PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · North Carolina

Wilkes County, NC

Most of Wilkes 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).

6.9%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
15.4%
on SNAP
66K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 NC

The food-access picture

6.9% of Wilkes County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 14 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
5.8%
households, no vehicle
16.7%
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, Wilkes County fares better than most: just 6.9% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 3 of the county's 14 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 4,801 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 2,440 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 Wilkes County compares nationally

Food access in Wilkes County compares favorably nationally: its 6.9% 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 #2,710).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Wilkes County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 14 census tracts in Wilkes 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 Wilkes County, NC USDA-defined food-access tiers: 11 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 14 tracts evaluated. 11 tracts adequate (78.6%) 1 tracts limited (7.1%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (14.3%) Adequate 79% Limited 7% Severe 14% Food-access tier distribution: Wilkes County, NC
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Wilkes County vs. other North Carolina counties

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

% 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 Wilkes County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts14
Atlas Population (2010 basis)69,340
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population4,801
Low-Access Share6.9%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,440

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Wilkes County
IndicatorValue
Population65,935
Median Household Income$51,721
Poverty Rate16.7%above the national average
SNAP Households4,180
SNAP Participation Rate15.4%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.8%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.5%
SNAP participation in Wilkes County 15.4%

About 15.4% of Wilkes County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 6.9% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 15.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,180 households here.
  • 5.8% 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 Wilkes County

below the national share

2 of Wilkes County's 14 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.3% 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 4,801 residents, roughly 6.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,440 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 11 tracts (78.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Wilkes County

Wilkes County has 85 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 47 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 47

  • ashley farms, elkin
  • ashley farms 3 food mart, hays
  • buddy's grocery & service, n wilkesboro
  • clingman pit stop, inc, ronda
  • college park, wilkesboro
  • country corner market, inc. 001, millers creek
  • cubbard express 17, wilkesboro
  • flowers bakery outlet 489, wilkesboro
  • foster's grocery & hardware, ronda
  • holly valley, moravian falls
  • jb mart, north wilkesboro
  • k & b trade inc, ferguson
  • moodys grocery, state road
  • market basket 12, north wilkesboro
  • market basket 13, wilkesboro
  • moravian mart, moravian falls
  • murphy express 8558, wilkesboro
  • nonna & pop's mercantile, llc, north wilkesboro
  • om express, north wilkesboro
  • porter's grocery, roaring river
  • r wilkes store inc, north wilkesboro
  • run in 102, wilkesboro
  • run in 106, north wilkesboro
  • run in 107, north wilkesboro
  • run in 142, wilkesboro
  • run in 801, wilkesboro
  • run in 802, north wilkesboro
  • run in 804, north wilkesboro
  • run in 805, north wilkesboro
  • run in 809, wilkesboro
  • run in 811, north wilkesboro
  • run in 836, boomer
  • sar store, north wilkesboro
  • sheetz 794, wilkesboro
  • speedway 7902, north wilkesboro
  • speedway 7904, north wilkesboro
  • speedway 7912, wilkesboro
  • state road food mart, state road
  • triplett's gro, elkin
  • the junction 1, roaring river
  • united enterprise of wilkesboro, llc, wilkesboro
  • village market #1, n wilkesboro
  • village market, north wilkesboro
  • w d food mart, north wilkesboro
  • westpark citgo, north wilkesboro
  • westwood village food mart, wilkesboro
  • wykes food mart, wilkesboro

Combination Grocery/Other · 23

  • big lots 3187, wilkesboro
  • cvs pharmacy 3525, north wilkesboro
  • cvs pharmacy 7317, north wilkesboro
  • dollar general 10900, north wilkesboro
  • dollar general 14256, hays
  • dollar general 2394, north wilkesboro
  • dollar general 6661, wilkesboro
  • dollar general 8131, millers creek
  • dollar general 8745, north wilkesboro
  • dollartree 9617, north wilkesboro
  • dollar general 10463, wilkesboro
  • dollar general 13561, north wilkesboro
  • dollar general 16761, ronda
  • dollar general 17265, thurmond
  • dollar general 20382, boomer
  • dollar general 20630, wilkesboro
  • dollar general 23610, north wilkesboro
  • dollar general 24690, wilkesboro
  • dollar general 30804, ronda
  • dollar general 31280, north wilkesboro
  • dollar tree 4140, wilkesboro
  • dollar tree 7191, north wilkesboro
  • walgreen 07978, north wilkesboro

Supermarket · 8

  • aldi 66013, wilkesboro
  • brushy mountain iga 847, north wilkesboro
  • food lion 1048, north wilkesboro
  • food lion 1677, millers creek
  • food lion 2582, wilkesboro
  • lowes foods 250, wilkesboro
  • rock creek iga 846, north wilkesboro
  • the marketplace at north wilksboro 850, north wilkesboro

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • applebrandyprimecuts, north wilkesboro
  • david's market, n wilkesboro
  • olea market, north wilkesboro

Delivery Route · 1

  • wilkes fresh mobile market, north wilkesboro

Farmers' Market · 1

  • moffitt-toolan family farm store, wilkesboro

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • country square fresh produce, wilkesboro

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 1290, wilkesboro

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in North Carolina

Alamance County
25.0% low-access · 13.6% SNAP
Alexander County
20.4% low-access · 13.5% SNAP
Alleghany County
4.3% low-access · 14.0% SNAP
Anson County
8.4% low-access · 33.8% SNAP
Ashe County
22.2% low-access · 14.0% SNAP
Avery County
0.3% low-access · 13.9% SNAP

Compare Wilkes County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →

Food access nationally, North Carolina in context

Wilkes County sits inside North Carolina (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 Wilkes County has low food access? ▼
6.9% of residents in Wilkes County, NC 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 Wilkes County? ▼
15.4% of households in Wilkes County receive SNAP, covering 4,180 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Wilkes County? ▼
The poverty rate in Wilkes County, NC is 16.7%, with a median household income of $51,721 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Wilkes County a food desert? ▼
2 of Wilkes County's 14 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 Wilkes County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.8% of households in Wilkes 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.