County food-access profile · Ohio
Ashtabula County, OH
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Ashtabula 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).
- 21.9%
- low-access pop.
- 7
- food-desert tracts
- 18.2%
- on SNAP
- 97K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
21.9% of Ashtabula County residents live in a low-access area, and 7 of its 25 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 11
- low-access tracts
- 10K
- food-desert residents
- 7.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 17.6%
- 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 Ashtabula County's low-access share at 21.9%, above the national share. 11 of the county's 25 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 22,266 people. 7 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 10,106 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 Ashtabula County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Ashtabula County's 21.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 51% of them and ranked #1,535 most-affected nationwide.
Ashtabula County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 25 census tracts in Ashtabula County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Ashtabula County vs. other Ohio counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Ohio
- Ashtabula
Ashtabula County, OH
21.9 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, OH
22 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, OH
17.4 % low-access
- Ashland 5
Ashland County, OH
5 % low-access
- Athens
Athens County, OH
17 % low-access
- Auglaize
Auglaize County, OH
9.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 25 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 101,497 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 11 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 7 |
| Low-Access Population | 22,266 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.9%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 10,106 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 97,167 |
| Median Household Income | $57,728 |
| Poverty Rate | 17.6%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 7,161 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 18.2%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.8%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 3.5% |
About 18.2% of Ashtabula County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 21.9% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 18.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 7,161 households here.
- 7.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 7 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 Ashtabula County
above the national share
7 of Ashtabula County's 25 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 28.0% of all its tracts.
A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 11.
An estimated 22,266 residents, roughly 21.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 10,106 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 14 tracts (56.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Ashtabula County
Ashtabula County has 108 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 50 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 50
- amboy mart, conneaut
- andover 117, andover
- ashtabula clark, ashtabula
- ashtabula duchess 1166, ashtabula
- ashtabula express, ashtabula
- bb's corner carryout, geneva
- bbs foodmart inc, ashtabula
- big daddy's pool & spa supplies llc n/a, ashtabula
- bull run mart, ashtabula
- circle k 5713, geneva
- circle k 4705206, kingsville
- circle k 4705210, conneaut
- circle k 4705564, kingsville
- circle k 4705715, ashtabula
- circle k 5203, orwell
- circle k 5714, ashtabula
- conneaut 119, conneaut
- conneaut travel center, conneaut
- conneautfuel, conneaut
- convenient food mart, ashtabula
- earth's natural treasures too, geneva
- east side drive thru, ashtabula
- eastside deli mart, conneaut
- grumpy grandpa's, ashtabula
- getgo 3627, geneva
- in n out convenience, ashtabula
- indian creek rv resort, geneva-on-the-lake
- jefferson 116, jefferson
- kingsville convenient mart 1, north kingsville
- kwick mart, ashtabula
- lakeside marketplace, geneva
- love's travel stop 389, conneaut
- love's travel stop 863, madison
- mapco 971, geneva
- orwell 115, orwell
- pilot travel center 2, austinburg
- pilot travel center 694, austinburg
- rome mobile, rome
- saybrook corner store, ashtabula
- sheetz 274, ashtabula
- shortstop drive-thru, ashtabula
- speedway 3409 3409, jefferson
- speedway 3521 3521, ashtabula
- stop & go, ashtabula
- sunoco, geneva
- ta kingsville 029, kingsville
- the red brick country store llc, orwell
- the wright place, rome
- turnpike petroleum llc, andover
- uni mart, ashtabula
Combination Grocery/Other · 42
- cvs 3169, geneva
- cvs 3362, ashtabula
- cvs 4331, conneaut
- dollar general 120, geneva
- dollar general 14580, conneaut
- dollar general 18519, austinburg
- dollar general 2076, ashtabula
- dollar general 2207, conneaut
- dollar general 6078, orwell
- dollar general 7103, ashtabula
- dollar general 9768, andover
- discount drug mart 60, ashtabula
- discount drug mart 61, jefferson
- dollar general 12769, jefferson
- dollar general 14529, ashtabula
- dollar general 16161, ashtabula
- dollar general 19942, williamsfield
- dollar general 20931, pierpont
- dollar general 22355, geneva
- dollar general 23095, conneaut
- dollar general 23590, geneva
- dollar general 23632, rock creek
- dollar general 24773, ashtabula
- dollar general 30972, orwell
- dollar general 31125, rome
- dollar general 31434, north kingsville
- dollar general store 17344, geneva
- dollar tree 1822, ashtabula
- dollar tree 6284, ashtabula
- dollar tree 7544, geneva
- dollar tree 8298, conneaut
- family dollar 13404, williamsfield
- family dollar store 1511, ashtabula
- family dollar store 1828, geneva
- family dollar store 2230, conneaut
- family dollar store 3054, jefferson
- family dollar store 4531, andover
- family dollar store 4600, ashtabula
- family dollar store 4728, orwell
- family dollar store 7866, rock creek
- orlando's golden dawn, north kingsville
- walgreens 09833, ashtabula
Super Store · 8
- andover sparkle market, andover
- ashtabula save-a-lot 23577, ashtabula
- giant eagle (ashtabula), ashtabula
- geneva giant eagle, geneva
- orlando bros golden dawn, conneaut
- orwell save-a-lot 24721, orwell
- sander's markets 756, jefferson
- walmart 2359, ashtabula
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- cherry valley slaughtering & proc, dorset
- na kyrsie meats, geneva
- piper meats, andover
Supermarket · 3
- aldi 63015 63015, ashtabula
- save-a-lot conneaut 23652, conneaut
- trumbull locker, rock creek
Large Grocery Store · 1
- cantini's village market, rock creek
Small Grocery Store · 1
- better-n-bulk, austinburg
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Ohio
Compare Ashtabula County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →
Food access nationally, Ohio in context
Ashtabula County sits inside Ohio (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 Ashtabula County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Ashtabula County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Ashtabula County? ▼
Is Ashtabula County a food desert? ▼
What share of Ashtabula 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.