Signature · 16.7% SNAP (87th pct in MI)
Alpena County, MI
Alpena County stands out on SNAP (16.7%, +4.6 pts vs U.S.) with 15.9% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 15.9%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 16.7%
- on SNAP
- 29K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Alpena County, MI
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 15.9% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -6.2 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 16.7% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 11% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Menominee County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Alpena County ranks #2,032 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #40 of 80 counties in MI (15.9% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #2,032
- national by low-access %
- #40
- in MI
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- 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: 16.7% SNAP (87th pct in MI) (+4.6 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Alpena County compares nationally
Alpena County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.9% low-access share that beats 35% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,046).
Alpena County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
9 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Alpena County has 5 urban and 4 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Alpena 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
- Menominee 15.9
Menominee 15.9%
15.9 % low-access
- Monroe 15.9
Monroe 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
- Arenac 0
Arenac 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 9 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 29,598 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 4,708 |
| Low-Access Share | 15.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,806 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 28,880 |
| Median Household Income | $53,950 |
| Poverty Rate | 18.0%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,178 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 16.7%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.0%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
Thick SNAP store book in Alpena County
Alpena County has 30 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 12 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 12
- admiral 5866, alpena
- admiral 5867, alpena
- alpena shell 226, alpena
- bob a lu market & hardware, herron
- diamond point ez mart 390, alpena
- forward alpena u133, alpena
- hubbard lake ez mart 588, hubbard lake
- long rapids ez mart 646, alpena
- mid-pointe convenience, alpena
- meijer gas station 282, alpena
- northland market, lachine
- opechee, alpena
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- dollar general 19770, lachine
- dollar general 16998, alpena
- dollar general 16999, alpena
- dollar tree 2803, alpena
- family dollar store 10550, ossineke
- kipfmiller produce & nursery inc, alpena
- walgreens 09148, alpena
Super Store · 3
- meijer 282, alpena
- perch's food store, alpena
- walmart supercenter 2358, alpena
Supermarket · 3
- aldi 67110, alpena
- gordon food service store mp071, alpena
- save a lot 23914, alpena
Farmers' Market · 2
- alpena farmers market, alpena
- sunrise side co-op market, alpena
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- marine market inc, alpena
- nowicki's, alpena
Small Grocery Store · 1
- hubbard lake general store, hubbard lake
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 Alpena County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →
Nationwide peers for Alpena County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Alpena County (16.7%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Michigan.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MI (15.9% here).
- Plymouth County, IA · 15.9% low-access
- Plymouth County, IA · 15.9% low-access
- Marion County, IA · 15.9% low-access
- Marion County, IA · 15.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MI (16.7% here).
- LaSalle Parish, LA · 16.7% SNAP
- LaSalle Parish, LA · 16.7% SNAP
- Oneida County, NY · 16.7% SNAP
- Oneida County, NY · 16.7% 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.
Food access nationally, Michigan in context
Alpena County sits inside Michigan (ringed). Each state is colored 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
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 Alpena County, MI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 26007. 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.