Signature · 11.3% SNAP (52nd pct in MD)
Baltimore County, MD
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Baltimore 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).
- 21.8%
- low-access pop.
- 23
- food-desert tracts
- 11.3%
- on SNAP
- 851K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Baltimore County, MD
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 21.8% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.3 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 23 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-TYPICAL 11.3% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 7.8% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 11% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: St. Mary's County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Baltimore County ranks #1,537 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #15 of 24 counties in MD (21.8% low-access; 23 food-desert tracts).
- #1,537
- national by low-access %
- #15
- in MD
- 78
- low-access tracts
- 36K
- 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: 11.3% SNAP (52nd pct in MD) (-0.8 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Baltimore County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Baltimore County's 21.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 51% of them and ranked #1,537 most-affected nationwide.
Baltimore County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
211 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 23 LILA.
Baltimore County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (196 urban, 15 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 15 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Baltimore County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Maryland, not a full county-board reprint
- Calvert
Calvert 38.6%
38.6 % low-access
- Queen Anne's
Queen Anne's 23.5%
23.5 % low-access
- Howard
Howard 22.6%
22.6 % low-access
- Baltimore
Baltimore 21.8%
21.8 % low-access
- St. Mary's
St. Mary's 21.7%
21.7 % low-access
- Montgomery
Montgomery 20%
20 % low-access
- Kent 1.7
Kent 1.7%
1.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 211 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 805,029 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 78 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 23 |
| Low-Access Population | 175,791 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.8%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 35,615 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 850,796 |
| Median Household Income | $91,768 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.8%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 37,563 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.3%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.8%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
Other Counties in Maryland
One of 23 counties in Maryland, 6 are shown here.
Compare Baltimore County vs Allegany County → · All Maryland counties →
Nationwide peers for Baltimore County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for Baltimore County (11.3%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Maryland.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MD (21.8% here).
- Perry County, MS · 21.8% low-access
- Champaign County, IL · 21.8% low-access
- Ashley County, AR · 21.8% low-access
- Wood County, TX · 21.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MD (11.3% here).
- Huron County, MI · 11.3% SNAP
- Humboldt County, NV · 11.3% SNAP
- Kauai County, HI · 11.3% SNAP
- Morgan County, GA · 11.3% 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.
Maryland among South Atlantic states
Maryland ranks 6th of 9 South Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (22.7%). Baltimore County, at 21.8%, runs 0.9 pts below the Maryland rate.
- Georgia 30.9%
- South Carolina 28.7%
- Delaware 27.3%
- Florida 25.1%
- North Carolina 22.9%
- Maryland 22.7%
- West Virginia 21.3%
- Virginia 20.4%
- District of Columbia 4.6%
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 Baltimore County, MD are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 24005. 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.