County food-access profile · Minnesota
Anoka County, MN
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Anoka 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).
- 38.3%
- low-access pop.
- 12
- food-desert tracts
- 7.2%
- on SNAP
- 370K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
38.3% of Anoka County residents live in a low-access area, and 12 of its 83 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 47
- low-access tracts
- 22K
- food-desert residents
- 4.6%
- households, no vehicle
- 7.0%
- 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 Anoka County's low-access share at 38.3%, above the national share. 47 of the county's 83 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 126,570 people. 12 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 21,543 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 Anoka County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Anoka County's 38.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 85% of them and ranked #469 most-affected nationwide.
Anoka County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 83 census tracts in Anoka County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Anoka County vs. other Minnesota counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Minnesota
- Anoka
Anoka County, MN
38.3 % low-access
- Aitkin
Aitkin County, MN
33.8 % low-access
- Becker
Becker County, MN
34.5 % low-access
- Beltrami
Beltrami County, MN
32.3 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, MN
30 % low-access
- Big Stone
Big Stone County, MN
38.4 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 83 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 330,844 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 47 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 12 |
| Low-Access Population | 126,570 |
| Low-Access Share | 38.3%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 21,543 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 370,349 |
| Median Household Income | $101,869 |
| Poverty Rate | 7.0%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,849 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 7.2%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.9% |
About 7.2% of Anoka County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 38.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 7.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 9,849 households here.
- 4.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 12 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 Anoka County
above the national share
12 of Anoka County's 83 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 14.5% of all its tracts.
A further 35 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 47.
An estimated 126,570 residents, roughly 38.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 21,543 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 36 tracts (43.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Anoka County
Anoka County has 200 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 97 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 97
- 109 oriental market, minneapolis
- 4 corner station 0, minneapolis
- anoka gas stop, anoka
- big stop mart, minneapolis
- bills superette, anoka
- bills superette 11, anoka
- bills superette 7, andover
- blaine motomart 3306, minneapolis
- blaine one stop, circle pines
- bona bros food & fuel, minneapolis
- casey's 3749, circle pines
- casey's 3753, ham lake
- casey's general store 3935, lino lakes
- casey's 3890, andover
- casey's general store 1769, saint francis
- casey's general store 1988, ramsey
- casey's general store 2002, anoka
- casey's general store 2309, blaine
- casey's general store 3460, ramsey
- center market, hugo
- central superette inc, minneapolis
- columbia market, minneapolis
- coon rapids holiday, coon rapids
- corner express, lino lakes
- dino mart 1, bethel
- dong yang oriental food, hilltop
- express lane 5506, fridley
- fastrip markets, minneapolis
- fridley bp, minneapolis
- goodstop by casey's 4267, minneapolis
- gas & more, minneapolis
- go gas n wash, minneapolis
- go good & fuel inc, minneapolis
- holiday stationstore 2746058, columbia heights
- holiday 2653861, cedar
- holiday stationstore 2746075, anoka
- holiday stationstore 2746118, minneapolis
- holiday stationstore 2746188, minneapolis
- holiday stationstore 2746223, andover
- holiday stationstore 2746259, minneapolis
- holiday stationstore 2746306, circle pines
- holiday stationstore 2746309, minneapolis
- holiday stationstore 2746323, anoka
- holiday stationstore 2746334, minneapolis
- holiday stationstore 2746376, circle pines
- holiday stationstore 2746379, minneapolis
- holiday stationstore 2746395, anoka
- holiday stationstore 2746417, minneapolis
- holiday stationstore 2746477, st anthony
- holiday stationstore 2746507, coon rapids
- holiday stationstore 2746535, minneapolis
- holiday stationstores 2746408, forest lake
- holiday stationstores 2746590, minneapolis
- holiday stationstores llc 2746591, andover
- kwik trip 1014, blaine
- kwik trip 1017, anoka
- kwik trip 1022, blaine
- kwik trip 1136, minneapolis
- kwik trip 1171, east bethel
- kwik trip 1266, lino lakes
- kwik trip 206, circle pines
- kwik trip 465, coon rapids
- kwik trip 474, anoka
- kwik trip 812, andover
- kwik trip 896, blaine
- kwik trip 925, minneapolis
- kwik trip 943, saint francis
- lakes1stop, hugo
- lucky's station 1, andover
- main st gas n shop, anoka
- more valu marathon, coon rapids
- neighbor stop speedway 105 105, wyoming
- nova way food & fuel, blaine
- one stop coon rapids, minneapolis
- ramsey market, ramsey
- riverboat food & fuel, fridley
- speedway 4057, columbia heights
- speedway 4175, minneapolis
- speedway 4197, minneapolis
- speedway 4199, minneapolis
- speedway 4207, minneapolis
- speedway 4217, minneapolis
- speedway 4290, minneapolis
- speedway 4311, minneapolis
- speedway 4321, blaine
- speedway 4445, blaine
- speedway 4477, andover
- speedway 4537, andover
- speedway 4870, saint francis
- speedway 5519, minneapolis
- speedway 5522, oak grove
- speedway 7020, minneapolis
- split second car wash, minneapolis
- spring lake park hy-vee 1643, spring lake park
- super usa groceries, blaine
- white pines general store, wyoming
- z&n,inc, andover
Combination Grocery/Other · 37
- cvs 1303, coon rapids
- cvs 7110, andover
- cvs 7152, blaine
- dollar general 10799, hilltop
- dollartree 11026, minneapolis
- dollartree 8633, andover
- dollartree 8834, minneapolis
- dollar general 15702, saint francis
- dollar general 21464, ham lake
- dollar general 22023, east bethel
- dollar general 23693, coon rapids
- dollar general 23780, saint francis
- dollar general 30698, anoka
- dollar tree 2800, blaine
- dollar tree 5440, minneapolis
- dollar tree 5529, coon rapids
- dollar tree 5549, anoka
- dollar tree 5918, lexington
- dollar tree 8436, minneapolis
- family dollar store 4742, minneapolis
- midwest farmers market & deli, minneapolis
- paradise market 4, ramsey
- pooja grocers, minneapolis
- von hansons meat market, minneapolis
- von hansons meats of blaine, minneapolis
- walgreens 02935, coon rapids
- walgreens 4697, fridley
- walgreens 02078, andover
- walgreens 03293, lexington
- walgreens 03423, anoka
- walgreens 06573, coon rapids
- walgreens 06714, coon rapids
- walgreens 06735, st anthony
- walgreens 07218, minneapolis
- walgreens 07781, blaine
- walgreens 11287, minneapolis
- walgreens 11832, anoka
Super Store · 20
- bobs produce ranch, minneapolis
- coborn's marketplace 2033, ramsey
- costco wholesale 0372, coon rapids
- cub foods coon rapids, minneapolis
- festival foods 08, andover
- festival foods 10, circle pines
- hy-vee food store 1643, spring lake park
- kings county market, andover
- kings county market, saint francis
- sam's club 6310, minneapolis
- target store 1144, coon rapids
- target store 1448, lino lakes
- target store 1832, blaine
- target store 2025, andover
- target store 2200, fridley
- target store 820, minneapolis
- walmart supercenter 5976, minneapolis
- walmart supercenter 1952, fridley
- walmart supercenter 1999, andover
- walmart supercenter 3498, circle pines
Supermarket · 16
- aldi 108, blaine
- aldi 70043 70043, coon rapids
- aldi 72004, columbia heights
- aldi 72143, anoka
- aldi 75015 75015, blaine
- aldi 75017 75017, coon rapids
- aldi 72016, blaine
- bill's superette 8, anoka
- cub foods 1592, blaine
- cub foods 1598, blaine
- cub foods 1608, blaine
- cub foods 1629, st anthony
- cub foods 1630, fridley
- cub foods 1638, coon rapids
- cub foods 1652, blaine
- mikes discount foods, fridley
Medium Grocery Store · 9
- asian market llc, minneapolis
- golden nuts, minneapolis
- international grocery and halal meat market llc, minneapolis
- jerusalem market, columbia heights
- la espiga panaderia y pasteleria market, minneapolis
- mikes discount food, hilltop
- mikes discount foods, anoka
- peace market 1, minneapolis
- smak european delicacies, anoka
Bakery Specialty · 8
- papa murphy's - andover mn075, andover
- papa murphy's - forest lake mn050, forest lake
- papa murphy's 58, circle pines
- papa murphy's blaine mn097, minneapolis
- papa murphy's mn131, anoka
- papa murphy's pizza mn028, minneapolis
- papa murphys - blaine mn025, minneapolis
- papa murphys - coon rapids mn040, minneapolis
Large Grocery Store · 5
- bill's superette 14, anoka
- jensens service center & foods, coon rapids
- pangea market, minneapolis
- seoul foods, minneapolis
- supermercado lomabonita 3, minneapolis
Small Grocery Store · 5
- bill's superette 12, circle pines
- hilltop grocery and meat market, minneapolis
- northside grocery & deli 426, blaine
- nueva esperanza 1, minneapois
- palms market, minneapolis
Farmers' Market · 2
- blaine farmers market, minneapolis
- new life farmer's market ramsey, anoka
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- anoka meat & sausage, anoka
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Minnesota
Compare Anoka County vs Aitkin County → · All Minnesota counties →
Food access nationally, Minnesota in context
Anoka County sits inside Minnesota (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 Anoka County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Anoka County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Anoka County? ▼
Is Anoka County a food desert? ▼
What share of Anoka 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.