PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Washington County, VA

Most of Washington County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

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

The food-access picture

7.0% of Washington County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 13 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
822
food-desert residents
4.6%
households, no vehicle
11.1%
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).

By the USDA's measure, Washington County fares better than most: just 7.0% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 3 of the county's 13 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 3,817 people who live far from a supermarket, and 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 822 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

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: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 13 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, 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

Washington County vs. other Virginia counties

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

% 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 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%
SNAP participation in Washington County 12.7%

About 12.7% of Washington County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 7.0% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,816 households here.
  • 4.6% 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

below the national share

2 of Washington County's 13 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 15.4% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 3,817 residents, roughly 7.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 822 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 10 tracts (76.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers 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 retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

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 →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Washington County sits inside Virginia (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? ▼
7.0% of residents in Washington County, VA 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? ▼
12.7% of households in Washington County receive SNAP, covering 2,816 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Washington County? ▼
The poverty rate in Washington County, VA is 11.1%, with a median household income of $64,552 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Washington County a food desert? ▼
2 of Washington County's 13 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? ▼
4.6% 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.