PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Kentucky

Wayne County, KY

Wayne 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.

19.4%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
20.3%
on SNAP
20K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KY

The food-access picture

19.4% of Wayne County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
6.8%
households, no vehicle
24.8%
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).

Wayne County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.4% per the USDA Atlas. 2 of the county's 5 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 4,029 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,050 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 Wayne County compares nationally

Wayne County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.4% low-access share that beats 45% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,737).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Wayne County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 5 census tracts in Wayne 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 Wayne County, KY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 5 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (60.0%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (40.0%) Adequate 60% Limited 0% Severe 40% Food-access tier distribution: Wayne County, KY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Wayne County vs. other Kentucky counties

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

% 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 Wayne County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts5
Atlas Population (2010 basis)20,813
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population4,029
Low-Access Share19.4%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,050

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Wayne County
IndicatorValue
Population19,602
Median Household Income$45,739
Poverty Rate24.8%well above the national average
SNAP Households1,638
SNAP Participation Rate20.3%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.8%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.3%
SNAP participation in Wayne County 20.3%

About 20.3% of Wayne County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 19.4% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 20.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,638 households here.
  • 6.8% 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 Wayne County

near the national share

2 of Wayne County's 5 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 40.0% of all its tracts.

An estimated 4,029 residents, roughly 19.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,050 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (60.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Wayne County

Wayne County has 22 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 11 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 11

  • 3 way stop n shop, monticello
  • amba inc- monticello marathon food mart, monticello
  • connie's corner market, inc, monticello
  • murls country mart, monticello
  • murphy usa 7878, monticello
  • payless gas, monticello
  • poppa's quik stop, monticello
  • poppa's quik stop 16, monticello
  • reed's grocery and bait, monticello
  • south creek mini mart, monticello
  • tienda guatemala 2, monticello

Combination Grocery/Other · 8

  • dollar general 13773, monticello
  • dollar general 16302, monticello
  • dollar general 16515, monticello
  • dollar general 19823, monticello
  • dollar general 3555, monticello
  • dollar tree 2317, monticello
  • family dollar store 625, monticello
  • walgreens 17172, monticello

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • grub hub 6063400044, monticello

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 1234, monticello

Supermarket · 1

  • houchens save a lot 138, monticello

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Kentucky

Adair County
6.5% low-access · 16.9% SNAP
Allen County
21.7% low-access · 14.1% SNAP
Anderson County
7.8% low-access · 7.5% SNAP
Ballard County
0.0% low-access · 11.9% SNAP
Barren County
15.5% low-access · 16.3% SNAP
Bath County
1.7% low-access · 19.6% SNAP

Compare Wayne County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →

Food access nationally, Kentucky in context

Wayne County sits inside Kentucky (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 Wayne County has low food access? ▼
19.4% of residents in Wayne County, KY 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 Wayne County? ▼
20.3% of households in Wayne County receive SNAP, covering 1,638 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Wayne County? ▼
The poverty rate in Wayne County, KY is 24.8%, with a median household income of $45,739 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Wayne County a food desert? ▼
2 of Wayne County's 5 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 Wayne County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.8% of households in Wayne 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.