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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 2019 Census ACS 2024 MD

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 #1,544 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Baltimore County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

211 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 23 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Baltimore County, MD USDA-defined food-access tiers: 133 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 55 limited, 23 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 211 tracts evaluated. 133 tracts adequate (63.0%) 55 tracts limited (26.1%) 23 tracts severe / food desert (10.9%) Adequate 63% Limited 26% Severe 11% Food-access tier distribution: Baltimore County, MD
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Baltimore County has 196 urban and 15 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.

Baltimore County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Maryland, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Baltimore County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts211
Atlas Population (2010 basis)805,029
Low-Access Tracts78
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)23
Low-Access Population175,791
Low-Access Share21.8%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population35,615

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Baltimore County
IndicatorValue
Population850,796
Median Household Income$91,768
Poverty Rate9.8%below the national average
SNAP Households37,563
SNAP Participation Rate11.3%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.8%near the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.3%

Other Counties in Maryland

One of 23 counties in Maryland, 6 are shown here.

Allegany County
30.4% low-access · 21.0% SNAP
Anne Arundel County
33.7% low-access · 6.5% SNAP
Baltimore city
4.5% low-access · 23.2% SNAP
Calvert County
38.6% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Caroline County
9.2% low-access · 17.6% SNAP
Carroll County
29.5% low-access · 5.2% SNAP

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).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside MD (11.3% here).

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, Maryland in context

Baltimore County sits inside Maryland (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

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 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.