PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Maryland

Cecil County, MD

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Cecil 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).

24.7%
low-access pop.
5
food-desert tracts
13.4%
on SNAP
105K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MD

The food-access picture

24.7% of Cecil County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 19 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

7
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents
4.9%
households, no vehicle
10.8%
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).

USDA data puts Cecil County's low-access share at 24.7%, above the national share. 7 of the county's 19 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 24,952 people. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 6,613 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 Cecil County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Cecil County's 24.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 58% of them and ranked #1,315 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Cecil County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 19 census tracts in Cecil 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 Cecil County, MD USDA-defined food-access tiers: 12 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 5 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 19 tracts evaluated. 12 tracts adequate (63.2%) 2 tracts limited (10.5%) 5 tracts severe / food desert (26.3%) Adequate 63% Limited 11% Severe 26% Food-access tier distribution: Cecil County, MD
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Cecil County vs. other Maryland counties

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

% 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 Cecil County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts19
Atlas Population (2010 basis)101,108
Low-Access Tracts7
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)5
Low-Access Population24,952
Low-Access Share24.7%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population6,613

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Cecil County
IndicatorValue
Population104,960
Median Household Income$92,007
Poverty Rate10.8%below the national average
SNAP Households5,452
SNAP Participation Rate13.4%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.9%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.6%
SNAP participation in Cecil County 13.4%

About 13.4% of Cecil County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 24.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 13.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,452 households here.
  • 4.9% 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 Cecil County

above the national share

5 of Cecil County's 19 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 26.3% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 7.

An estimated 24,952 residents, roughly 24.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 6,613 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 12 tracts (63.2%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Cecil County

Cecil County has 74 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 39 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 39

  • 7-eleven inc f 32341c, elkton
  • 7-eleven, inc. 19253j, perryville
  • appleton bp, elkton
  • beach grill plus, earleville
  • benjamins store, rising sun
  • calvert country store lc, north east
  • carroll mart, elkton
  • craigtown food market, port deposit
  • fletchwood deli, elkton
  • highs of baltimore, llc 16, elkton
  • highs of baltimore, llc 47, north east
  • highs of baltimore, llc 64, elkton
  • highs of baltimore, llc 75, north east
  • lion xpress, port deposit
  • pilot travel center 290, perryville
  • pilot travel center 784, north east
  • pilot travel center 875, elkton
  • pleasanthill store, elkton
  • plum creek market, north east
  • rising sun petro, rising sun
  • royal farms 101, elkton
  • royal farms 136, cecilton
  • royal farms 267, perryville
  • royal farms 27, perryville
  • royal farms 84, elkton
  • royal farms 87, conowingo
  • royal farms 94, port deposit
  • royal farms 96, north east
  • sheetz 779, elkton
  • shore stop 264, elkton
  • stop & go, north east
  • ta elkton 019, elkton
  • tobacco and convenience, eklton
  • un poco de mexico, elkton
  • wawa 585, north east
  • wawa 0547, elkton
  • wawa 8512, elkton
  • wawa store 8545, perryville
  • xtreme gas, elkton

Combination Grocery/Other · 20

  • cvs pharmacy cvs11063, elkton
  • dollar general 13785, cecilton
  • dollar general 14009, rising sun
  • dollar general 18319, north east
  • dollar general 2017, north east
  • dollar tree 3453, elkton
  • dollar general 13896, conowingo
  • dollar general 15286, chesapeake city
  • dollar general 20261, elkton
  • dollar general 20720, elkton
  • dollar general 21451, elkton
  • dollar general 23869, colora
  • dollar general 468, elkton
  • dollar tree 2405, north east
  • dollar tree 6775, rising sun
  • duane reade 11037, north east
  • family dollar 12178, elkton
  • ocean state job lot 653, elkton
  • walgreens 10977, elkton
  • walgreens 11054, perryville

Supermarket · 8

  • acme 2862, elkton
  • aldi 63002, elkton
  • food lion 1363, north east
  • food lion 1558, elkton
  • food lion 2630, perryville
  • grocery outlet of elkton, elkton
  • martins food market 6425, rising sun
  • redners warehouse market 59, elkton

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • cairo inc 0, elkton
  • tienda espinoza 1, elkton

Super Store · 2

  • walmart supercenter 1860, elkton
  • walmart supercenter 5450, north east

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • good's farm market, elkton

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • b & b seafood, elkton

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • rockspring deli, rising sun

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Maryland

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
Baltimore County
21.8% low-access · 11.3% SNAP
Calvert County
38.6% low-access · 5.1% SNAP
Caroline County
9.2% low-access · 17.6% SNAP

Compare Cecil County vs Allegany County → · All Maryland counties →

Food access nationally, Maryland in context

Cecil County sits inside Maryland (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 Cecil County has low food access? ▼
24.7% of residents in Cecil County, MD 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 Cecil County? ▼
13.4% of households in Cecil County receive SNAP, covering 5,452 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Cecil County? ▼
The poverty rate in Cecil County, MD is 10.8%, with a median household income of $92,007 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Cecil County a food desert? ▼
5 of Cecil County's 19 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 Cecil County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.9% of households in Cecil 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.