Signature · 151 SNAP-authorized stores
Berrien County, MI
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Berrien 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).
- 25.2%
- low-access pop.
- 10
- food-desert tracts
- 14.2%
- on SNAP
- 153K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Berrien County, MI
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-TYPICAL · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 25.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +3.1 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 10 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.2% SNAP
- VEH-TYPICAL 8.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 21% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Washtenaw County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Berrien County ranks #1,275 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #27 of 80 counties in MI (25.2% low-access; 10 food-desert tracts).
- #1,275
- national by low-access %
- #27
- in MI
- 20
- low-access tracts
- 15K
- 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: 151 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Berrien County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Berrien County's 25.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,282 most-affected nationwide.
Berrien County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
48 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 10 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Berrien County has 29 urban and 19 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.
Berrien County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Michigan, not a full county-board reprint
- Schoolcraft
Schoolcraft 46%
46 % low-access
- Dickinson
Dickinson 25.7%
25.7 % low-access
- Mason
Mason 25.7%
25.7 % low-access
- Berrien
Berrien 25.2%
25.2 % low-access
- Washtenaw
Washtenaw 25.2%
25.2 % low-access
- Wexford
Wexford 24.8%
24.8 % low-access
- Arenac 0
Arenac 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 48 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 156,813 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 20 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 10 |
| Low-Access Population | 39,470 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 14,995 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 153,288 |
| Median Household Income | $65,425 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.1%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 9,057 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.2%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.0%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.0% |
Thick SNAP store book in Berrien County
Berrien County has 151 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 78 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 78
- 7 days party store, niles
- 921 main food and gas, saint joseph
- a & d liquor, benton harbor
- ask 21, benton harbor
- baroda party store, baroda
- baroda24, baroda
- benton harbor ez mart 261, benton harbor
- buchanan ez mart 298, buchanan
- casey's 4295, berrien springs
- crockers party store, niles
- casey's general store 3697, watervliet
- casey's general store 3956, bridgman
- cj's quick mart & deli, baroda
- coloma marathon value market 23, coloma
- discount liquor last stop, benton harbor
- downtown citgo 11, st joseph
- eau claire ez mart 398, eau claire
- el mercado, benton harbor
- expo empire mi, benton harbor
- expo niles inc, niles
- expo stevensville inc, stevensville
- fair ave bp station, benton harbor
- galien pro mart, galien
- gsj market bh exxon 102, benton harbor
- h&b beer and wine, benton harbor
- handy spot grocery, coloma
- hilltop marathon value market 14, saint joseph
- himmat, llc dba milburg trading post, benton harbor
- hs petroleum, benton harbor
- jds truck stop, niles
- k & s party store, benton harbor
- kings landing, sodus
- l&s grocery, benton harbor
- lakeshore shell 01, stevensville
- marathon plaza, benton harbor
- martin's express 723, saint joseph
- may street market, benton harbor
- meijer gas station 251, stevensville
- meijer gas station 41, benton harbor
- melendez imports, berrien springs
- millburg marathon value market 16, benton harbor
- mini mart, saint joseph
- ms petroleum inc, benton harbor
- murphy usa 6542, niles
- napier shell 02, benton harbor
- nav & roop petroleum, watervliet
- nd mini mart, niles
- new buffalo shell 1725, new buffalo
- niles grocery store, niles
- niles shell 1735, niles
- pilot travel center 666, benton harbor
- quality marathon, benton harbor
- r & h brothers llc, benton harbor
- r & h petroleum inc, watervliet
- redbud liquor and grocery, buchanan
- riverside food & liquor store, niles
- riverside shell value market 17, benton harbor
- roy's bp food mart, coloma
- sawyer market and deli, sawyer
- sgndj inc, benton harbor
- southtown citgo 12, saint joseph
- southtown shell value market 18, saint joseph
- speedway 6611, coloma
- speedway 6618 6618, bridgman
- speedway 7322, three oaks
- speedway 8537, niles
- speedway 8720, berrien springs
- st joseph petro, saint joseph
- stevensville ez mart 868, stevensville
- stevensville marathon value market 28, stevensville
- store 12, buchanan
- sunny's spot, benton harbor
- ta sawyer 116, sawyer
- the pit stop, buchanan
- vicky petroleum llc, benton harbor
- watervliet ez mart 893, watervliet
- wesco 06, coloma
- wesco 20, watervliet
Combination Grocery/Other · 48
- apple valley market, berrien springs
- cvs 10592, saint joseph
- clear water meats, eau claire
- dollar general 10048, new buffalo
- dollar general 10623, berrien springs
- dollar general 10723, niles
- dollar general 14489, buchanan
- dollar general 18334, coloma
- dollar general 19964, niles
- dollar general 8911, coloma
- dollar general 9111, bridgman
- dollar general 9896, stevensville
- dollar tree 0729, benton harbor
- dollar general 15701, watervliet
- dollar general 15934, eau claire
- dollar general 19147, benton harbor
- dollar general 19636, baroda
- dollar general 20924, niles
- dollar general 21244, saint joseph
- dollar general 22349, benton harbor
- dollar general 22519, galien
- dollar general 23941, saint joseph
- dollar general 24018, benton harbor
- dollar general 24202, niles
- dollar general 25478, niles
- dollar general 30178, benton harbor
- dollar general 30900, sawyer
- dollar tree 5556, niles
- dollar tree 6970, watervliet
- dollar tree 7416, saint joseph
- family dollar 11285, sawyer
- family dollar 13434, stevensville
- family dollar 4311, saint joseph
- family dollar 8399, three oaks
- family dollar 9095, benton harbor
- family dollar store 1209, niles
- family dollar store 1217, buchanan
- family dollar store 2018, benton harbor
- family dollar store 2414, berrien springs
- family dollar store 2747, coloma
- family dollar store 6143, benton harbor
- harding's friendly market 433, saint joseph
- la perla produce, benton harbor
- walgreens 03364, niles
- walgreens 04536, saint joseph
- walgreens 10078, benton harbor
- walgreens 11265, stevensville
- zeilke brothers farm, coloma
Super Store · 11
- barney's market, new buffalo
- harding's friendly market, bridgman
- lowerys meat & grocery, buchanan
- martin's super markets 2319, niles
- martin's super markets 2321, saint joseph
- martin's super markets 2323, stevensville
- meijer 251, stevensville
- meijer inc 041, benton harbor
- rogers, saint joseph
- walmart 2010, niles
- walmart 2062, benton harbor
Supermarket · 9
- aldi 67005 67005, benton harbor
- aldi 67119, stevensville
- gordon food service store mp053, benton harbor
- harding's friendly market 949, berrien springs
- hardings friendly market 909, niles
- hardings market 908, buchanan
- hardings market 936, coloma
- hardings market three oaks 362, three oaks
- save a lot, benton harbor
Bakery Specialty · 1
- aunt millie's bakery outlet 50024, niles
Farmers' Market · 1
- benton harbor farmers market, benton harbor
Large Grocery Store · 1
- harbor meat market, benton harbor
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- b & b outlet, llc, watervliet
Small Grocery Store · 1
- desi tadka south asian groceries, stevensville
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Michigan
One of 82 counties in Michigan, 6 are shown here.
Compare Berrien County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →
Nationwide peers for Berrien County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Berrien County, both outside Michigan so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MI (25.2% here).
- Clay County, KY · 25.2% low-access
- Clay County, KY · 25.2% low-access
- Jennings County, IN · 25.2% low-access
- Jennings County, IN · 25.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MI (14.2% here).
- Jones County, MS · 14.2% SNAP
- Jones County, MS · 14.2% SNAP
- West Feliciana Parish, LA · 14.2% SNAP
- West Feliciana Parish, LA · 14.2% 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.
Food access nationally, Michigan in context
Berrien County sits inside Michigan (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
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 Berrien County, MI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 26021. 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.