PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Virginia

Wythe County, VA

Wythe 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.

10.6%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
13.2%
on SNAP
28K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 VA

The food-access picture

10.6% of Wythe County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

1
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
8.2%
households, no vehicle
15.2%
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).

Wythe County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 10.6% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 6 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,105 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,298 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 Wythe County compares nationally

Wythe County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 10.6% low-access share that beats 22% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,446).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Wythe County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 6 census tracts in Wythe 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 Wythe County, VA USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (83.3%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (16.7%) Adequate 83% Limited 0% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Wythe County, VA
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Wythe 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 Wythe County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)29,235
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population3,105
Low-Access Share10.6%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,298

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Wythe County
IndicatorValue
Population28,188
Median Household Income$57,745
Poverty Rate15.2%near the national average
SNAP Households1,651
SNAP Participation Rate13.2%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle8.2%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.9%
SNAP participation in Wythe County 13.2%

About 13.2% of Wythe County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 10.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 13.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,651 households here.
  • 8.2% 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 Wythe County

near the national share

1 of Wythe County's 6 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 16.7% of all its tracts.

An estimated 3,105 residents, roughly 10.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,298 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (83.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Wythe County

Wythe County has 46 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 26 locations (57% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 26

  • austinville market, austinville
  • circle k 2722706, wytheville
  • circle k 2723705, wytheville
  • circle k 2723708, wytheville
  • circle k 2723710, austinville
  • circle k 2723715, wytheville
  • circle k 2723716, max meadows
  • e-z stop #109 #109, wytheville
  • fourth street market, wytheville
  • go mart 96, wytheville
  • gobble stop, barren springs
  • love's travel stops & country stores 239, wytheville
  • new river general store, max meadows
  • parkway gas 1, rural retreat
  • pilot travel center 4619, wytheville
  • pilot travel center 750, max meadows
  • pilot travel center 754, wytheville
  • rapid travel center, max meadows
  • roadrunner market 6092, rural retreat
  • saimart-2 2, barren springs
  • sheetz 407, wytheville
  • speedway 4618, wytheville
  • speedwell market, speedwell
  • ta wytheville 143, wytheville
  • usa one stop 1, wytheville
  • wytheville family fare 645, wytheville

Combination Grocery/Other · 11

  • cvs pharmacy 6327, wytheville
  • dollar general 17658, barren springs
  • dollar general 18034, ivanhoe
  • dollar general 0305, wytheville
  • dollar general 18854, speedwell
  • dollar general 2937, wytheville
  • dollar general 31011, max meadows
  • dollar general 3491, rural retreat
  • dollar tree 1007, wytheville
  • family dollar 9265, max meadows
  • walgreens 17784, wytheville

Supermarket · 6

  • food country usa 12, rural retreat
  • food city 850, wytheville
  • food country usa 18, max meadows
  • food lion 485, wytheville
  • food lion 93, wytheville
  • rural retreat supermarket 1, rural retreat

Farmers' Market · 1

  • wytheville farmers market, wytheville

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • hilly haven meat processing/custom, barren springs

Super Store · 1

  • walmart supercenter 3270, wytheville

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 Wythe County vs Accomack County → · All Virginia counties →

Food access nationally, Virginia in context

Wythe 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 Wythe County has low food access? ▼
10.6% of residents in Wythe 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 Wythe County? ▼
13.2% of households in Wythe County receive SNAP, covering 1,651 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Wythe County? ▼
The poverty rate in Wythe County, VA is 15.2%, with a median household income of $57,745 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Wythe County a food desert? ▼
1 of Wythe County's 6 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 Wythe County households lack a vehicle? ▼
8.2% of households in Wythe 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.