PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Wise County, VA

Wise 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.

19.0%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
22.5%
on SNAP
35K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

19.0% of Wise County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
9.1%
households, no vehicle
17.2%
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).

Wise County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.0% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 11 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,891 residents who live far from a supermarket. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,538 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 Wise County compares nationally

Wise County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.0% low-access share that beats 44% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,769).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Wise County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in Wise 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 Wise County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (72.7%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (27.3%) Adequate 73% Limited 0% Severe 27% Food-access tier distribution: Wise County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Wise County vs. other Virginia counties

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

% 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 Wise County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)41,452
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population7,891
Low-Access Share19.0%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,538

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Wise County
IndicatorValue
Population35,448
Median Household Income$52,943
Poverty Rate17.2%above the national average
SNAP Households3,135
SNAP Participation Rate22.5%well above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle9.1%above the national average
Group-Quarters Population8.6%
SNAP participation in Wise County 22.5%

About 22.5% of Wise County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 19.0% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 22.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,135 households here.
  • 9.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 3 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 Wise County

near the national share

3 of Wise County's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 27.3% of all its tracts.

An estimated 7,891 residents, roughly 19.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,538 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (72.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Wise County

Wise County has 47 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 21 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 21

  • apl market 2 2, appalachia
  • black diamond 3, big stone gap
  • black diamond 6, pound
  • black diamond 7, big stone gap
  • black diamond-tiger market and deli 31, big stone gap
  • crossroad quick stop, coeburn
  • fas mart 415, big stone gap
  • fas mart 416, saint paul
  • fas mart 421, wise
  • fas mart 457, wise
  • fast mart 101 101, wise
  • fast mart 102, wise
  • fast mart 103, pound
  • masya inc., saint paul
  • pound double kwik 2070, pound
  • raelynns, coeburn
  • roadrunner market 6094, saint paul
  • roadrunner market 6097, coeburn
  • scotchman 3467, big stone gap
  • short stop, wise
  • stateline food mart 69, pound

Combination Grocery/Other · 15

  • bob's supermarket, big stone gap
  • cvs 3566, big stone gap
  • dollartree 9797, saint paul
  • dollar general 14, big stone gap
  • dollar general 1659, coeburn
  • dollar general 2495, pound
  • dollar general 31247, big stone gap
  • dollar general 4724, appalachia
  • dollar general 9561, saint paul
  • dollar tree 1174, big stone gap
  • dollar tree 5209, wise
  • family dollar 13711, appalachia
  • family dollar store 2329, coeburn
  • family dollar store 483, wise
  • family dollar store 6894, big stone gap

Supermarket · 7

  • food city 891, big stone gap
  • food city 893, coeburn
  • food city 897, st paul
  • food city 898, wise
  • houchen hometown iga 49, wise
  • pound iga, pound
  • price less foods 477, coeburn

Farmers' Market · 1

  • clinch river farmers market, st paul

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • hicks produce market, saint paul

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • charlie ramsey meat market, wise

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • hometown variety discount, appalachia

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Virginia

Accomack County
2.2% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Albemarle County
11.9% low-access · 4.6% SNAP
Alexandria city
0.0% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Alleghany County
16.4% low-access · 8.1% SNAP
Amelia County
16.5% low-access · 13.4% SNAP
Amherst County
11.3% low-access · 10.5% SNAP

Compare Wise County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Wise County sits inside Virginia (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 Wise County has low food access? ▼
19.0% of residents in Wise County, VA 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 Wise County? ▼
22.5% of households in Wise County receive SNAP, covering 3,135 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Wise County? ▼
The poverty rate in Wise County, VA is 17.2%, with a median household income of $52,943 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Wise County a food desert? ▼
3 of Wise County's 11 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 Wise County households lack a vehicle? ▼
9.1% of households in Wise 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.