Signature · 14.8% SNAP (90th pct in NJ)
Essex County, NJ
Essex County stands out on SNAP (14.8%, +2.7 pts vs U.S.) with 8.1% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 8.1%
- low-access pop.
- 3
- food-desert tracts
- 14.8%
- on SNAP
- 863K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Essex County, NJ
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-GAP · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-MODERATE 8.1% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -14.0 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 3 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.8% SNAP
- VEH-GAP 21.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 1% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Bergen County (+ 2.2 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Essex County lands in the lower national band (8.1%, #2,634 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,634
- national by low-access %
- #20
- in NJ
- 28
- low-access tracts
- 6K
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 14.8% SNAP (90th pct in NJ) (+2.7 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Essex County compares nationally
Essex County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.1% low-access share that beats 16% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,637).
Essex County's lower-band USDA tier split
210 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Essex County has 210 urban and 0 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.
Essex County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in New Jersey, not a full county-board reprint
- Ocean
Ocean 43.6%
43.6 % low-access
- Passaic 15.2
Passaic 15.2%
15.2 % low-access
- Union 11
Union 11%
11 % low-access
- Bergen 10.3
Bergen 10.3%
10.3 % low-access
- Essex 8.1
Essex 8.1%
8.1 % low-access
- Hudson 0.7
Hudson 0.7%
0.7 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 210 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 783,969 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 28 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 3 |
| Low-Access Population | 63,498 |
| Low-Access Share | 8.1%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 5,869 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 863,002 |
| Median Household Income | $80,789 |
| Poverty Rate | 14.6%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 47,471 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.8%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 21.0%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.4% |
Thick SNAP store book in Essex County
Essex County has 589 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 151 locations (26% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 151
- 1139 broad st petroleum llc 89, newark
- 24/7 ez check mart corp, east orange
- 509 grove deli llc, irvington
- 7 heaven mart, newark
- 7-eleven 34296j, newark
- 7-eleven 35640a, west orange
- 7-eleven 36429a, south orange
- 7-eleven inc f 20496d, bloomfield
- 7-eleven inc f 21390e, nutley
- 7-eleven inc f 39315a, maplewood
- 7-eleven store 11437c, livingston
- 7-eleven store 11438b, west caldwell
- 7-eleven store 2415 36882a, nutley
- 7-eleven, inc. 34052h, maplewood
- 7-eleven 39713b, bloomfield
- 7-eleven store #34174b, verona
- 7-eleven store #34211c 34211c, montclair
- 7-eleven store #37695a 37695a, east orange
- 7-eleven store #39322b, bloomfield
- 7-eleven store 2413 37091a, east orange
- 7-eleven store 38268a 38268a, belleville
- 911 quick stop deli llc, east orange
- a.t. mini market, newark
- amg bp 149, newark
- alexca grocery & deli 1, newark
- alvarez grocery, newark
- amberly supermarket, irvington
- amrah mini market usa, montclair
- andy grocery store corp, newark
- b c halal deli, east orange
- ben mini market, newark
- bengal convenience llc, west orange
- best tropical 2 grocery, newark
- bodega yuly & mello, newark
- broadway grocery corp, newark
- brookdale supermarket no. 1, newark
- brother d & o supermarket, newark
- buck n up, newark
- chancellor food market, irvington
- corocito sr corp, newark
- carousel convenience, west orange
- cash maker mini market, newark
- central avenue mini mart, orange
- chancellorave grocery corp, newark
- chris's deli, orange
- christi mini mart, newark
- circle convenience store, irvington
- columbia market, irvington
- convenience store flora, newark
- cruz grocery store, newark
- djh newstand, bloomfield
- de jesus deli market, newark
- deli world convenience inc, irvington
- dollar deal, east orange
- don lucho grocery multiservice, newark
- downtown fuel llc, newark
- duran dely grocery, east orange
- el azteca, bloomfield
- el meneo mini market, newark
- el nuevo caballo blanco liquor & grocery, newark
- el shaddai grocery, newark
- eliany grocery store, newark
- elizabeth market llc, newark
- evergreen grocery supermarket, newark
- ez mart, newark
- f & d supermarket, newark
- f&n deli grocery, newark
- fatima supermarket, newark
- five rivers grocery, irvington
- fourm gift shop, newark
- glenwood confectionery, bloomfield
- grove st. convenience inc, montclair
- h & h variety llc, east orange
- hari mini store, east orange
- henry's fine foods, verona
- hudson food market, orange
- isidora grocery and deli llc, newark
- jm grocery store & deli, newark
- jrg mini market llc, newark
- jt family grocery, irvington
- jayden mini mart, newark
- jenny grocery & deli corp., east orange
- jenye llc, newark
- jeo's deli grocery llc, newark
- jimmy mini market llc, newark
- julie's summer food market, newark
- k & e mini market, east orange
- k & g supermarket corp, newark
- keda convenience store, east orange
- kehpeh mini market, irvington
- kiari mini market llc, east orange
- kraurszer's food store, west orange
- krauszer's, newark
- krauszer's, belleville
- krauszers, newark
- l&d family mini market, newark
- la bodeguita 1 del medio, newark
- la esquina food market no, irvington
- lot stop, irvington
- lownif mini-market, orange
- ls deli market inc, newark
- lucky 7 deli & food mart inc, nutley
- luna grocery llc, west orange
- mhb mini market, newark
- mprl pharmacy dba abels pharmacy, irvington
- mary mini market, orange
- marys deli & grocery, irvington
- medina family grocery corp, newark
- medina family ii, newark
- mike's central food, east orange
- milenio mini market llc, east orange
- minier grocery inc, newark
- mission mini market 2 llc, montclair
- mj supermarket llc 1, newark
- mk grocery store, newark
- naeema llc, newark
- nana express food market, newark
- nandas mini mart, newark
- new style supermarket 4, irvington
- noah supermarket llc, newark
- noor convenience, irvington
- omda convenience store & smoke shop, newark
- omer supermarket, newark
- one stop supermarket, orange
- orange housing resident store, orange
- orange mini market llc, orange
- original deli and grocery, bloomfield
- original tropical food market, bloomfield
- oscar supermarket, east orange
- p&t supermarket, newark
- p. & p. tobacco & stationery, irvington
- park ave super deli and grocery llc, newark
- pichardo grocery, llc., newark
- pilot travel center 1098, newark
- pit stop food mart, east orange
- poppies grocery & deli, east orange
- primos supermarket, orange
- quality grocery and deli, newark
- quick faso mini market, irvington
- quick mart, bloomfield
- r & s deli grocery, east orange
- r & t mini market, orange
- r. k. food store, inc, verona
- ramirez grocery of east orange,, east orange
- rt 21 mart, newark
- rodriguez mini market llc, east orange
- sara food, west orange
- san judas tadeo deli and grocery, newark
- sasha food market, newark
- shell, newark
- shoppers express n/a, belleville
Combination Grocery/Other · 98
- a & j seabras supermarket, newark
- amy african food & grocery market, newark
- anna e. african market, newark
- b&b international african & caribbean market 46, newark
- broadway poultry, newark
- banik international llc, newark
- cvs 463, bloomfield
- cvs 6073, livingston
- cvs pharmacy 548, livingston
- cvs pharmacy 10087, west orange
- cvs pharmacy 10211, maplewood
- cvs pharmacy 10527, newark
- cvs pharmacy 1158, nutley
- cvs pharmacy 1243, newark
- cvs pharmacy 2051, bloomfield
- cvs pharmacy 2261, newark
- cvs pharmacy 2492, cedar grove
- cvs pharmacy 2535, montclair
- cvs pharmacy 2795, east orange
- cvs pharmacy 2813, west orange
- cvs pharmacy 298, montclair
- cvs pharmacy 4626, millburn
- cvs pharmacy 617, cedar grove
- cvs pharmacy 687, west orange
- cvs pharmacy 761, west caldwell
- dollar tree 4631, bloomfield
- dollartree 9517, newark
- divine mercy african food market, newark
- dollar general 13399, irvington
- dollar general 17165, irvington
- dollar general 18757, orange
- dollar general 19187, east orange
- dollar general 19193, irvington
- dollar general 19898, newark
- dollar general 21127, maplewood
- dollar general 21792, newark
- dollar general 22339, newark
- dollar general 24168, bloomfield
- dollar tree 4987, maplewood
- dollar tree 5265, belleville
- dollar tree 5481, irvington
- dollar tree 5887, newark
- dollar tree 5927, east orange
- dollar tree 6027, orange
- dollar tree 6537, newark
- dollar tree 7508, fairfield
- dollar tree 7557, irvington
- dollar tree 8292, nutley
- family dollar 10504, orange
- family dollar 12130, newark
- family dollar 12745, west orange
- family dollar 4503, newark
- family dollar 4982, newark
- family dollar 6555, east orange
- family dollar 6856, newark
- family dollar 6908, east orange
- family dollar 7442, east orange
- family dollar 8205, newark
- family dollar 8334, newark
- family dollar 8513, belleville
- family dollar 8944, irvington
- family dollar store 11379, orange
- goshen african variety store, newark
- hadja mai african market llc, newark
- lushz variety store, irvington
- m & f international market, newark
- makola african market imports, newark
- machou tropical fresh fish market, east orange
- mile 12 international africa market, irvington
- oja oba international market, irvington
- okyeman africa market, east orange
- osibisa african market - endless foods, maplewood
- our community grocery store, newark
- quick chek food stores 91, bloomfield
- quick chek 157, fairfield
- quickchek #198, belleville
- steves market, east orange
- volcy unity grocery store, east orange
- walgreens 02470, roseland
- walgreens 01881, bloomfield
- walgreens 03146, newark
- walgreens 03379, newark
- walgreens 06162, east orange
- walgreens 07794, west caldwell
- walgreens 12064, newark
- walgreens 12079, belleville
- walgreens 13686, maplewood
- walgreens 13701, verona
- walgreens 13702, fairfield
- walgreens 13718, belleville
- walgreens 15010, irvington
- walgreens 15595, short hills
- walgreens 16402, belleville
- walgreens 18252, newark
- walgreens 19670, south orange
- walgreens 19964, bloomfield
- walgreens 3292, orange
- west orange fooderie, west orange
Bakery Specialty · 1
- calandra's italian & french bakery, newark
Showing 250 of 589 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 New Jersey
One of 20 counties in New Jersey, 6 are shown here.
Compare Essex County vs Atlantic County → · All New Jersey counties →
Counties near Essex County's lower low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Essex County (14.8%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside New Jersey.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NJ (8.1% here).
- Coshocton County, OH · 8.1% low-access
- Coshocton County, OH · 8.1% low-access
- Jackson County, KY · 8.1% low-access
- Jackson County, KY · 8.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NJ (14.8% here).
- Cayuga County, NY · 14.8% SNAP
- Cayuga County, NY · 14.8% SNAP
- Herkimer County, NY · 14.8% SNAP
- Herkimer County, NY · 14.8% 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.
Essex County inside a lower low-access state context
Essex County sits inside New Jersey (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 Essex County, NJ are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 34013. 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.