Signature · 15.6% low-access (34th pct)
Alcona County, MI
Alcona 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.
- 15.6%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 12.5%
- on SNAP
- 10K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Alcona County, MI
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-MODERATE 15.6% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.5 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 12.5% SNAP
- VEH-OK 3.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Baraga County ( -0.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Alcona County ranks #2,064 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #43 of 80 counties in MI (15.6% low-access).
- #2,064
- national by low-access %
- #43
- in MI
- 1
- low-access tracts
- 674
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 15.6% low-access (34th pct) (-6.5 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Alcona County compares nationally
Alcona County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.6% low-access share that beats 34% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,064).
Alcona County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
5 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 5 of Alcona County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Alcona County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Michigan, not a full county-board reprint
- Schoolcraft
Schoolcraft 46%
46 % low-access
- Alpena 15.9
Alpena 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Alcona 15.6
Alcona 15.6%
15.6 % low-access
- Baraga 15.4
Baraga 15.4%
15.4 % low-access
- Delta 15.3
Delta 15.3%
15.3 % low-access
- Tuscola 15.3
Tuscola 15.3%
15.3 % low-access
- Arenac 0
Arenac 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 5 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 10,942 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 1 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 1,710 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.6%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 674 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 10,397 |
| Median Household Income | $54,993 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.3%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 664 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.5%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.5%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.0% |
SNAP retailers in Alcona County
Alcona County has 13 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 6 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
8 towns share the 13 authorized stores; Glennie holds 15% of them. 6 of the 8 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Greenbush, Harrisville, Mikado, Barton City, Hubbard Lake, Spruce.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Glennie | 2 | 1 |
| Greenbush | 2 | none |
| Harrisville | 2 | none |
| Lincoln | 2 | 1 |
| Mikado | 2 | none |
| Barton City | 1 | none |
| Hubbard Lake | 1 | none |
| Spruce | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 6
- barton city gen store, barton city
- chippewa point grocery, spruce
- cedar lake grocery, greenbush
- greenbush market, greenbush
- harrisville shell 538, harrisville
- mikado market 340, mikado
Combination Grocery/Other · 5
- dollar general 20083, hubbard lake
- dollar general 20644, lincoln
- dollar general 20721, harrisville
- dollar general 21015, glennie
- dollar general 25648, mikado
Large Grocery Store · 1
- roger's iga inc, glennie
Supermarket · 1
- the lincoln market, lincoln
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Michigan
One of 82 counties in Michigan, 6 are shown here.
Compare Alcona County vs Alger County → · All Michigan counties →
Nationwide peers for Alcona County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Alcona County, both outside Michigan so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MI (15.6% here).
- Jefferson Davis Parish, LA · 15.6% low-access
- Harrison County, KY · 15.6% low-access
- Seward County, KS · 15.6% low-access
- Jones County, IA · 15.6% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MI (12.5% here).
- Hampshire County, MA · 12.5% SNAP
- Waldo County, ME · 12.5% SNAP
- Benton County, MO · 12.5% SNAP
- Lafayette Parish, LA · 12.5% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Michigan among East North Central states
Michigan ranks 3rd of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (23.2%). Alcona County, at 15.6%, runs 7.6 pts below the Michigan rate.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile 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. Figures for Alcona County, MI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 26001. 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.
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.