County food-access profile · Indiana
Allen County, IN
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Allen County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 37.8%
- low-access pop.
- 20
- food-desert tracts
- 9.1%
- on SNAP
- 392K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
37.8% of Allen County residents live in a low-access area, and 20 of its 96 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 54
- low-access tracts
- 43K
- food-desert residents
- 6.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.5%
- 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).
USDA data puts Allen County's low-access share at 37.8%, above the national share. 54 of the county's 96 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 134,375 people. 20 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 42,952 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 Allen County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Allen County's 37.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 84% of them and ranked #496 most-affected nationwide.
Allen County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 96 census tracts in Allen County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Allen County vs. other Indiana counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Indiana
- Allen
Allen County, IN
37.8 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, IN
17.5 % low-access
- Bartholomew
Bartholomew County, IN
36.4 % low-access
- Benton 1.7
Benton County, IN
1.7 % low-access
- Blackford
Blackford County, IN
15.2 % low-access
- Boone
Boone County, IN
17.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 96 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 355,329 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 54 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 20 |
| Low-Access Population | 134,375 |
| Low-Access Share | 37.8%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 42,952 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 392,378 |
| Median Household Income | $70,737 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.5%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 14,273 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.1%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.8%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.5% |
About 9.1% of Allen County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 37.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 14,273 households here.
- 6.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 20 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 Allen County
above the national share
20 of Allen County's 96 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 20.8% of all its tracts.
A further 34 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 54.
An estimated 134,375 residents, roughly 37.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 42,952 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 42 tracts (43.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Allen County
Allen County has 311 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 142 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 142
- a & h oil co llc, fort wayne
- altam, inc., fort wayne
- anthony bp, fort wayne
- anthony express, fort wayne
- anthony wayne one stop, fort wayne
- bkd marathon, fort wayne
- bkd north clinton marathon, fort wayne
- burger dairy ii, fort wayne
- bernies best deal store, fort wayne
- bluffton road marathon, fort wayne
- broadway express incorporated, fort wayne
- broadway pointe, fort wayne
- brooklyn mini mart, fort wayne
- burger's, fort wayne
- circle k 4702452, ft wayne
- cookroad marathon, fort wayne
- coldwater gogo store, fort wayne
- coliseum bp, fort wayne
- crescent corners express, fort wayne
- dpr oil, fort wayne
- danny food mart 007, fort wayne
- danny food mart 2, fort wayne
- discount tobacco & more, fort wayne
- downtown philips, fort wayne
- east side food mart, fort wayne
- ez gas, fort wayne
- fairfield marathon, fort wayne
- fort wayne fuel stop, fort wayne
- franky park gasway, fort wayne
- g-mart stores inc, fort wayne
- georgetown shell, fort wayne
- get 2 go 17, fort wayne
- get 2 go 18, fort wayne
- get 2 go 19, fort wayne
- get 2 go 20, fort wayne
- get2go, fort wayne
- grand food junction, fort wayne
- hjr oil inc. 01, fort wayne
- hanna gas n snack, fort wayne
- hassen cassel express, fort wayne
- hessen cassel one stop, fort wayne
- indiana mexican bakery, fort wayne
- jay's mini mart, fort wayne
- jsm oil inc, fort wayne
- kareem family market, fort wayne
- kk oil inc, fort wayne
- ko ko family's asian market, fort wayne
- ks petroleum llc, fort wayne
- ksl holdings incorporated, fort wayne
- ksl stores inc, fort wayne
- lafayette point marathon, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 14, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 16, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 23, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 28, new haven
- lassus handy dandy 32, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 37, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 38, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 39, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 41, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 42, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 43, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 46, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 47, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 5, fort wayne
- lassus handy dandy 6, fort wayne
- lincoln hwy 66, fort wayne
- love's travel stop 592, woodburn
- mac food mart-goshen road, fort wayne
- mac food mart-waynehaven, fort wayne
- mac food mart-brookwood, fort wayne
- mac food mart-royville, fort wayne
- maysville marathon, fort wayne
- meijer gas station 124, fort wayne
- meijer gas station 125, fort wayne
- meijer gas station 138, fort wayne
- meijer gas station 314, fort wayne
- murphy usa 6512, fort wayne
- murphy usa 6931, fort wayne
- murphy usa 7381, fort wayne
- murphy usa 7451, fort wayne
- my market, fort wayne
- my market #2, fort wayne
- new haven food mart, new haven
- one stop petro, woodburn
- oxford express, fort wayne
- oxford one stop, fort wayne
- phil's one stop 1, fort wayne
- phil's one stop 10, fort wayne
- phil's one stop 11, fort wayne
- phil's one stop 13, fort wayne
- phil's one stop 2, fort wayne
- phil's one stop 20, fort wayne
- phil's one stop 3, fort wayne
- phil's one stop 4, huntertown
- phil's one stop 6, fort wayne
- phil's one stop 7, fort wayne
- phil's one stop 8, grabill
- pilot travel center 304, new haven
- pontiac food mart, fort wayne
- quick stop, fort wayne
- quick stop, fort wayne
- quick stop c store n/a, fort wayne
- quick stop food mart llc, fort wayne
- rajbir amrik & baljit llc-fairfield point marathon, fort wayne
- rickers 7552, leo
- rickers 7553, fort wayne
- rickers 7555, fort wayne
- rickers 7558, huntertown
- river bend deli, fort wayne
- ros corporation, fort wayne
- route dupont stop n go shell gas station 1, fort wayne
- s & h oil corp, fort wayne
- ssd petroleum inc, fort wayne
- sjs oil inc, new haven
- south town food mart, fort wayne
- southside marathon llc, fort wayne
- sparky mart, fort wayne
- speedway 5161, fort wayne
- speedway 5166, fort wayne
- speedway 5174, fort wayne
- speedway 5227, fort wayne
- speedway 5505, fort wayne
- speedway 6149, fort wayne
- speedway 6150, new haven
- speedway 7070, fort wayne
- speedway 7071, fort wayne
- star food mark 002, fort wayne
- stop 2 shop, fort wayne
- stop on the way, fort wayne
- ta express fort wayne, fort wayne
- ta express fort wayne retail, fort wayne
- taste of the south by family love llc n/a, fort wayne
- united marathon, fort wayne
- united oil and convenience llc, fort wayne
- vidhata food inc, fort wayne
- ville discount tobacco, monroeville
- virks stores incorporated, fort wayne
- washington express, fort wayne
- wayne trace express, fort wayne
- zinah llc, fort wayne
- zion tienda de abarrotes inc, fort wayne
Combination Grocery/Other · 79
- blessing grocery store llc, fort wayne
- cvs 5369, fort wayne
- cvs 5696, fort wayne
- cvs 6496, new haven
- cvs 6509, fort wayne
- cvs 6510, fort wayne
- cvs 6519, fort wayne
- cvs 6520, fort wayne
- cvs 6522, fort wayne
- cvs 6527, fort wayne
- cvs 6737, fort wayne
- cvs pharmacy 10190, fort wayne
- cvs pharmacy 6323, leo-cedarville
- cvs pharmacy 6479, fort wayne
- dollar general 10960, fort wayne
- dollar general 11147, fort wayne
- dollar general 17321, fort wayne
- dollar general 19681, fort wayne
- dollar general 2075, new haven
- dollar general 2810, fort wayne
- dollar general 3765, leo
- dollar general 3811, fort wayne
- dollar general 3856, fort wayne
- dollar general 4714, fort wayne
- dollar tree 0719, fort wayne
- dollartree 10227, fort wayne
- dollartree 10309, fort wayne
- dollar general 10798, fort wayne
- dollar general 11730, fort wayne
- dollar general 15020, grabill
- dollar general 18015, harlan
- dollar general 18707, fort wayne
- dollar general 20093, zanesville
- dollar general 24169, fort wayne
- dollar general 25385, fort wayne
- dollar general 4845, fort wayne
- dollar general 824, new haven
- dollar general 9572, woodburn
- dollar general store 13160, monroeville
- dollar general store 22, fort wayne
- dollar international market llc, fort wayne
- dollar tree 1998, fort wayne
- dollar tree 3863, fort wayne
- dollar tree 6088, new haven
- dollar tree 6180, fort wayne
- dollar tree 6242, fort wayne
- dollar tree 700, fort wayne
- dollar tree 760, fort wayne
- dollar tree 7671, fort wayne
- dollar tree 8461, fort wayne
- dollar tree 8827, fort wayne
- family dollar 10927, fort wayne
- family dollar 11085, fort wayne
- family dollar 11807, fort wayne
- family dollar store 1069, fort wayne
- family dollar store 1130, fort wayne
- family dollar store 3028, fort wayne
- family dollar store 6261, fort wayne
- family dollar store 7917, fort wayne
- honeybaked ham co., fort wayne
- ken's meat market, new haven
- kirana, fort wayne
- m mart oriental grocery, fort wayne
- plowshares at the market, fort wayne
- rang dong supermarket, fort wayne
- rbnl caribbean & takeout, fort wayne
- shwezin international wholesale & retail, fort wayne
- walgreens 03129, fort wayne
- walgreens 6868, fort wayne
- walgreens 03722, fort wayne
- walgreens 04190, fort wayne
- walgreens 05115, fort wayne
- walgreens 05344, fort wayne
- walgreens 05510, fort wayne
- walgreens 06673, fort wayne
- walgreens 09793, fort wayne
- walgreens 11945, fort wayne
- walgreens 3502, new haven
- walgreens 5940, fort wayne
Medium Grocery Store · 14
- al rancho supermarket llc, fort wayne
- al-noor food llc, fort wayne
- almadenah halal meat market, fort wayne
- american & asian market llc, fort wayne
- asian city market llc, fort wayne
- chay family market llc 1, fort wayne
- cho oo asian grocery, fort wayne
- chop shop meat and produce, woodburn
- fort wayne group, fort wayne
- fuwa asian market, fort wayne
- health food shoppe of fort wayne, fort wayne
- hnin hlaing grocery store 01, fort wayne
- hungry asian market 2, fort wayne
- magadoo asian grocery, fort wayne
Large Grocery Store · 6
- a m family grocery 001, grabill
- chit may may grocery store llc 1, fort wayne
- fort wayne halal meat & grocery, fort wayne
- shwenandaw grocery, fort wayne
- summit market, fort wayne
- thomyayu asian markets llc, fort wayne
Farmers' Market · 4
- fort wayne's farmers market nafmnp, fort wayne
- monroeville farmers market, llc, monroeville
- parkview community greenhouse and learning kitchen, fort wayne
- south side farmers market, fort wayne
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 4
- jamison meats, fort wayne
- jamison specialty meats #2, fort wayne
- lengerich meats, inc, zanesville
- mr. meatz huntertown, huntertown
Bakery Specialty · 1
- aunt millie's bakery outlet 50011, fort wayne
Showing 250 of 311 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Indiana
Compare Allen County vs Adams County → · All Indiana counties →
Food access nationally, Indiana in context
Allen County sits inside Indiana (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Allen County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Allen County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Allen County? ▼
Is Allen County a food desert? ▼
What share of Allen County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.