PlainFoodAccess
Browse

Signature · 7.0% low-access (14th pct)

Washington County, VA

Washington County lands in the lower national band on low-access (7.0%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

7.0%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
12.7%
on SNAP
54K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

USDA FARA access plate

County Washington County, VA

LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-ADEQUATE 7.0% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -15.1 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-TYPICAL 12.7% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 4.6% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 15% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Appomattox County (+ 0.4 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Washington County lands in the lower national band (7.0%, #2,703 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,703
national by low-access %
#100
in VA
3
low-access tracts
822
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 7.0% low-access (14th pct) (-15.1 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Washington County compares nationally

Food access in Washington County compares favorably nationally: its 7.0% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 14% of them (rank #2,703).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Washington County's lower-band USDA tier split

13 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Washington County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 10 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 13 tracts evaluated. 10 tracts adequate (76.9%) 1 tracts limited (7.7%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (15.4%) Adequate 77% Limited 8% Severe 15% Food-access tier distribution: Washington County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Washington County has 3 urban and 10 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 vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Virginia, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Washington County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts13
Atlas Population (2010 basis)54,876
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population3,817
Low-Access Share7.0%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population822

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Washington County
IndicatorValue
Population53,926
Median Household Income$64,552
Poverty Rate11.1%below the national average
SNAP Households2,816
SNAP Participation Rate12.7%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.6%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.5%

Thick SNAP store book in Washington County

Washington County has 59 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 32 locations (54% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 32

  • 1stop, bristol
  • 5 star, abingdon
  • 7 star, bristol
  • andy's market 2, abingdon
  • big johns market & deli inc, abingdon
  • bullys 2, abingdon
  • corner mart 16, bristol
  • country corner n/a, damascus
  • ez mart, abingdon
  • fas mart 417, abingdon
  • fas mart 461, abingdon
  • fas mart 468, glade spring
  • gobble stop 10, abingdon
  • green spring community market 1, abingdon
  • greenway food mart, abingdon
  • jz 2, glade spring
  • jay bhoja llc, abingdon
  • konnarock store & gas, inc., damascus
  • love's travel stop 613, meadowview
  • peacock market 1, abingdon
  • petro glade springs, glade spring
  • quick stop market 36, bristol
  • quick stop market 40, abingdon
  • roadrunner market 6030, abingdon
  • roadrunner market 6034, abingdon
  • roadrunner market 6086, abingdon
  • roadrunner market 6090, glade spring
  • roadrunner market 6093, bristol
  • roadrunner market 6095, abingdon
  • ron's market, abingdon
  • royal farms 439, abingdon
  • spirit food mart, glade spring

Combination Grocery/Other · 15

  • cvs pharmacy 5505, abingdon
  • dollar general 13277, glade spring
  • dollar general 13416, abingdon
  • dollar general 14844, meadowview
  • dollar general 17083, bristol
  • dollar general 19787, bristol
  • dollar general 20334, abingdon
  • dollar general 30575, bristol
  • dollar general 3577, abingdon
  • dollar general store 16391, abingdon
  • dollar general store 16952, glade spring
  • dollar general store 17284, bristol
  • dollar tree 1780, bristol
  • dollar tree 7189, abingdon
  • walgreens 9948, abingdon

Super Store · 5

  • kroger 255, abingdon
  • sam's club 6518, bristol
  • target stores 2308, bristol
  • walmart supercenter 154, abingdon
  • walmart supercenter 2089, bristol

Supermarket · 5

  • aldi 66068, bristol
  • food country usa 1, abingdon
  • food city 823, abingdon
  • food lion 2500, abingdon
  • food city 860, damascus

Farmers' Market · 1

  • abingdon farmers market, abingdon

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • the farmers nook, abingdon

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Virginia

One of 132 counties in Virginia, 6 are shown here.

Accomack County
2.2% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Albemarle County
11.9% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Alexandria city
0.0% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Alleghany County
16.4% low-access · 8.1% SNAP
Amelia County
16.5% low-access · 13.4% SNAP
Amherst County
11.3% low-access · 10.5% SNAP

Compare Washington County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Counties near Washington County's lower low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Washington County, both outside Virginia so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside VA (7.0% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside VA (12.7% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Washington County inside a lower low-access state context

Washington County sits inside Virginia (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; 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

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, VA are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 51191. 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.