Signature · 17.6% SNAP (83rd pct in MD)
Caroline County, MD
Caroline County stands out on SNAP (17.6%, +5.5 pts vs U.S.) with 9.2% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 9.2%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 17.6%
- on SNAP
- 34K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Caroline County, MD
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 9.2% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -12.9 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 17.6% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 22% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Talbot County (+ 4.5 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Caroline County lands in the lower national band (9.2%, #2,544 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,544
- national by low-access %
- #22
- in MD
- 2
- low-access tracts
- 1K
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 17.6% SNAP (83rd pct in MD) (+5.5 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Caroline County compares nationally
Caroline County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 9.2% low-access share that beats 19% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,552).
Caroline County's lower-band USDA tier split
9 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Caroline County has 2 urban and 7 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.
Caroline County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Maryland, not a full county-board reprint
- Calvert
Calvert 38.6%
38.6 % low-access
- Garrett 14.1
Garrett 14.1%
14.1 % low-access
- Dorchester 13.9
Dorchester 13.9%
13.9 % low-access
- Talbot 13.7
Talbot 13.7%
13.7 % low-access
- Caroline 9.2
Caroline 9.2%
9.2 % low-access
- Baltimore city 4.5
Baltimore city 4.5%
4.5 % low-access
- Kent 1.7
Kent 1.7%
1.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 9 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 33,066 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 2 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 3,039 |
| Low-Access Share | 9.2%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 1,329 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 33,669 |
| Median Household Income | $68,457 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.2%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,202 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 17.6%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.5%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.7% |
Thick SNAP store book in Caroline County
Caroline County has 31 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 16 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 16
- 7-eleven 36092j, denton
- denton goose creek 15, denton
- ein inc, federalsburg
- fosters mini mart, ridgely
- greensboro tiger mart, greensboro
- mike's corner, preston
- preston super soda, preston
- ridgely exxon, ridgely
- royal farms 04, denton
- royal farms 135, denton
- royal farms 355, federalsburg
- shore stop 240, preston
- star gas and diesel, greensboro
- state line gas, marydel
- u5 foods, preston
- walkers grocery store, marydel
Combination Grocery/Other · 8
- dollar general 370, federalsburg
- dollar general 14465, ridgely
- dollar general 21493, greensboro
- dollar general 25625, federalsburg
- dollar general 8002, denton
- dollar tree 5583, denton
- family dollar 8188, greensboro
- walgreens 19451, denton
Supermarket · 4
- aldi 71194, denton
- food lion 1297, federalsburg
- food lion 698, denton
- greensboro save a lot 24512, greensboro
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- ebenezer, federalsburg
Small Grocery Store · 1
- tri me llc, ridgely
Super Store · 1
- walmart 3843, denton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Maryland
One of 23 counties in Maryland, 6 are shown here.
Compare Caroline County vs Allegany County → · All Maryland counties →
Counties near Caroline County's lower low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Caroline County (17.6%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Maryland.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MD (9.2% here).
- Androscoggin County, ME · 9.2% low-access
- Androscoggin County, ME · 9.2% low-access
- Isabella County, MI · 9.2% low-access
- Isabella County, MI · 9.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MD (17.6% here).
- Butler County, KY · 17.6% SNAP
- Butler County, KY · 17.6% SNAP
- Washington County, MS · 17.6% SNAP
- Washington County, MS · 17.6% 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.
Caroline County inside a lower low-access state context
Caroline County sits inside Maryland (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 Caroline County, MD are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 24011. 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.