, waterford
  • dollar general 8031, belpre
  • dollar general 8062, marietta
  • dollar general 12327, new matamoras
  • dollar general 15249, marietta
  • dollar general 17024, belpre
  • dollar general 17641, little hocking
  • dollar general 23917, bartlett
  • dollar general 25336, marietta
  • dollar general 25944, belpre
  • dollar general 7955, lowell
  • dollar tree 2278, marietta
  • dollar tree 7765, belpre
  • family dollar 8497, marietta
  • family dollar store 1371, beverly
  • family dollar store 993, belpre
  • fruth pharmacy 15, belpre
  • sponey's iga, beverly
  • walgreens 11293, marietta
  • webers market, marietta

Super Store · 4

  • giant eagle 6510, marietta
  • kroger 776, marietta
  • kroger 799, belpre
  • walmart 2078, marietta

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • farmer's harvest market & processing, llc, marietta
  • henslers town and country market, marietta
  • hickory grove, vincent

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 61012 61012, marietta
  • warrens plaza supermarket, marietta

Farmers' Market · 1

  • river city farmers market, marietta

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Ohio

Adams County
22.0% low-access · 20.7% SNAP
Allen County
17.4% low-access · 13.8% SNAP
Ashland County
5.0% low-access · 8.9% SNAP
Ashtabula County
21.9% low-access · 18.2% SNAP
Athens County
17.0% low-access · 14.4% SNAP
Auglaize County
9.9% low-access · 6.8% SNAP

Compare Washington County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →

Food access nationally, Ohio in context

Washington County sits inside Ohio (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? ▼
11.2% of residents in Washington County, OH 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? ▼
13.5% of households in Washington County receive SNAP, covering 3,347 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Washington County? ▼
The poverty rate in Washington County, OH is 13.7%, with a median household income of $63,603 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Washington County a food desert? ▼
2 of Washington County's 16 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? ▼
5.5% 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.