PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Ohio

Brown County, OH

Most of Brown County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

6.8%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
16.9%
on SNAP
44K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 OH

The food-access picture

6.8% of Brown County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
5.9%
households, no vehicle
19.6%
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).

By the USDA's measure, Brown County fares better than most: just 6.8% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 2 of the county's 9 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 3,063 people who live far from a supermarket, and 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,239 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 Brown County compares nationally

Food access in Brown County compares favorably nationally: its 6.8% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 13% of them (rank #2,716).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Brown County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Brown 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 Brown County, OH USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (77.8%) 1 tracts limited (11.1%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (11.1%) Adequate 78% Limited 11% Severe 11% Food-access tier distribution: Brown County, OH
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Brown County vs. other Ohio counties

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

% 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 Brown County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)44,846
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population3,063
Low-Access Share6.8%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,239

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Brown County
IndicatorValue
Population43,845
Median Household Income$71,270
Poverty Rate19.6%above the national average
SNAP Households2,904
SNAP Participation Rate16.9%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.9%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.2%
SNAP participation in Brown County 16.9%

About 16.9% of Brown County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 6.8% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 16.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,904 households here.
  • 5.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Brown County

below the national share

1 of Brown County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.1% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 2.

An estimated 3,063 residents, roughly 6.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,239 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (77.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Brown County

Brown County has 43 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 27 locations (63% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 27

  • aberdeen 1st stop 54, aberdeen
  • appalachian foodmart, williamsburg
  • corner mart, russellville
  • dianas country cabin, georgetown
  • fayetteville 1st stop 21, fayetteville
  • georgetown 1st stop 5, georgetown
  • georgetown shell, georgetown
  • grandmas & grandpas carryout, georgetown
  • hamersville 1st stop 52, hamersville
  • ja sai inc, aberdeen
  • meet vishva inc, marathon
  • mt orab 04 1st stop 4, mount orab
  • mt orab 28 1st stop 28, mount orab
  • mt orab bp, mount orab
  • mt orab marathon, mount orab
  • quick stop, feesburg
  • radha food & gas inc, fayetteville
  • ripley 1st stop 3, ripley
  • river crossing marathon, aberdeen
  • russellville 1st stop 83, russellville
  • sardinia 1st stop 45, sardinia
  • sardinia food mart, sardinia
  • som23 llc, williamsburg
  • speedway 3764 - 453, georgetown
  • uptown marathon, mount orab
  • v1 harolds llc, georgetown
  • village drive thru, ripley

Combination Grocery/Other · 13

  • cvs 5429, georgetown
  • dollar general 10321, fayetteville
  • dollar general 18586, sardinia
  • dollar general 3165, georgetown
  • dollar general 8578, aberdeen
  • dollar general 21001, ripley
  • dollar general 24771, mount orab
  • dollar general 3166, mount orab
  • family dollar 7447, russellville
  • family dollar store 4068, sardinia
  • family dollar store 6606, mount orab
  • family dollar store 883, georgetown
  • united dairy farmers 120, georgetown

Supermarket · 2

  • iga plus, georgetown
  • save a lot georgetown 23847, georgetown

Super Store · 1

  • kroger 920, mt. orab

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Ohio

Adams County
22.0% low-access · 20.7% SNAP
Allen County
17.4% low-access · 13.8% SNAP
Ashland County
5.0% low-access · 8.9% SNAP
Ashtabula County
21.9% low-access · 18.2% SNAP
Athens County
17.0% low-access · 14.4% SNAP
Auglaize County
9.9% low-access · 6.8% SNAP

Compare Brown County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →

Food access nationally, Ohio in context

Brown County sits inside Ohio (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 Brown County has low food access? ▼
6.8% of residents in Brown County, OH 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 Brown County? ▼
16.9% of households in Brown County receive SNAP, covering 2,904 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Brown County? ▼
The poverty rate in Brown County, OH is 19.6%, with a median household income of $71,270 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Brown County a food desert? ▼
1 of Brown County's 9 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 Brown County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.9% of households in Brown 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.