Signature · 78 SNAP-authorized stores

Erie County, OH

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

22.2%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
11.4%
on SNAP
75K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 OH

USDA FARA access plate

County Erie County, OH

LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-TYPICAL · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-ELEVATED 22.2% low-access
  • PHOTO-FINISH +0.1 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-TYPICAL 11.4% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 6.9% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 17% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Belmont County (+ 0.1 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Erie County ranks #1,507 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #37 of 88 counties in OH (22.2% low-access; 3 food-desert tracts).

#1,507
national by low-access %
#37
in OH
8
low-access tracts
5K
food-desert residents

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).

Signature read: 78 SNAP-authorized stores .

How Erie County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Erie County's 22.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 52% of them and ranked #1,518 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Erie County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

18 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Erie County, OH USDA-defined food-access tiers: 10 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 18 tracts evaluated. 10 tracts adequate (55.6%) 5 tracts limited (27.8%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (16.7%) Adequate 56% Limited 28% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Erie County, OH
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Erie County has 13 urban and 5 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.

Erie County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Ohio, not a full county-board reprint

% 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 Erie County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts18
Atlas Population (2010 basis)77,079
Low-Access Tracts8
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population17,125
Low-Access Share22.2%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population5,315

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Erie County
IndicatorValue
Population74,581
Median Household Income$71,993
Poverty Rate13.0%near the national average
SNAP Households3,695
SNAP Participation Rate11.4%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.9%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population3.4%

Thick SNAP store book in Erie County

Erie County has 78 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 42 locations (54% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 42

  • 7-eleven 21206, sandusky
  • aunt ruth's family store, vermilion
  • circle k, sandusky
  • circle k 5259, milan
  • dairy stop, vermilion
  • dave's food mart avery, milan
  • dick's carry-out, sandusky
  • flash drive thru 1, sandusky
  • friendship 83, sandusky
  • friendship 84, sandusky
  • friendship 96, sandusky
  • getgo 3238, vermilion
  • hy-miler 2205, sandusky
  • hy-miler 2200, sandusky
  • hy-miler 2204, sandusky
  • hy-miler 2220, sandusky
  • hy-miler 2221, sandusky
  • hy-miler 2234, huron
  • hy-miler 2235, huron
  • hy-miler 2236, huron
  • jaylaxmi sandusky corp, sandusky
  • love's travel stop 980, milan township
  • manki 1008 llc, sandusky
  • meijer gas station 142, sandusky
  • mickey mart 12, birmingham
  • mickey mart 28, sandusky
  • mickey mart 35, huron
  • mickey mart 36, sandusky
  • mickey mart 38, castalia
  • mickey mart 49, sandusky
  • mickey mart 51, vermilion
  • mickey mart 58 58, berlin heights
  • mickey mart 61, sandusky
  • murphy usa 6933, sandusky
  • perkins convenience food mart, sandusky
  • sailor's wine and deli, vermilion
  • sandusky food and wine, sandusky
  • speedway 3326, vermilion
  • speedway 3667, sandusky
  • speedway 7330, sandusky
  • strawberry hill market, sandusky
  • variety village drive thru n/a, sandusky

Combination Grocery/Other · 23

  • cvs 2345, sandusky
  • cornell's foods 1, huron
  • dollar general 11175, vermilion
  • dollar general 19511, huron
  • dollar general 4116, sandusky
  • dollar general 9406, sandusky
  • dollartree 10296, sandusky
  • dollartree 6921, huron
  • discount drug mart 14, sandusky
  • discount drug mart 24, huron
  • discount drug mart 29, vermilion
  • dollar general 11, sandusky
  • dollar general 14705, birmingham
  • dollar general 14867, huron
  • dollar general 15757, castalia
  • dollar general 16777, vermilion
  • dollar general 23286, sandusky
  • dollar general 30576, milan
  • dollar tree 775, sandusky
  • dollar tree 8361, vermilion
  • dollartree 8894, sandusky
  • family dollar store 1967, sandusky
  • family dollar store 7280, sandusky

Super Store · 6

  • giant eagle 1238, vermilion
  • kroger 858, sandusky
  • meijer inc 142, sandusky
  • sam's club 4962, sandusky
  • target store 2159, sandusky
  • walmart 1628, sandusky

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • bay meats, sandusky
  • castalia market, castalia

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • huron market, huron
  • la latinoamericana, sandusky

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 63062 63062, sandusky
  • gordon food service store mp054, sandusky

Farmers' Market · 1

  • sandusky farmers market n/a, sandusky

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Ohio

One of 87 counties in Ohio, 6 are shown here.

Compare Erie County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →

Nationwide peers for Erie County's low-access or SNAP share

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Erie County, both outside Ohio so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside OH (22.2% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside OH (11.4% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Food access nationally, Ohio in context

Erie County sits inside Ohio (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 Erie County, OH are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 39043. 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.