County food-access profile · Pennsylvania
Erie County, PA
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).
- 34.0%
- low-access pop.
- 24
- food-desert tracts
- 19.1%
- on SNAP
- 269K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
34.0% of Erie County residents live in a low-access area, and 24 of its 71 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 41
- low-access tracts
- 39K
- food-desert residents
- 9.9%
- households, no vehicle
- 15.0%
- 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 Erie County's low-access share at 34.0%, above the national share. 41 of the county's 71 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 95,506 people. 24 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 38,558 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 Erie County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Erie County's 34.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 79% of them and ranked #670 most-affected nationwide.
Erie County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 71 census tracts in Erie County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Erie County vs. other Pennsylvania counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Pennsylvania
- Erie
Erie County, PA
34 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, PA
15.9 % low-access
- Allegheny
Allegheny County, PA
26.4 % low-access
- Armstrong 5.2
Armstrong County, PA
5.2 % low-access
- Beaver
Beaver County, PA
32.5 % low-access
- Bedford
Bedford County, PA
22.7 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 71 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 280,566 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 41 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 24 |
| Low-Access Population | 95,506 |
| Low-Access Share | 34.0%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 38,558 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 269,052 |
| Median Household Income | $63,354 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.0%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 21,112 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.1%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 9.9%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.0% |
About 19.1% of Erie County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 34.0% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 19.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 21,112 households here.
- 9.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 24 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 Erie County
above the national share
24 of Erie County's 71 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 33.8% of all its tracts.
A further 17 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 41.
An estimated 95,506 residents, roughly 34.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 38,558 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 30 tracts (42.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Erie County
Erie County has 247 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 106 locations (43% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 106
- a&a convenience store, erie
- barbs corner market, erie
- big b melody 2, erie
- big b shines 1, erie
- buffalo speed check 1, erie
- cherry speed check, erie
- cherry speed check 2 1, erie
- chestnut st market, erie
- circle k 4704212, waterford
- circle k 4704215, north east
- circle k 4704216, erie
- country fair 1, erie
- country fair 101, erie
- country fair 102, north east
- country fair 12, waterford
- country fair 14, erie
- country fair 18, fairview
- country fair 2, erie
- country fair 25, erie
- country fair 26, albion
- country fair 27, erie
- country fair 29, girard
- country fair 3, erie
- country fair 31, corry
- country fair 32, erie
- country fair 33, erie
- country fair 35, erie
- country fair 38, erie
- country fair 40, erie
- country fair 41, edinboro
- country fair 42, edinboro
- country fair 43, erie
- country fair 46, mckean
- country fair 48, erie
- country fair 49, erie
- country fair 50, erie
- country fair 56, erie
- country fair 57, erie
- country fair 59, erie
- country fair 61, erie
- country fair 65, erie
- country fair 66, erie
- country fair 72, erie
- country fair 73, erie
- country fair 81, erie
- country fair 83, erie
- country fair 84, erie
- country fair 90, erie
- country fair 91, erie
- country fair 95, union city
- country fair 98, erie
- country fair flagship 20, erie
- crosby's 40042, erie
- crosby's 40043, erie
- crosby's 40045, corry
- crosby's 40053, wattsburg
- east avenue speed check, erie
- east lake speed check 2, erie
- erie convenaice store llc, erie
- galaxy food mart, erie
- galaxy food mart 2, erie
- garys variety, erie
- getgo, erie
- getgo 3050, girard
- getgo 3090, erie
- getgo 3202, erie
- getgo 3237, erie
- ggs management inc, erie
- kang fuel food mart inc, erie
- kelley's korner market, erie
- kt mart, erie
- kwik fill 150, erie
- kwik fill 151, erie
- kwik fill 154, erie
- kwik fill 157, erie
- kwik fill 159, harborcreek
- kwik fill 162, erie
- kwik fill 163, north east
- kwik fill 164, north east
- kwik fill 165, girard
- kwik fill 197, union city
- kwik fill 228, north east
- kwik fill 317, erie
- kwik fill 376, corry
- kwik fill 384, erie
- larkin's market, erie
- lawrence park & go, erie
- lucky food mart 2, erie
- nayan enterprise inc, erie
- parade speed check 01, erie
- pilot travel center 311, erie
- polly's food mart, erie
- quick stop, erie
- quick stop food store, erie
- s & a market, erie
- shop rite, erie
- sunoco, erie
- sheetz 334, edinboro
- sheetz 499, erie
- sheetz 528, girard
- sheetz 557, erie
- sheetz 755, erie
- smj international llc, girard
- ta harborcreek 215, erie
- tudor hook-n-nook, inc., lake city
- westside market on powell, erie
Combination Grocery/Other · 74
- all in one supermarket, erie
- cvs pharmacy 2346, erie
- cvs pharmacy 2678, erie
- cvs pharmacy 3168, erie
- cvs pharmacy 4082, erie
- cvs pharmacy 5088, north east
- cvs pharmacy 11421, erie
- cvs pharmacy 5095, edinboro
- cvs pharmacy 7684, erie
- cvs/pharmacy 5098, corry
- city fresh & fast mart llc 1, erie
- dollar general 0270, erie
- dollar general 1335, erie
- dollar general 13937, mckean
- dollar general 14210, erie
- dollar general 1495, albion
- dollar general 18426, west springfield
- dollar general 18488, erie
- dollar general 2132, corry
- dollar general 4653, waterford
- dollar general 4826, erie
- dollar general 4965, erie
- dollar general 7108, north east
- dollar general 7600, erie
- dollar general 7705, erie
- dollar general 7910, erie
- dollar general 9655, girard
- dollartree 10289, erie
- dollartree 10322, erie
- dollartree 8540, erie
- dollar general 10312, edinboro
- dollar general 10797, union city
- dollar general 14462, wattsburg
- dollar general 15290, erie
- dollar general 15315, fairview
- dollar general 16852, erie
- dollar general 19584, erie
- dollar general 23983, erie
- dollar general 24519, girard
- dollar general 24702, corry
- dollar general 24932, north east
- dollar general 24933, waterford
- dollar general 24934, edinboro
- dollar general 25224, erie
- dollar general 25587, erie
- dollar general 30184, erie
- dollar general 30272, fairview
- dollar general 7151, erie
- dollar general 9037, erie
- dollar general 9327, erie
- dollar general store 16722, lake city
- dollar tree 1862, erie
- dollar tree 2153, erie
- dollar tree 426, erie
- dollar tree 4659, erie
- dollar tree 6152, erie
- dollar tree 6565, girard
- dollar tree 6715, erie
- dollar tree 7289, edinboro
- europa delicatessen, erie
- fadak international food market, erie
- family dollar 11810, erie
- family dollar 8316, erie
- family dollar store 1760, erie
- family dollar store 1780, erie
- family dollar store 2784, corry
- family dollar store 2894, north east
- family dollar store 3529, erie
- family dollar store 5910, erie
- international bazaar, erie
- oakwood freshmart llc, erie
- stanganelli's italian foods, erie
- stop and go 2, erie
- walgreens 10520, erie
Medium Grocery Store · 16
- a a k a pennsylvania market 1, erie
- albion marketplace, albion
- almadina supermarket, erie
- art's bakery, erie
- bfa mart llc, erie
- darshan friendly mart na, erie
- fresh asian minimart llc 1, erie
- harborcreek shurfine marketplace, harborcreek
- himalayan groceries llc, erie
- kamana asian foodmart llc, erie
- larry's central market, erie
- meat & moss company, edinboro
- oriental minimart grocery llc 1, erie
- smirna store llc, erie
- souq inc, erie
- uk supermarket, erie
Supermarket · 15
- aldi 69017, erie
- aldi 69020, erie
- aldi 69021, erie
- bello's shurfine, erie
- gordon food service store mp120, erie
- gordon's butcher & market, erie
- sander markets, corry
- save a lot 30075, erie
- save a lot 30076, erie
- tops markets 601, erie
- tops markets 665, erie
- tops markets 667, waterford
- tops markets 668, union city
- wegmans 69, erie
- wegmans 75, erie
Super Store · 14
- edinboro standalone supermarket 2470, edinboro
- giant eagle 4038, erie
- giant eagle 4050, girard
- giant eagle 4093, erie
- giant eagle 4237, erie
- sam's club 6675, erie
- sander's markets, north east
- target 1287, erie
- walmart 2561, erie
- walmart supercenter 2278, erie
- walmart supercenter 2909, corry
- walmart supercenter 3253, edinboro
- walmart supercenter 3281, harborcreek
- walmart supercenter 5445, erie
Small Grocery Store · 11
- alnakhla store 1, erie
- bayfrent convenience store, erie
- edinboro market, inc., edinboro
- kaze international market llc, erie
- one love grocery store llc 1, erie
- palace life 1, erie city
- peace market, erie
- serafin's food market, erie
- shop rite, erie
- storbes market llc, erie
- trawka's mom & pop grocery,llc, erie
Bakery Specialty · 3
- art's bakery harborcreek, erie
- herb and honey bakery, erie
- schwebel baking co of pa 9, erie
Farmers' Market · 3
- legacy hydroponics llc. farmers market 1, waterford
- little italy farmers market, erie
- orton's fruit markert, north east
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 3
- mcdonald meats, inc., girard
- niethamer & owens, erie
- urbaniak brothers inc, erie
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- mason farms, erie
Large Grocery Store · 1
- whole foods cooperative, erie
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Pennsylvania
Compare Erie County vs Adams County → · All Pennsylvania counties →
Food access nationally, Pennsylvania in context
Erie County sits inside Pennsylvania (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 Erie County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Erie County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Erie County? ▼
Is Erie County a food desert? ▼
What share of Erie 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.