PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Bay County, MI

Bay County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

12.9%
low-access pop.
5
food-desert tracts
13.6%
on SNAP
103K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

12.9% of Bay County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 26 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

9
low-access tracts
6K
food-desert residents
6.6%
households, no vehicle
13.2%
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).

Bay County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 12.9% per the USDA Atlas. 9 of the county's 26 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 13,857 residents who live far from a supermarket. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 5,663 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 Bay County compares nationally

Bay County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 12.9% low-access share that beats 27% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,281).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Bay County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 26 census tracts in Bay County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Bay County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 17 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 5 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 26 tracts evaluated. 17 tracts adequate (65.4%) 4 tracts limited (15.4%) 5 tracts severe / food desert (19.2%) Adequate 65% Limited 15% Severe 19% Food-access tier distribution: Bay County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Bay County vs. other Michigan counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Michigan

% 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 Bay County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts26
Atlas Population (2010 basis)107,771
Low-Access Tracts9
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)5
Low-Access Population13,857
Low-Access Share12.9%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,663

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Bay County
IndicatorValue
Population103,008
Median Household Income$61,763
Poverty Rate13.2%near the national average
SNAP Households6,120
SNAP Participation Rate13.6%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.6%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.1%
SNAP participation in Bay County 13.6%

About 13.6% of Bay County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 12.9% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 13.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 6,120 households here.
  • 6.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 5 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 Bay County

near the national share

5 of Bay County's 26 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 19.2% of all its tracts.

A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 9.

An estimated 13,857 residents, roughly 12.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 5,663 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 17 tracts (65.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Bay County

Bay County has 109 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 65 locations (60% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 65

  • 7 eleven 36944a, bay city
  • 7-eleven 36910, essexville
  • 7-eleven 36915-a, bay city
  • 7-eleven 36942-a, bay city
  • 7-eleven store 36913b, bay city
  • 7-eleven store 36922b, bay city
  • 7-eleven, inc. store # 36912b, bay city
  • admiral 5795, bay city
  • ayham mini mart llc, bay city
  • bay city liquor, bay city
  • betty's party store, bay city
  • brissette's 6-twelve,inc., bay city
  • cass ave party store, bay city
  • cb discount, bay city
  • dj's country store, sterling
  • dore stores inc - #13 m84 13, bay city
  • dores store 12, linwood
  • dores stores 01, kawkawlin
  • dores stores 18, kawkawlin
  • dores stores inc. #5 15, bay city
  • express stop 4639, pinconning
  • express stop 4673, bay city
  • fruitland market, auburn
  • fast pax food stores 5, essexville
  • fast pax food stores 9, bay city
  • forward bay city shell 131, bay city
  • forward pinny, pinconning
  • forward shell-pinconning 170, pinconning
  • henry gas 1, bay city
  • ideal party store - west, bay city
  • ideal party store, inc., bay city
  • j's korner store, bay city
  • jan's party store, bay city
  • jb's market, munger
  • jo jo's refresh stop, auburn
  • kaders party store, bay city
  • kings party store, bay city
  • liberty food & liquor, bay city
  • m-84 quick stop inc, bay city
  • meijer gas station 187, bay city
  • meijer gas station 48, bay city
  • mieskes market, midland
  • millers mini mart, bay city
  • old town party store, bay city
  • parkview country store, auburn
  • rebel 892, bay city
  • riverview party store, bay city
  • sunrise stores llc 63, bay city
  • sunrise stores llc 64, bay city
  • sunrise stores llc 67, linwood
  • south side market, bay city
  • speedway 3626, bay city
  • speedway 8709, auburn
  • speedway 8713, bay city
  • speedway 8716, bay city
  • speedway 8743, essexville
  • speedway 8781, kawkawlin
  • speedway 8819 8819, pinconning
  • speedyq markets 8250, bay city
  • teeters party store, pinconning
  • the kawkawlin party store, kawkawlin
  • the party dock, bay city
  • uptown marathon, bay city
  • wilder party store, bay city
  • wilson's cheese shoppe, pinconning

Combination Grocery/Other · 23

  • cvs pharmacy 10626, bay city
  • cheese house, pinconning
  • dollar general 19735, pinconning
  • dollar general 6229, bay city
  • dollar general 9876, auburn
  • dollartree 10829, bay city
  • dollartree 9342, bay city
  • dollar general 16614, bay city
  • dollar general 17485, kawkawlin
  • dollar general 19728, bay city
  • dollar general 23010, bay city
  • dollar general 31244, bay city
  • dollar general 9341, bay city
  • dollar general store 16622, linwood
  • dollar tree 148, bay city
  • dollar tree 562, bay city
  • family dollar store 10852, bay city
  • family dollar store 2940, bay city
  • family dollar store 3686, bay city
  • family dollar store 5939, pinconning
  • j & k bay city, bay city
  • walgreens 05167, bay city
  • walgreens 12042, essexville

Super Store · 7

  • jack's fruit market inc, essexville
  • jack's fruit market, inc., bay city
  • kroger store 424, bay city
  • kroger store 635, essexville
  • meijer inc 048, bay city
  • meijer inc 187, bay city
  • walmart store 1752, bay city

Supermarket · 6

  • aldi 67058 67058, bay city
  • gordon food service store mp014, bay city
  • rogers auburn, auburn
  • save-a-lot 45038, bay city
  • town & country supermarket-pinconning, inc, pinconning
  • valley meat market, pinconning

Medium Grocery Store · 4

  • blue knight vending, bay city
  • pat besons supermarket, kawkawlin
  • pinconning cheese co, pinconning
  • ron besons corner store, pinconning

Farmers' Market · 1

  • auburn farmers market, auburn

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • the meat shop, bay city

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • whyte's fishery & smokehouse, pinconning

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • d's corner market, linwood

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Michigan

Alcona County
15.6% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Alger County
12.8% low-access · 11.0% SNAP
Allegan County
20.8% low-access · 7.8% SNAP
Alpena County
15.9% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Antrim County
0.2% low-access · 10.0% SNAP
Arenac County
0.0% low-access · 16.1% SNAP

Compare Bay County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Bay County sits inside Michigan (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; 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

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Bay County has low food access? ▼
12.9% of residents in Bay County, MI live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Bay County? ▼
13.6% of households in Bay County receive SNAP, covering 6,120 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Bay County? ▼
The poverty rate in Bay County, MI is 13.2%, with a median household income of $61,763 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Bay County a food desert? ▼
5 of Bay County's 26 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Bay County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.6% of households in Bay County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.