Signature · 72 SNAP-authorized stores
Washington County, RI
Washington County sits in the upper national band on low-access (31.2%, +9.1 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 31.2%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 5.7%
- on SNAP
- 130K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Washington County, RI
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 31.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +9.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 5.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.4% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 14% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Kent County (+ 1.0 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Washington County sits in the upper national band (31.2%, #866 of 3,079) with 4 LILA tracts.
- #866
- national by low-access %
- #4
- in RI
- 16
- low-access tracts
- 10K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 72 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Washington County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Washington County's 31.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 72% of them and ranked #866 most-affected nationwide.
Washington County's elevated USDA tier split
28 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
Washington County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (17 urban, 11 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 11 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Washington County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Rhode Island, not a full county-board reprint
- Bristol
Bristol 56%
56 % low-access
- Newport
Newport 33.5%
33.5 % low-access
- Kent
Kent 32.2%
32.2 % low-access
- Washington
Washington 31.2%
31.2 % low-access
- Providence 15.9
Providence 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 28 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 126,979 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 16 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 39,671 |
| Low-Access Share | 31.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 9,645 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 130,344 |
| Median Household Income | $106,638 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.2%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,987 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 5.7%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.4%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.6% |
Thick SNAP store book in Washington County
Washington County has 72 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 27 locations (38% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Where the store book sits, by town
15 towns share the 72 authorized stores; Westerly holds 24% of them. 8 of the 15 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Charlestown, Wyoming, Bradford, Exeter, Kingston, Ashaway and 2 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Westerly | 17 | 6 |
| North Kingstown | 12 | 2 |
| Narragansett | 10 | 2 |
| Wakefield | 9 | 2 |
| Charlestown | 5 | none |
| N Kingstown | 4 | 3 |
| Wyoming | 3 | none |
| Bradford | 2 | none |
| Exeter | 2 | none |
| Kingston | 2 | none |
Top 10 of 15 towns by store count.
Combination Grocery/Other · 27
- charlestown mini super,inc, charlestown
- cvs pharmacy 2065, wakefield
- cvs pharmacy 595, north kingstown
- cvs pharmacy 868, kingston
- cvs pharmacy 971, westerly
- cvs pharmacy 1544, westerly
- cvs pharmacy 409, narragansett
- cvs pharmacy 8320, wyoming
- cvs pharmacy cvs04544, north kingstown
- cvs/pharmacy 10299, charlestown
- dollar general 20236, wakefield
- dollar general 21040, richmond
- dollar tree 1724, north kingstown
- dollar tree 3899, narragansett
- dollar tree 5961, westerly
- dollar tree 9594, north kingstown
- family dollar 2289, westerly
- mobil, westerly
- ocean catch llc 1, wakefield
- ocean state job lot 116, wyoming
- ocean state job lot 119, westerly
- ocean state job lot 123, north kingstown
- ocean state job lot 127, wakefield
- tase rite co inc, wakefield
- walgreens 19189, narragansett
- walgreens 19394, narragansett
- walgreens 19680, n kingstown
Convenience Store · 26
- 7-eleven #32509b, westerly
- 7-eleven 33099b, north kingstown
- alltown south kingston 2740, wakefield
- bestway food mart, bradford
- cumberland farms 1130, westerly
- cumberland farms 1215, narragansett
- colbea enterprises llc 15, charlestown
- colbea enterprises, llc. 43, narragansett
- cumberland farms 1254, wyoming
- cumberland farms 1262, charlestown
- cumberland farms 1293, narragansett
- cumberland farms 1295, westerly
- dania foodmart llc, north kingstown
- exeter variety store, exeter
- go gas, north kingstown
- islander's stop, exeter
- pete's grocery, bradford
- reales grocery, westerly
- ravi food mart, wakefield
- seasons corner market 30, north kingstown
- seasons corner market 46, narragansett
- speedway 2823, saunderstown
- spicer marketplace, ashaway
- stop n go, westerly
- tower hill convenience, north kingstown
- west kingston xtra mart 10059, west kingston
Supermarket · 9
- aldi 73042 73042, westerly
- dunns corners market, westerly
- roch's fresh food narragansett, narragansett
- shaw's supermarket 2438, wakefield
- stop & shop 716, n kingstown
- stop & shop 718, narragansett
- stop & shop 729, richmond
- stop & shop 736, westerly
- stop & shop 737, n kingstown
Super Store · 6
- belmont market, wakefield
- dave's marketplace 3, north kingstown
- daves marketplace of wickford 5, north kingstown
- mcquades marketplace, westerly
- walmart 2261, n kingstown
- walmart supercenter 1964, westerly
Farmers' Market · 1
- south kingstown farmers market, kingston
Large Grocery Store · 1
- westerly packing company inc, westerly
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- ma & pa's country store, hope valley
Small Grocery Store · 1
- rippys liquor & marketplace, charlestown
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Rhode Island
One of 4 counties in Rhode Island, 4 are shown here.
Compare Washington County vs Bristol County → · All Rhode Island counties →
Counties near Washington County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Washington County, both outside Rhode Island so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside RI (31.2% here).
- Cole County, MO · 31.2% low-access
- Summit County, OH · 31.1% low-access
- Hamilton County, OH · 31.1% low-access
- Langlade County, WI · 31.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside RI (5.7% here).
- Augusta County, VA · 5.7% SNAP
- San Juan County, WA · 5.7% SNAP
- Harvey County, KS · 5.7% SNAP
- Franklin County, KS · 5.7% 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.
Rhode Island among New England states
Rhode Island ranks 3rd of 5 New England states by population-weighted low-access (23.6%). Washington County, at 31.2%, runs 7.6 pts above the Rhode Island rate.
- Massachusetts 27.8%
- New Hampshire 27.5%
- Rhode Island 23.6%
- Maine 13.4%
- Vermont 11.2%
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, RI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 44009. 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.