PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Clinton County, MI

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

34.1%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
6.6%
on SNAP
80K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

34.1% of Clinton County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 22 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

9
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents
2.8%
households, no vehicle
9.7%
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 Clinton County's low-access share at 34.1%, above the national share. 9 of the county's 22 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 25,733 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 7,431 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 Clinton County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Clinton County's 34.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 79% of them and ranked #662 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Clinton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 22 census tracts in Clinton 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 Clinton County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 13 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 7 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 22 tracts evaluated. 13 tracts adequate (59.1%) 7 tracts limited (31.8%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (9.1%) Adequate 59% Limited 32% Severe 9% Food-access tier distribution: Clinton County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Clinton 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 Clinton County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts22
Atlas Population (2010 basis)75,382
Low-Access Tracts9
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population25,733
Low-Access Share34.1%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population7,431

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Clinton County
IndicatorValue
Population79,626
Median Household Income$88,210
Poverty Rate9.7%below the national average
SNAP Households2,082
SNAP Participation Rate6.6%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle2.8%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.0%
SNAP participation in Clinton County 6.6%

About 6.6% of Clinton County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 34.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 6.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,082 households here.
  • 2.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Clinton County

above the national share

2 of Clinton County's 22 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 9.1% of all its tracts.

A further 7 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 9.

An estimated 25,733 residents, roughly 34.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 7,431 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 13 tracts (59.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Clinton County

Clinton County has 45 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 23 locations (51% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 23

  • brothers liquor llc, dewitt
  • elsie market, elsie
  • hansen's quik stop 16, saint johns
  • hansens quik stop 15, ovid
  • home town general store, eureka
  • j&h family stores - grand ledge 181, grand ledge
  • j&h family stores - westphallia st 182, westphalia
  • laingsburg party store llc, laingsburg
  • meijer gas station 209, dewitt
  • multani, saint johns
  • oxs smoked meats, westphalia
  • pilot travel center 667, grand ledge
  • spagnuolo's party store & deli llc, bath
  • speedway 3593, saint johns
  • speedway 6614, haslett
  • speedway 7534, dewitt
  • speedway 8740, dewitt
  • speedway 8741, eagle
  • speedway 8855, saint johns
  • swampers party stop eagle, eagle
  • theis party store llc, fowler
  • vieyras market, ovid
  • wacousta general store, grand ledge

Combination Grocery/Other · 12

  • andy t's farm market, saint johns
  • dollar general 10802, saint johns
  • dollar general 11098, ovid
  • dollar general 14259, fowler
  • dollar general 18004, elsie
  • dollar general 20462, bath
  • dollar tree 3170, saint johns
  • dollar tree 7392, dewitt
  • family dollar store 2703, lansing
  • monticello's market and butcher block, haslett
  • walgreens 10251, saint johns
  • walgreens 15951, dewitt

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • bellingar specialty meats, saint johns
  • bellingar specialty meats dewitt, dewitt
  • dewey's trading post, maple rapids

Super Store · 3

  • kroger store 811, saint johns
  • meijer inc 209, dewitt
  • walmart supercenter 1423, saint johns

Farmers' Market · 2

  • bath farmers market, bath
  • downtown dewitt farmers market, dewitt

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • aunt millies bakery outlet 50031, lansing

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • village food pride, ovid

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 Clinton County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Clinton 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 Clinton County has low food access? ▼
34.1% of residents in Clinton 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 Clinton County? ▼
6.6% of households in Clinton County receive SNAP, covering 2,082 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Clinton County? ▼
The poverty rate in Clinton County, MI is 9.7%, with a median household income of $88,210 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Clinton County a food desert? ▼
2 of Clinton County's 22 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 Clinton County households lack a vehicle? ▼
2.8% of households in Clinton 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.