County food-access profile · Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County, PA
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Westmoreland County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 32.8%
- low-access pop.
- 10
- food-desert tracts
- 13.9%
- on SNAP
- 353K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
32.8% of Westmoreland County residents live in a low-access area, and 10 of its 100 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 47
- low-access tracts
- 28K
- food-desert residents
- 6.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 10.3%
- 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).
USDA data puts Westmoreland County's low-access share at 32.8%, above the national share. 47 of the county's 100 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 119,644 people. 10 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 27,944 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 Westmoreland County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Westmoreland County's 32.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 76% of them and ranked #759 most-affected nationwide.
Westmoreland County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 100 census tracts in Westmoreland County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Westmoreland County vs. other Pennsylvania counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Pennsylvania
- Westmoreland
Westmoreland County, PA
32.8 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, PA
15.9 % low-access
- Allegheny
Allegheny County, PA
26.4 % low-access
- Armstrong 5.2
Armstrong County, PA
5.2 % low-access
- Beaver
Beaver County, PA
32.5 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, PA
22.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 100 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 365,169 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 47 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 10 |
| Low-Access Population | 119,644 |
| Low-Access Share | 32.8%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 27,944 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 352,500 |
| Median Household Income | $74,109 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.3%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 21,526 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.9%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
About 13.9% of Westmoreland County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 32.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 13.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 21,526 households here.
- 6.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 10 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 Westmoreland County
above the national share
10 of Westmoreland County's 100 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 10.0% of all its tracts.
A further 37 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 47.
An estimated 119,644 residents, roughly 32.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 27,944 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 53 tracts (53.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County has 258 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 125 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 125
- 56 gas and food mini mart, new kensington
- 7-eleven 40067h, youngwood
- 7-eleven 40070, irwin
- 7-eleven 40282, hunker
- 7-eleven store 35899, irwin
- 7-eleven store 35959a, belle vernon
- 7-eleven store 36184, irwin
- 7-eleven store #36120 36120, greensburg
- all seasons mini mart, arnold
- aplus 40068h, arnold
- aplus 40111h, greensburg
- aplus 40128, latrobe
- aplus 40170h, latrobe
- aplus 40181h, greensburg
- aplus 40213, greensburg
- aplus 40247, new kensington
- almost close to home, latrobe
- always american llc, derry
- barry's grocery, scottdale
- bfs foods 82, youngwood
- boston mini mart, mckeesport
- bp greensburg, greensburg
- c & s corner market 2, jeannette
- cio stores 25, mount pleasant
- candy's corner deli, jeannette
- champion gas, champion
- choice 193144, greensburg
- choice cigarette discount, export
- coaches corner store, monessen
- coen 1202, donegal
- coen 1270, norvelt
- coen markets 1206, manor
- coen markets 1207, trafford
- coen markets 1208, harrison city
- coen markets 1209, export
- coen markets 809, belle vernon
- colonial manor sunoco, irwin
- daddy's sunoco, west newton
- duke's eastgate exxon, monessen
- dukes exxon, rostraver township
- gateway convenience iii inc, ligonier
- gateway convenience lp, greensburg
- getgo 3008, new kensington
- getgo 3010, irwin
- getgo 3041, leechburg
- getgo 3042, new stanton
- getgo 3044, greensburg
- getgo 3051, rostraver township
- getgo 3081, mount pleasant
- getgo 3094, jeannette
- getgo 3122, delmont
- getgo 3123, latrobe
- getgo 3142, export
- getgo 3256, ligonier
- giant 906, new stanton
- giant 913 913, leechburg
- gopinath, new kensington
- greensburg express llc, greensburg
- honey bear 213, apollo
- honey bear 214, leechburg
- jg's mt. pleasant exxon 31, mount pleasant
- jadden stop n go, new kensington
- kwik fill 245, derry
- lnc bob's bp 3, irwin
- lamantia's market, bolivar
- lathia investments llc, jeannette
- latrobe sunoco, latrobe
- lnc store#10 #10, vandergrift
- lnc store, irwin 14, irwin
- mart 130, jeannette
- mount pleasant express, mount pleasant
- nmd1 inc, harrison city
- new ken cheap tobacco inc, new kensington
- newken bp, new kensington
- par mar store 201, apollo
- par mar store 206, scottdale
- par mar store 207, vandergrift
- par mar store 208, apollo
- par mar store 65, bradenville
- par mar store 68, monessen
- par mar store 78, monessen
- par mar store 79, herminie
- pilot travel center 620, smithton
- pitstop pizza sunoco and cafe, derry
- pnp exxon, new kensington
- rutter's 111, ruffs dale
- solomon's mini mart ii, vandergrift
- sunoco mini mart, jeannette
- sarnelli's market, jones mills
- sheetz 154, greensburg
- sheetz 173, ligonier
- sheetz 204, murrysville
- sheetz 239, new stanton
- sheetz 313, irwin
- sheetz 314, new alexandria
- sheetz 477, new kensington
- sheetz 503, irwin
- sheetz 59, latrobe
- sheetz 661, greensburg
- sheetz 694, latrobe
- sheetz 719, greensburg
- sheetz 751, donegal
- sheetz 87r, mount pleasant
- sheetz 99, new kensington
- shiv oil inc, new kensington
- slickville deli & groceries, slickville
- smithton travel center, smithton
- snax food n gas, mount pleasant
- spee-d mart 220, irwin
- speedway 2919, greensburg
- speedway 2929, new alexandria
- speedway 2930, greensburg
- speedway 7217, smithton
- sun mart, new kensington
- sunoco, jeannette
- sunoco gb, greensburg
- sunoco greensburg, greensburg
- sunoco latrobe, latrobe
- sunoco mount pleasant, mount pleasant
- sunoco new kensington, new kensington
- thunder rolls llc, jeannette
- trafford stop-n-go, trafford
- us-22/981 qwik stop, new alexandria
- valero, irwin
- yukon market, yukon
Combination Grocery/Other · 77
- big lots 3060, greensburg
- cvs pharmacy 3165, new kensington
- cvs pharmacy 4089, mount pleasant
- cvs pharmacy 4115, greensburg
- cvs pharmacy 4066, latrobe
- dollar general 13983, mount pleasant
- dollar general 14189, avonmore
- dollar general 14225, new florence
- dollar general 18119, crabtree
- dollar general 18349, greensburg
- dollar general 18393, herminie
- dollar general 18539, acme
- dollar general 24900, new stanton
- dollar general 2561, latrobe
- dollar general 3043, delmont
- dollar general 3975, latrobe
- dollar general 4436, latrobe
- dollar general 4557, irwin
- dollar general 4992, mount pleasant
- dollar general 7278, ligonier
- dollar general 7798, greensburg
- dollar general 8024, mount pleasant
- dollar general 8779, lower burrell
- dollar general 9007, latrobe
- dollar general 9159, greensburg
- dollar tree 869, lower burrell
- dollartree 9430, new kensington
- dollar general 10729, scottdale
- dollar general 12330, jeannette
- dollar general 12372, belle vernon
- dollar general 14903, new kensington
- dollar general 15114, apollo
- dollar general 16306, belle vernon
- dollar general 16740, youngwood
- dollar general 17953, greensburg
- dollar general 19766, lower burrell
- dollar general 20276, vandergrift
- dollar general 20337, stahlstown
- dollar general 2037, west newton
- dollar general 20572, trafford
- dollar general 20821, jeannette
- dollar general 21681, latrobe
- dollar general 22119, apollo
- dollar general 22302, vandergrift
- dollar general 22660, derry
- dollar general 22846, new kensington
- dollar general 23085, new florence
- dollar general 23344, derry
- dollar general 23897, greensburg
- dollar general 24067, ligonier
- dollar general 25450, west newton
- dollar general 25647, new alexandria
- dollar general 7411, monessen
- dollar general 8412, seward
- dollar general store 16236, tarrs
- dollar general store 16360, jones mills
- dollar tree 2200, latrobe
- dollar tree 2417, irwin
- dollar tree 2577, delmont
- dollar tree 323, greensburg
- dollar tree 5643, mount pleasant
- dollar tree 6296, lower burrell
- dollar tree 6448, huntingdon
- dollar tree 7282, jeannette
- dollar tree 886, greensburg
- family dollar 13725, west newton
- family dollar store 2276, monessen
- family dollar store 7117, new kensington
- family dollar store 7479, donegal
- family dollar store 818, new kensington
- feiling farm market, avonmore
- mt. pleasant shop n save, mt pleasant
- walgreens 09344, new kensington
- walgreens 09802, north huntington
- walgreens 10095, greensburg
- walgreens 10549, latrobe
- walgreens 11768, murrysville
Super Store · 30
- community supermarket #367, lower burrell
- getgo #3142 #3142, murrysville
- giant eagle 10, irwin
- giant eagle 32, export
- giant eagle 41, leechburg
- giant eagle 53, belle vernon
- giant eagle 8, new kensington
- giant eagle 81, greensburg
- giant eagle 82, latrobe
- giant eagle 9, greensburg
- golden dawn supermarket, new kensington
- latrobe shop n save, latrobe
- ligonier giant eagle, ligonier
- murrysville shop n save, murrysville
- naser foods, pleasant unity
- naser foods -apollo, apollo
- nikae foods inc/ youngwood shop n save, youngwood
- penn township giant eagle 1236, westmoreland
- pittsburgh st shop n save, greensburg
- ross's norwin shop n save, irwin
- route 66 shop n save, greensburg
- sam's club 4847, greensburg
- target 2114, north huntingdon
- target store 1220, greensburg
- walmart 2502, latrobe
- walmart 5241, north huntingdon
- walmart supercenter 2059, greensburg
- walmart supercenter 2611, mount pleasant
- walmart supercenter 3228, delmont
- west newton giant eagle 1660, west newton
Medium Grocery Store · 6
- kraisinger's market, mount pleasant
- lapp family market, latrobe
- new arlington mkt., jeannette
- nature's way market of greensburg inc, greensburg
- werry provision, scottdale
- youngwood corner market, youngwood
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- espey's meat market, scottdale
- g karas packing co., export
- s & s packing, west newton
Farmers' Market · 2
- downtown new ken farmers market, new kensington
- ligonier country market, ligonier
Large Grocery Store · 2
- bardines country smokehouse inc, crabtree
- duritza's market, belle vernon
Supermarket · 2
- aldi 60006 60006, new kensington
- aldi 67014 67014, irwin
Food Buying Co-op · 1
- alpha lions den ministries, derry
Seafood Specialty · 1
- western edge seafood outlet, llc, greensburg
Small Grocery Store · 1
- jack super market, smithton
Showing 250 of 258 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Compare Westmoreland County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Westmoreland County sits inside Pennsylvania (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Westmoreland County has low food access? ▼
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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.