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 #2,634).
Essex County's lower-band USDA tier split
210 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 3 LILA.
All 210 of Essex County's tracts are urban in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 1-mile test, the stricter of the two distance thresholds.
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 13 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 190 locations (32% of the total), followed by small grocery store.
Where the store book sits, by town
20 towns share the 589 authorized stores; Newark holds 47% of them. 1 of the 20 towns has no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Roseland.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Newark | 279 | 68 |
| East Orange | 71 | 15 |
| Irvington | 68 | 18 |
| Orange | 37 | 11 |
| Bloomfield | 26 | 7 |
| Belleville | 20 | 7 |
| West Orange | 18 | 3 |
| Montclair | 12 | 3 |
| Livingston | 10 | 7 |
| Maplewood | 10 | 2 |
Top 10 of 20 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 190
- 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
- smart dollar plus, newark
- sol deli cafe, newark
- south mountain market 1, west orange
- speedway 3435, orange
- speedway 3445, newark
- speedway 3486, irvington
- speedway 3492, newark
- springfield ave supermarket, irvington
- subway/sunoco, east orange
- sunoco, bloomfield
- t & l rinaldis, belleville
- tiger speed food mart, east orange
- tejada food market inc, newark
- thais mini market corp, newark
- three js grocery store llc, newark
- tralei mini mart, orange
- union latina multiservice, newark
- unlimited dollar, newark
- urena family grocery, irvington
- villa grocery, newark
- valley mart, montclair
- velez supermarket, newark
- washington mini market, west orange
- washington shop pharmacy, east orange
- wakemajn grocery & deli, newark
- washington food market llc, newark
- wawa 8350, maplewood
- wawa store 8349, fairfield
- wawa store 8441, belleville
- wawa store 8455, orange
- welshfarms, newark
- wendmi grocery, irvington
- west side park grocery, newark
- william grocery store llc, east orange
- wk food corp, east orange
- y & f supermarket llc, irvington
- yokary food market llc, east orange
- zaire's mini market, newark
- zanaib foodmart, newark
Small Grocery Store · 115 (60 shown)
- 16th ave deli meat food market llc, newark
- 2 friends deli & grocery, newark
- a & l mini market, orange
- a1 minimarket and deli, newark
- akwaaba meat & fish market llc, newark
- andujar deli grocery, newark
- aquilino supermarket inc, newark
- argenis supermarket inc, newark
- aris deli & grocery llc, newark
- assigame african market, newark
- avon mini market, newark
- azua supermarket, newark
- badan llc t/a us quick food mart, east orange
- big mo grocery, newark
- bolga market llc, newark
- bryan mini market, newark
- clinton ave grocery 2, irvington
- cousins mini market llc, orange
- d & j minimarket llc, newark
- darismar grocery llc, east orange
- darismar mini market, newark
- dickerson grocery llc, newark
- dime&amy convenience grocery store llc, newark
- dj provisions alimentaires, irvington
- djen african market, newark
- dry goods refillery, montclair
- eco multi, irvington
- el gallo food center, newark
- elm & union convenient store, newark
- erica supermarket corp, newark
- express deli food market, bloomfield
- faith rhema group llc, newark
- family grocery 2 corp, irvington
- front supermarket 2, newark
- glennys grocery inc, east orange
- global mini market, newark
- grab & go market llc 0, east orange
- guerrero deli & grocery, newark
- hawkin's supermarket, newark
- hawthorne grocery, newark
- hoogaard market, west orange
- horus mediterranean grocery, bloomfield
- internal super mini market inc, belleville
- isabella convenience store llc, newark
- j & r deli grocery, newark
- jnc mini market 2, newark
- jamestown african market, newark
- jeyson supermarket, newark
- jones groceries na, irvington
- josue supermarket llc, newark
- kmb deli grocery llc, irvington
- la catrina grocery llc, caldwell
- la esperanza food market, irvington
- la fe food market & grill llc, newark
- la fe supermarket llc, irvington
- la paloma food market & cafeteria, newark
- la pampara deli grocery, newark
- las americas supermarket, newark
- las resistencias grocery store, newark
- latinos fresh market llc, 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
- Jackson County, KY · 8.1% low-access
- Campbell County, VA · 8.1% low-access
- Charlottesville city, VA · 8.1% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NJ (14.8% here).
- Cayuga County, NY · 14.8% SNAP
- Herkimer County, NY · 14.8% SNAP
- Stokes County, NC · 14.8% SNAP
- Jasper County, MO · 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.
New Jersey among Middle Atlantic states
New Jersey ranks 1st of 3 Middle Atlantic states by population-weighted low-access (23.8%). Essex County, at 8.1%, runs 15.7 pts below the New Jersey rate.
- New Jersey 23.8%
- Pennsylvania 21.4%
- New York 12.0%
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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.