PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Kentucky

Whitley County, KY

Most of Whitley 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).

4.2%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
19.7%
on SNAP
37K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 KY

The food-access picture

4.2% of Whitley County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

1
low-access tracts
875
food-desert residents
8.4%
households, no vehicle
26.3%
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).

By the USDA's measure, Whitley County fares better than most: just 4.2% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 1 of the county's 8 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 1,514 people who live far from a supermarket, and 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 875 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 Whitley County compares nationally

Food access in Whitley County compares favorably nationally: its 4.2% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 9% of them (rank #2,859).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Whitley County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 8 census tracts in Whitley 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 Whitley County, KY USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 8 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (87.5%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (12.5%) Adequate 88% Limited 0% Severe 13% Food-access tier distribution: Whitley County, KY
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Whitley 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 Whitley County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts8
Atlas Population (2010 basis)35,637
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population1,514
Low-Access Share4.2%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population875

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Whitley County
IndicatorValue
Population36,920
Median Household Income$44,615
Poverty Rate26.3%well above the national average
SNAP Households2,670
SNAP Participation Rate19.7%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.4%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.7%
SNAP participation in Whitley County 19.7%

About 19.7% of Whitley County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 4.2% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 19.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,670 households here.
  • 8.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Whitley County

below the national share

1 of Whitley County's 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 12.5% of all its tracts.

An estimated 1,514 residents, roughly 4.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 875 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (87.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Whitley County

Whitley County has 55 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 29 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 29

  • bell country store, corbin
  • butchs food mart, williamsburg
  • canada town market, williamsburg
  • circle k 2723291, corbin
  • circle k 2723292, corbin
  • colonels market, williamsburg
  • convenient food mart, corbin
  • corbin shell food mart, corbin
  • eaton's handi mart and hardware, corbin
  • fast track, williamsburg
  • gordon hill market, corbin
  • granny's icon, rockholds
  • harts bee creek market, corbin
  • henderlight shell, williamsburg
  • jay mataji 181 inc, williamsburg
  • jones market, williamsburg
  • jones' pit stop, williamsburg
  • ky junction, williamsburg
  • little mart, williamsburg
  • mega mart, corbin
  • one stop, corbin
  • peace's store and restaurant, siler
  • pilot travel center 437, williamsburg
  • speedway 7606 7606, corbin
  • speedy mart, corbin
  • stop n save, williamsburg
  • university market & deli, williamsburg
  • vidisha inc - dba/ food mart, williamsburg
  • williamsburg food mart, williamsburg

Combination Grocery/Other · 17

  • dollar general 0227, williamsburg
  • dollar general 4535, corbin
  • dollar general 6552, williamsburg
  • dollar general 11323, corbin
  • dollar general 15143, corbin
  • dollar general 15905, williamsburg
  • dollar general 17851, williamsburg
  • dollar general 19957, williamsburg
  • dollar general 22822, williamsburg
  • dollar general 24947, rockholds
  • dollar general 31604, corbin
  • dollar general store 17981, corbin
  • dollar tree 3452, corbin
  • dollar tree 5610, williamsburg
  • dollar tree 7217, corbin
  • riverside produce, williamsburg
  • walgreens 12111, corbin

Supermarket · 4

  • houchens save a lot 078, williamsburg
  • houchens save a lot 079, corbin
  • houchens save a lot 170, williamsburg
  • williamsburg iga 57, williamsburg

Super Store · 3

  • kroger #l-00719 l719, corbin
  • kroger #l-00760 l760, corbin
  • walmart 1048, williamsburg

Farmers' Market · 1

  • whitley county farmers market, williamsburg

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • moonlight meat processing inc, williamsburg

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 Whitley County vs Adair County → · All Kentucky counties →

Food access nationally, Kentucky in context

Whitley 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 Whitley County has low food access? ▼
4.2% of residents in Whitley 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 Whitley County? ▼
19.7% of households in Whitley County receive SNAP, covering 2,670 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Whitley County? ▼
The poverty rate in Whitley County, KY is 26.3%, with a median household income of $44,615 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Whitley County a food desert? ▼
1 of Whitley County's 8 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 Whitley County households lack a vehicle? ▼
8.4% of households in Whitley 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.