Signature · 7.4% low-access (14th pct)
Cook County, IL
Cook County lands in the lower national band on low-access (7.4%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.
- 7.4%
- low-access pop.
- 51
- food-desert tracts
- 15.7%
- on SNAP
- 5.2M
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Cook County, IL
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-ADEQUATE 7.4% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -14.7 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 51 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.7% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 18.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 4% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Johnson County (+ 0.1 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Cook County lands in the lower national band (7.4%, #2,685 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,685
- national by low-access %
- #93
- in IL
- 168
- low-access tracts
- 92K
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 7.4% low-access (14th pct) (-14.7 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Cook County compares nationally
Food access in Cook County compares favorably nationally: its 7.4% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 14% of them (rank #2,688).
Cook County's lower-band USDA tier split
1,314 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 51 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Cook County has 1,312 urban and 2 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.
Cook County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Union 7.9
Union 7.9%
7.9 % low-access
- Johnson 7.5
Johnson 7.5%
7.5 % low-access
- Cook 7.4
Cook 7.4%
7.4 % low-access
- De Witt 7.3
De Witt 7.3%
7.3 % low-access
- Christian 7
Christian 7%
7 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 1,314 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 5,194,675 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 168 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 51 |
| Low-Access Population | 382,297 |
| Low-Access Share | 7.4%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 91,773 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 5,182,090 |
| Median Household Income | $83,498 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.5%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 329,128 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.7%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 18.0%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.7% |
Thick SNAP store book in Cook County
Cook County has 3,376 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 229 locations (7% of the total), followed by bakery specialty.
Combination Grocery/Other · 229
- 7 eleven 33908a, chicago
- 7-eleven 33728, chicago
- 7-eleven 29726g, chicago
- 76 gas, chicago
- 88 marketplace, chicago
- a & g liquors, inc., chicago
- artemio's bakery #2, chicago
- aadhya grocery store, chicago
- aboud halal market, palos heights
- adom african market, chicago
- al falah market inc, worth
- amazon go goc1, chicago
- amras african store llc, chicago
- andy's deli & mikolajczyk sausage shop inc 1, chicago
- best choice oriental grocery, inc, chicago
- bharat bazar, chicago
- bobos market inc, chicago
- burnham plaza mart, chicago
- carniceria aguascalientes, chicago
- carniceria guanajuato, chicago
- cremeria santa maria 1, chicago
- cvs 10467, glenview
- cvs 2790, evergreen park
- cvs 2797, niles
- cvs 2798, chicago
- cvs 2827, hillside
- cvs 2844, oak park
- cvs 2845, chicago
- cvs 2863, rolling meadows
- cvs 2935, chicago
- cvs 3110, mount prospect
- cvs 3163, oak park
- cvs 3170, chicago
- cvs 3690, chicago
- cvs 3742, chicago
- cvs 3889, river forest
- cvs 4581, niles
- cvs 4778, evanston
- cvs 4793, chicago
- cvs 4978, midlothian
- cvs 4979, chicago
- cvs 5001, chicago
- cvs 5482, chicago
- cvs 5769, calumet city
- cvs 5819, palos heights
- cvs 5836, chicago
- cvs 5987, chicago
- cvs 70, flossmoor
- cvs 7166, riverdale
- cvs 8745, chicago
- cvs 8757, skokie
- cvs 8910, chicago
- cvs 8980, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 10942, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 11090, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 11376, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 11410, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 141, northbrook
- cvs pharmacy 1493, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 1768, olympia fields
- cvs pharmacy 1773, tinley park
- cvs pharmacy 2981, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 3603, tinley park
- cvs pharmacy 3901, evanston
- cvs pharmacy 4061, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 4781, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 7143, schaumburg
- cvs pharmacy 788, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 834, hickory hills
- cvs pharmacy 8500, orland park
- cvs pharmacy 8502, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 8505, worth
- cvs pharmacy 8512, park forest
- cvs pharmacy 8698, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 8734, schaumburg
- cvs pharmacy 8735, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 8736, forest park
- cvs pharmacy 8738, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 8739, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 8740, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 8742, cicero
- cvs pharmacy 8744, brookfield
- cvs pharmacy 8747, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 8749, lincolnwood
- cvs pharmacy 8750, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 8751, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 8753, chicago
- cvs pharmacy 8760, evanston
- cvs/pharmacy 10052, wilmette
- cake bros. bakery 2, berwyn
- cakes by one inc., elgin
- carniceria la hacienda, chicago
- chicago food market inc, chicago
- chicago heights food & liquor, chicago heights
- chicago lucky food inc., chicago
- chicago mm deal, chicago
- ciales poultry, chicago
- continental sales lots 4 less, chicago
- cook bros inc, chicago
- dollar general 10419, midlothian
- dollar general 10671, hickory hills
- dollar general 11524, berkeley
- dollar general 13777, chicago
- dollar general 14614, chicago
- dollar general 19331, chicago
- dollar general 3498, richton park
- dollar tree 0638, burbank
- dollar tree 0645, chicago
- dollar tree 0655, melrose park
- dollar tree 0673, chicago
- dollar tree 0753, countryside
- dollar tree 0754, oak lawn
- dollar tree 0842, des plaines
- dollar tree 3357, oak park
- dollar tree 3359, chicago
- dollar tree 3414, matteson
- dollar tree 4594, blue island
- dollar tree 4602, berwyn
- dollar tree 4651, broadview
- dollar tree 4693, chicago
- dollartree 10665, lemont
- dollartree 10765, park ridge
- dollartree 5213, evergreen park
- dollartree 5340, midlothian
- dollartree 6407, chicago
- dollartree 6904, chicago
- dollartree 6910, chicago
- dollartree 8038, franklin park
- dollartree 8039, summit
- dollartree 8040, chicago
- dollartree 8063, chicago
- dollartree 8182, harwood heights
- dollartree 8688, hoffman estates
- dollartree 8726, lansing
- dollartree 8756, wheeling
- dollartree 8796, chicago
- dollartree 8833, chicago
- dollartree 8840, chicago
- dollartree 8887, schiller park
- dollartree 8913, elk grove village
- dollartree 9127, chicago
- dollartree 9190, chicago
- dollartree 9212, palatine
- dollartree 9538, hanover park
- dollartree 9701, sauk village
- dollartree 9773, orland park
- daily fresh market inc, worth
- delightful pastries inc., chicago
- dicola's seafood, chicago
- divine food market inc, south holland
- divya food mart corp, harwood heights
- dollar buster, berwyn
- dollar buster 63, chicago
- dollar general 11509, harvey
- dollar general 11803, country club hills
- dollar general 11821, chicago
- dollar general 11833, chicago
- dollar general 11908, norridge
- dollar general 11987, hanover park
- dollar general 11993, burbank
- dollar general 12380, burbank
- dollar general 12544, chicago
- dollar general 12864, chicago
- dollar general 13157, chicago
- dollar general 14303, park forest
- dollar general 15029, chicago heights
- dollar general 15472, chicago
- dollar general 15497, steger
- dollar general 17307, bellwood
- dollar general 19095, chicago
- dollar general 19098, chicago
- dollar general 19100, chicago
- dollar general 19101, chicago
- dollar general 19102, chicago
- dollar general 19103, chicago
- dollar general 20597, chicago
- dollar general 21272, westchester
- dollar general 22531, chicago
- dollar general 22876, lynwood
- dollar general 24256, calumet city
- dollar general 25556, streamwood
- dollar general 25628, berwyn
- dollar general 25809, chicago
- dollar general 30227, countryside
- dollar general 30513, arlington heights
- dollar general 30640, robbins
- dollar general 30719, oak forest
- dollar general store 13190, chicago
- dollar general store 18701, chicago
- dollar tree 0648, berwyn
- dollar tree 1032, hickory hills
- dollar tree 1080, northlake
- dollar tree 1979, rolling meadows
- dollar tree 2112, palatine
- dollar tree 2598, tinley park
- dollar tree 2821, merrionette park
- dollar tree 3285, hazel crest
- dollar tree 3347, palatine
- dollar tree 3451, bellwood
- dollar tree 3500, oak lawn
- dollar tree 3512, orland park
- dollar tree 3532, chicago heights
- dollar tree 3601, des plaines
- dollar tree 3612, south chicago heights
- dollar tree 3678, calumet city
- dollar tree 3916, morton grove
- dollar tree 3918, chicago
- dollar tree 4056, chicago
- dollar tree 4204, chicago
- dollar tree 4215, chicago
- dollar tree 4413, arlington heights
- dollar tree 4475, chicago
- dollar tree 4808, buffalo grove
- dollar tree 4841, chicago
- dollar tree 4870, arlington heights
- dollar tree 4903, chicago
- dollar tree 4921, northbrook
- dollar tree 5169, chicago
- dollar tree 5277, chicago
- dollar tree 5412, lemont
- dollar tree 5461, chicago
- dollar tree 5537, chicago
- dollar tree 5608, mount prospect
- dollar tree 5617, chicago
- dollar tree 5684, niles
- dollar tree 5685, chicago
- dollar tree 5705, chicago
- dollar tree 5857, melrose park
- dollar tree 5884, harvey
Bakery Specialty · 21
- ace bakery, chicago
- alwatan bakery 1, bridgeview
- bravo baking co., prospect heights
- bravo baking co., mount prospect
- celias bakery, melrose park
- chicago best naan inc, chicago
- del real bakery, chicago
- don pan bakery, chicago
- grecia's bakery corporation, chicago
- kabul naan 1006, chicago
- la perla tapatia 2, chicago
- la france bakery, chicago
- laury's bakery & cake, oak park
- meron injera inc, chicago
- monserrat' s bakery inc., wheeling
- panaderia ayutla corporation, chicago
- pierre's bakery at chicago avenue, chicago
- pierre's bakery inc, blue island
- pierres bakery, berwyn
- roeser's bakery, chicago
- reuter's bakery llc, chicago
Showing 250 of 3,376 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Illinois
One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.
Compare Cook County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Counties near Cook County's lower low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Cook County, both outside Illinois so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IL (7.4% here).
- Franklin County, IN · 7.4% low-access
- Franklin County, IN · 7.4% low-access
- Todd County, KY · 7.4% low-access
- Todd County, KY · 7.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (15.7% here).
- Highlands County, FL · 15.7% SNAP
- Highlands County, FL · 15.7% SNAP
- Calcasieu Parish, LA · 15.7% SNAP
- Calcasieu Parish, LA · 15.7% 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.
Cook County inside a lower low-access state context
Cook County sits inside Illinois (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 Cook County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17031. 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.