Where does Virginia rank for food access among U.S. states?

Virginia ranks #41 of 50 in the lower third on low-access (20.4%), same basis as the national cartogram.

What share of Virginia has low food access?

20.4% of Virginia residents live in low-access areas (population-weighted) (-1.7 pts vs U.S.), per USDA FARA 2019.

How many food deserts are in Virginia?

269 census tracts in Virginia are USDA food deserts (~355K low-income low-access residents); ~2.02 tracts per county.

What is the SNAP participation rate in Virginia?

Across Virginia, 8.9% of households receive SNAP (ACS 2024) (-3.2 pts vs U.S.) - low tercile among states.

Which county in Virginia has the worst food access?

Highland County has the highest low-access share at 99.7% (~0.1% of statewide low-access residents), with 8.1% SNAP.

Signature · 133 counties in the atlas book

Food access in Virginia

Virginia lands in the lower third on population-weighted low-access (20.4%), so distance is less binding statewide than in the upper band - county pages still show local pockets.

Compiled by Plainfoodaccess, Food Access Editorial Process · December 31, 2024

20.4%
low-access pop.: 269
food-desert tracts: 8.9%
on SNAP: 133
counties

USDA FARA state access plate

State VA · Virginia

LA-ELEVATED · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · BOOK-MEGA

LA-ELEVATED 20.4% low-access
BELOW-NATIONAL -1.7 pts vs US
LILA-CLUSTER 269 food-desert tracts
SNAP-LIGHT 8.9% SNAP
VEH-OK 5.8% no vehicle
BOOK-MEGA 133 counties

Nearest low-access peer: Illinois ( -0.2 pts)

Virginia's thick county book (133)

Virginia covers 133 counties among 51 states and DC (atlas inventory, not a food-access quality ranking). Orthogonal to the low-access / SNAP charts below.

Virginia vs all states by county count

Where this state's county inventory sits among every tracked jurisdiction

133 3rd of 51 higher than 48 of 51 states

Jurisdictions, banded by county inventory

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USDA Food Access Research Atlas / Census county inventory · 2026-06-23

Lower-band statewide picture

Virginia stays in the lower third nationally (20.4%, #41 of 50) with ~1.6M low-access residents and 269 LILA tracts.

#41
among states by low-access: 1.6M
low-access residents: 355K
food-desert residents: 5.8%
households, no vehicle

Population-weighted tract shares. Lower-band statewide means still leave county outliers on the table below.

Virginia among lower low-access states

Virginia ringed at #41 of 50 by population-weighted low-access. Click any state to compare.

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Signature read: 133 counties in the atlas book .

Virginia lands in the lower third of states on population-weighted low-access (20.4% , #41 of 50). Distance is less binding statewide than in the upper band, yet Highland County still reaches 99.7% locally while SNAP sits at 8.9% .

States near Virginia's lower low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Virginia. Neighbourhood chart below is local poles; these panels are full-corpus nearest neighbours excluding this state.

Similar low-access share

Nearest population-weighted low-access rates (20.4% here).

Illinois · 20.2% low-access
Iowa · 20.0% low-access
Kentucky · 19.8% low-access
West Virginia · 21.3% low-access

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates (8.9% here), deduped against the low-access panel.

Indiana · 9.0% SNAP
New Jersey · 9.1% SNAP
Colorado · 8.5% SNAP
South Dakota · 8.4% SNAP

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Floor county_count ≥ 5.

NM

31.7
WV

21.3
VA

20.4
IL

20.2
IA

20
KY

19.8
DC

4.6

Highland

99.7
Buena Vista city

95.9
Poquoson city

65
Franklin city

63.5
Cumberland

55.5
Sussex

53.5
Chesterfield

47.2
Petersburg city

46.8

All counties in Virginia

County	Population	Low-access	SNAP	No vehicle	Poverty
Highland County	2K	99.7%	8.1%	5.1%	9.5%
Buena Vista city	7K	95.9%	13.6%	8.5%	18.8%
Poquoson city	13K	65.0%	1.9%	1.0%	4.5%
Franklin city	8K	63.5%	28.5%	9.1%	19.3%
Cumberland County	10K	55.5%	21.2%	7.4%	8.5%
Sussex County	11K	53.5%	18.9%	9.2%	11.6%
Chesterfield County	378K	47.2%	6.5%	3.4%	7.1%
Petersburg city	34K	46.8%	22.6%	14.8%	21.7%
James City County	81K	46.7%	6.5%	4.0%	6.8%
Botetourt County	34K	45.8%	3.2%	3.7%	6.2%
Essex County	11K	44.1%	12.8%	6.4%	12.3%
Radford city	17K	43.3%	13.2%	2.3%	28.7%
Nottoway County	16K	40.6%	15.2%	7.9%	18.5%
Manassas Park city	17K	40.5%	10.1%	5.3%	5.1%
Norton city	4K	39.6%	29.7%	10.7%	26.3%
Hopewell city	23K	38.0%	25.1%	11.7%	21.8%
York County	71K	34.4%	3.6%	3.8%	5.6%
Prince George County	43K	33.9%	11.0%	3.3%	8.9%
Orange County	38K	33.8%	7.6%	4.3%	9.8%
Charlotte County	11K	33.7%	21.0%	6.5%	18.9%
Frederick County	95K	33.7%	5.8%	3.3%	6.8%
Stafford County	163K	33.4%	4.4%	2.0%	4.7%
Brunswick County	16K	33.0%	19.9%	6.5%	14.9%
Surry County	7K	30.0%	9.4%	4.7%	10.5%
Halifax County	34K	29.7%	20.7%	7.5%	17.3%
Augusta County	78K	29.3%	5.7%	4.3%	6.6%
Martinsville city	14K	29.3%	24.1%	9.7%	23.5%
Fluvanna County	28K	28.9%	6.6%	4.0%	7.7%
Henry County	50K	28.6%	17.2%	5.5%	16.0%
Prince William County	489K	27.9%	5.8%	2.6%	6.2%
Greene County	21K	27.6%	9.1%	3.0%	13.7%
Floyd County	16K	27.5%	8.1%	5.3%	9.8%
Dinwiddie County	28K	27.0%	14.9%	4.4%	11.7%
Henrico County	336K	26.9%	8.1%	5.8%	8.8%
Isle of Wight County	40K	26.2%	7.6%	4.2%	6.8%
Spotsylvania County	147K	25.5%	6.6%	2.9%	7.1%
Winchester city	28K	25.4%	11.7%	9.4%	21.5%
Hanover County	113K	25.3%	5.2%	3.0%	5.7%
Bristol city	17K	25.3%	22.1%	11.7%	18.0%
Hampton city	138K	25.0%	16.1%	7.6%	12.7%
Covington city	6K	24.6%	18.2%	6.0%	25.7%
Chesapeake city	253K	24.1%	7.2%	5.0%	9.4%
Salem city	26K	23.4%	7.8%	6.4%	10.2%
Newport News city	184K	23.2%	15.5%	9.8%	14.5%
Portsmouth city	97K	23.1%	19.9%	12.0%	17.3%
Colonial Heights city	18K	22.7%	13.1%	6.8%	7.9%
Suffolk city	99K	22.4%	10.0%	5.0%	9.4%
Roanoke County	97K	22.2%	7.4%	4.4%	7.3%
Mecklenburg County	31K	21.8%	16.8%	7.2%	16.3%
Southampton County	18K	21.8%	14.5%	5.4%	8.7%
Bath County	4K	21.2%	10.3%	4.1%	23.8%
Richmond city	229K	21.1%	15.1%	13.0%	18.2%
Warren County	42K	20.9%	10.5%	4.8%	11.6%
Norfolk city	234K	20.6%	17.0%	11.5%	16.5%
Rappahannock County	7K	20.5%	5.4%	1.9%	10.3%
Montgomery County	99K	20.2%	4.8%	6.4%	23.9%
Lynchburg city	79K	20.1%	15.2%	11.6%	18.6%
Rockbridge County	23K	20.0%	11.1%	3.8%	7.5%
Bland County	6K	19.5%	5.0%	5.3%	13.6%
Franklin County	55K	19.5%	12.8%	4.5%	12.7%
Williamsburg city	16K	19.5%	7.9%	6.5%	18.8%
Tazewell County	40K	19.3%	15.3%	6.6%	18.5%
Wise County	35K	19.0%	22.5%	9.1%	17.2%
Roanoke city	98K	18.7%	16.9%	11.0%	18.3%
Grayson County	15K	18.1%	16.3%	5.4%	16.5%
Fairfax County	1.1M	18.0%	4.3%	4.8%	5.9%
Prince Edward County	22K	17.8%	17.2%	6.1%	20.9%
Virginia Beach city	456K	17.5%	6.6%	4.6%	8.6%
Loudoun County	433K	16.6%	3.2%	2.9%	4.2%
Waynesboro city	23K	16.6%	14.2%	5.8%	11.2%
Amelia County	13K	16.5%	13.4%	1.6%	9.7%
Pittsylvania County	60K	16.5%	14.9%	5.2%	14.6%
Alleghany County	15K	16.4%	8.1%	6.0%	11.6%
Fredericksburg city	29K	16.1%	10.7%	9.6%	13.2%
Scott County	21K	15.5%	23.2%	7.6%	20.2%
Fauquier County	75K	13.7%	4.8%	3.5%	6.8%
King William County	19K	13.6%	6.8%	4.3%	5.9%
Danville city	42K	13.4%	27.3%	13.6%	24.7%
Buckingham County	17K	13.0%	17.0%	6.8%	12.5%
Albemarle County	115K	11.9%	4.6%	4.9%	7.7%
Culpeper County	54K	11.9%	9.8%	3.9%	7.9%
Craig County	5K	11.8%	9.7%	4.7%	13.7%
Amherst County	31K	11.3%	10.5%	3.4%	10.8%
Pulaski County	34K	11.2%	15.5%	4.6%	14.4%
Manassas city	43K	11.2%	6.3%	4.4%	7.7%
Fairfax city	25K	10.7%	3.1%	5.9%	9.1%
King and Queen County	7K	10.6%	19.5%	4.8%	17.9%
Wythe County	28K	10.6%	13.2%	8.2%	15.2%
King George County	28K	10.5%	6.8%	2.6%	7.5%
Rockingham County	86K	9.9%	5.9%	4.8%	9.8%
Northumberland County	12K	9.3%	6.6%	4.1%	11.5%
Goochland County	26K	9.2%	3.7%	2.4%	5.1%
Patrick County	18K	9.1%	12.6%	4.9%	11.7%
Shenandoah County	45K	9.1%	10.3%	5.0%	11.8%
Bedford County	81K	8.7%	6.5%	3.2%	8.1%
Campbell County	55K	8.1%	12.3%	4.7%	10.8%
Charlottesville city	45K	8.1%	9.9%	11.0%	19.6%
Galax city	7K	7.7%	22.1%	8.4%	31.1%
Appomattox County	17K	7.4%	15.3%	3.9%	14.0%
Washington County	54K	7.0%	12.7%	4.6%	11.1%
Nelson County	15K	6.2%	11.4%	6.2%	12.5%
Powhatan County	32K	6.1%	1.5%	2.0%	4.6%
Lexington city	8K	5.9%	17.7%	12.6%	14.0%
Gloucester County	40K	5.5%	7.1%	2.1%	5.2%
Caroline County	32K	5.3%	13.4%	3.5%	11.2%
Carroll County	29K	5.1%	15.1%	5.7%	15.3%
Harrisonburg city	51K	3.9%	10.9%	6.5%	25.7%
Smyth County	29K	3.8%	17.0%	6.5%	16.8%
Emporia city	6K	3.4%	34.1%	12.5%	15.8%
Lancaster County	11K	3.2%	9.9%	4.4%	10.3%
Richmond County	9K	3.2%	10.5%	6.4%	7.7%
Arlington County	236K	2.3%	4.0%	15.2%	7.4%
Charles City County	7K	2.3%	10.6%	5.9%	9.4%
Louisa County	40K	2.3%	11.4%	3.2%	10.0%
Accomack County	33K	2.2%	12.5%	6.1%	13.9%
Staunton city	26K	2.2%	13.0%	8.1%	12.4%
Buchanan County	19K	1.9%	27.3%	5.5%	25.2%
Russell County	26K	1.7%	21.8%	5.2%	16.7%
Middlesex County	11K	1.1%	11.4%	2.5%	7.3%
Giles County	17K	1.0%	11.1%	7.1%	9.3%
Greensville County	11K	0.7%	15.5%	5.9%	14.3%
Madison County	14K	0.7%	10.6%	2.3%	10.8%
Clarke County	15K	0.4%	2.8%	3.2%	7.0%
Dickenson County	14K	0.0%	23.2%	6.6%	17.3%
Lee County	22K	0.0%	28.2%	8.9%	28.8%
Lunenburg County	12K	0.0%	22.0%	12.8%	15.9%
Mathews County	9K	0.0%	6.4%	4.1%	7.8%
New Kent County	25K	0.0%	4.5%	1.0%	4.7%
Northampton County	12K	0.0%	14.9%	9.5%	17.7%
Page County	24K	0.0%	13.6%	7.8%	11.3%
Westmoreland County	19K	0.0%	20.1%	6.1%	14.0%
Alexandria city	157K	0.0%	5.1%	11.4%	7.9%
Falls Church city	15K	0.0%	1.5%	6.2%	4.0%

Source: USDA ERS Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2024 5-year). Sorted by low-access share, highest first.

Figures from USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and Census ACS 2024 5-year. Compiled 2026-06-23. Methodology · All states.

PlainFoodAccess renders this state summary directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Statewide figures for Virginia are population-weighted aggregates of county Atlas and ACS records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.