County food-access profile · Indiana
Elkhart County, IN
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Elkhart 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).
- 31.7%
- low-access pop.
- 7
- food-desert tracts
- 7.0%
- on SNAP
- 207K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
31.7% of Elkhart County residents live in a low-access area, and 7 of its 36 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 22
- low-access tracts
- 17K
- food-desert residents
- 7.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.4%
- 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 Elkhart County's low-access share at 31.7%, above the national share. 22 of the county's 36 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 62,668 people. 7 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 17,224 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 Elkhart County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Elkhart County's 31.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 73% of them and ranked #833 most-affected nationwide.
Elkhart County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 36 census tracts in Elkhart County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Elkhart County vs. other Indiana counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Indiana
- Elkhart
Elkhart County, IN
31.7 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, IN
17.5 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, IN
37.8 % low-access
- Bartholomew
Bartholomew County, IN
36.4 % low-access
- Benton 1.7
Benton County, IN
1.7 % low-access
- Blackford
Blackford County, IN
15.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 36 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 197,559 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 22 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 7 |
| Low-Access Population | 62,668 |
| Low-Access Share | 31.7%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 17,224 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 207,132 |
| Median Household Income | $68,561 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.4%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 5,087 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 7.0%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.8%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.3% |
About 7.0% of Elkhart County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 31.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 7.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,087 households here.
- 7.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 7 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 Elkhart County
above the national share
7 of Elkhart County's 36 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 19.4% of all its tracts.
A further 15 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 22.
An estimated 62,668 residents, roughly 31.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 17,224 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 14 tracts (38.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Elkhart County
Elkhart County has 160 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 72 locations (45% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 72
- 7-eleven #32577, elkhart
- 7-eleven 32422, elkhart
- 7-eleven 32423, elkhart
- 7-eleven 32572, elkhart
- 7-eleven 32590j, elkhart
- 7-eleven 40505h, elkhart
- 7-eleven 40508h, elkhart
- 7-eleven inc f 32576b, elkhart
- 7-eleven store 22000d, elkhart
- 7-eleven store 32581k, goshen
- 7-eleven store 41910h, elkhart
- 7-eleven #30165c 30165c, elkhart
- 7-eleven #32571b 32571b, goshen
- 7-eleven #32586c 32586c, elkhart
- a & g supermarket llc, elkhart
- a&s neighborhood convenience, elkhart
- ag mart, elkhart
- bawa food mart, elkhart
- benders handyspot, elkhart
- bristol st 66 & subway, elkhart
- brothers express mart, goshen
- brothers express mart v, elkhart
- burger dairy franklin, elkhart
- casey's 3378, elkhart
- casey's 3990, elkhart
- casey's 4569, wakarusa
- casey's general store 3989, elkhart
- casey's general store 3072, elkhart
- expo elkhart, elkhart
- ez mart, elkhart
- family express 86, nappanee
- franklin marathon, elkhart
- gallops at goshen, goshen
- gallops at middlebury, middlebury
- goshen66 one stop inc, goshen
- handy spot 1, elkhart
- happy mart 001, elkhart
- haris quick stop, elkhart
- hoosier spot, elkhart
- jay yogeshwar inc., elkhart
- lassus handy dandy 29, goshen
- love's travel stop 729, elkhart
- main stop & go, elkhart
- meijer gas station 127, goshen
- meijer gas station 328, elkhart
- murphy usa 7512, elkhart
- n & j petroleum inc, goshen
- nanaki petroleum inc, goshen
- pipli inc, elkhart
- pl expo elkhart 66 inc, elkhart
- pulse, elkhart
- rebel 878, elkhart
- rebel 879, elkhart
- rebel 881, elkhart
- rebel 882, bristol
- rebel 883, elkhart
- sahaj enterprise inc - quick mart - go lo, elkhart
- sb21 inc, new paris
- seifert drug, elkhart
- shree murlidhar inc n/a, elkhart
- simonton lake marathon, elkhart
- singh express mart inc, nappanee
- sm elkhart oil inc, elkhart
- speedway 5157, goshen
- speedway 6085, elkhart
- speedway 6662, bristol
- speedway 6666, goshen
- speedway 6682, nappanee
- star quick mart 1, elkhart
- sunnyside grocery store, elkhart
- supermarket los chamos llc, elkhart
- toledo mart, elkhart
Combination Grocery/Other · 44
- asia market, elkhart
- cvs 6467, nappanee
- cvs 6469, elkhart
- cvs 6472, goshen
- cvs pharmacy 6460, elkhart
- cvs pharmacy 6475, elkhart
- cvs pharmacy 7188, middlebury
- dollar general 11543, elkhart
- dollar general 14167, new paris
- dollar general 18348, middlebury
- dollar general 18360, elkhart
- dollar general 4492, nappanee
- dollar tree 2005, elkhart
- dollartree 10330, nappanee
- dollar general 10949, middlebury
- dollar general 11280, elkhart
- dollar general 13803, wakarusa
- dollar general 17388, elkhart
- dollar general 18077, elkhart
- dollar general 20080, goshen
- dollar general 20755, goshen
- dollar general 21064, elkhart
- dollar general 23733, goshen
- dollar general 24698, goshen
- dollar general 30394, elkhart
- dollar general 3313, goshen
- dollar general 3733, elkhart
- dollar general 7393, elkhart
- dollar general store 16343, millersburg
- dollar general store 17379, goshen
- dollar general store 17702, bristol
- dollar tree 2066, goshen
- dollar tree 5921, elkhart
- dollar tree 7677, goshen
- family dollar 11072, goshen
- family dollar store 1135, elkhart
- family dollar store 4766, goshen
- family dollar store 7335, elkhart
- family dollar store 7590, elkhart
- walgreens 3232, goshen
- walgreens 10124, elkhart
- walgreens 11453, goshen
- walgreens 11795, elkhart
- walgreens 12264, elkhart
Super Store · 18
- cueramaro supermarket inc, elkhart
- kroger j-879, goshen
- kroger j-886, elkhart
- kroger j-915, elkhart
- martin's super markets 2306, elkhart
- martin's super markets 2314, elkhart
- martin's super markets 2315, elkhart
- martin's super markets 2317, elkhart
- martin's super markets 2320, nappanee
- martin's super markets 2324, goshen
- martin's super markets 2327, goshen
- meijer 328, elkhart
- meijer inc 127, goshen
- target store 1446, goshen
- walmart 2679, elkhart
- walmart supercenter 1378, goshen
- walmart supercenter 1566, goshen
- walmart supercenter 4399, elkhart
Supermarket · 10
- aldi 62004 62004, goshen
- aldi 62024 62024, elkhart
- aldi 63039 63039, goshen
- el paraiso grocery store, elkhart
- forks county line stores, middlebury
- gordon food service store mp051, elkhart
- harding's friendly market, middlebury
- harding's friendly market, bristol
- save a lot 30043, elkhart
- the dented can market, goshen
Medium Grocery Store · 8
- beardsley food mart, elkhart
- carniceria rancho grande market, elkhart
- fiesta mexicana, elkhart
- gutierrez mexican bakery & market, goshen
- grandmas pantry, wakarusa
- john's butcher shop inc, nappanee
- lalo's produce, elkhart
- rio grande fresh market 1, goshen
Large Grocery Store · 5
- buy more supermarket inc, elkhart
- carniceria san jose, goshen
- el rosal inc, elkhart
- maple city market, goshen
- san jose fresh farm 4, goshen
Farmers' Market · 1
- goshen farmer's market, goshen
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- martins custom butchering, wakarusa
Small Grocery Store · 1
- carniceria san jose, goshen
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Indiana
Compare Elkhart County vs Adams County → · All Indiana counties →
Food access nationally, Indiana in context
Elkhart County sits inside Indiana (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Elkhart County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Elkhart County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Elkhart County? ▼
Is Elkhart County a food desert? ▼
What share of Elkhart County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.