Signature · 61 SNAP-authorized stores
Washington County, VT
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.
- 17.7%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 10.1%
- on SNAP
- 60K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Washington County, VT
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 17.7% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -4.4 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 10.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 16% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Rutland County (+ 0.4 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Washington County ranks #1,894 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #3 of 14 counties in VT (17.7% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).
- #1,894
- national by low-access %
- #3
- in VT
- 7
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 61 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Washington County compares nationally
Washington County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.7% low-access share that beats 40% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,895).
Washington County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
19 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Washington County has 8 urban and 11 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 low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Vermont, not a full county-board reprint
- Essex
Essex 28.2%
28.2 % low-access
- Rutland
Rutland 18.1%
18.1 % low-access
- Washington
Washington 17.7%
17.7 % low-access
- Chittenden
Chittenden 13.9%
13.9 % low-access
- Orleans 10.1
Orleans 10.1%
10.1 % low-access
- Orange 9.8
Orange 9.8%
9.8 % low-access
- Lamoille 0.9
Lamoille 0.9%
0.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 19 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 59,534 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 7 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 10,524 |
| Low-Access Share | 17.7%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 3,531 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 60,017 |
| Median Household Income | $83,449 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.7%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,600 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.1%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.6% |
Thick SNAP store book in Washington County
Washington County has 61 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 28 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 28
- beverage baron inc, barre
- champlain farms 270, northfield
- champlain farms 90, barre
- cumberland farms 8002, northfield
- cumberland farms 8024, montpelier
- cumberland farms 8025, barre
- cumberland farms 8027, barre
- cabot village store, cabot
- champlain farms 100, barre
- champlain farms 350, waitsfield
- champlain farms 360, waterbury
- convenience plus & redemption, northfield
- east warren community market, warren
- fastop 370, waterbury
- gg store inc, graniteville
- jiffy mart 433, barre
- jiffy mart 450, east barre
- jiffy mart 465, montpelier
- jiffy mart 685, warren
- jolley 508, moretown
- jolley 537, barre
- jolley 580, montpelier
- lbj's grocery, worcester
- maple corner community store, calais
- meadow mart, montpelier
- north end deli mart 114, barre
- spencers discount tobacco, barre
- tims convenience center 53, plainfield
Combination Grocery/Other · 12
- cvs pharmacy 10127, barre
- dollar general 14217, barre
- dollar general 11046, barre
- dollar general 13165, northfield
- dollar general 30486, montpelier
- dollar general 30489, barre
- dollar tree 2176, barre
- dollartree 8890, northfield
- kinney drugs 101, waterbury
- kinney drugs 11, barre
- quality market, barre
- walgreens 17518, barre
Supermarket · 7
- market 32 by price chopper 123, barre
- shaw's supermarket 121, montpelier
- shaw's supermarket 326, waitsfield
- shaw's supermarket 616, berlin
- shaw's supermarket 649, waterbury
- tops markets 741, northfield
- village market of waterbury 10825, waterbury
Farmers' Market · 4
- barre farmer's market, barre
- capital city farmers market, montpelier
- northfield farmers market, inc, northfield
- waitsfield farmers market, waitsfield
Super Store · 4
- hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8129, barre
- hunger mountain coop inc., montpelier
- mehuron's supermarket, waitsfield
- walmart supercenter 2682, berlin
Medium Grocery Store · 3
- ar market, barre
- the woodstock farmers's market, waterbury center
- winooski valley cooperative, plainfield
Small Grocery Store · 3
- granite city market, barre
- marshfield village store, marshfield
- the roots farm market, montpelier
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Vermont
One of 13 counties in Vermont, 6 are shown here.
Compare Washington County vs Addison County → · All Vermont counties →
Nationwide peers for Washington County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Washington County, both outside Vermont so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside VT (17.7% here).
- Jackson County, WV · 17.7% low-access
- Jackson County, WV · 17.7% low-access
- Waushara County, WI · 17.7% low-access
- Waushara County, WI · 17.7% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside VT (10.1% here).
- Manassas Park city, VA · 10.1% SNAP
- Manassas Park city, VA · 10.1% SNAP
- Hickman County, TN · 10.1% SNAP
- Hickman County, TN · 10.1% 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.
Food access nationally, Vermont in context
Washington County sits inside Vermont (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
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, VT are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 50023. 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.