PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Ohio

Fairfield County, OH

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

24.6%
low-access pop.
6
food-desert tracts
9.1%
on SNAP
163K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 OH

The food-access picture

24.6% of Fairfield County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 28 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

10
low-access tracts
9K
food-desert residents
4.1%
households, no vehicle
8.0%
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 Fairfield County's low-access share at 24.6%, above the national share. 10 of the county's 28 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 36,013 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 8,755 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 Fairfield County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Fairfield County's 24.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 58% of them and ranked #1,323 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Fairfield County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 28 census tracts in Fairfield County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Fairfield County, OH USDA-defined food-access tiers: 18 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 6 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 28 tracts evaluated. 18 tracts adequate (64.3%) 4 tracts limited (14.3%) 6 tracts severe / food desert (21.4%) Adequate 64% Limited 14% Severe 21% Food-access tier distribution: Fairfield County, OH
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Fairfield County vs. other Ohio counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Ohio

% 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 Fairfield County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts28
Atlas Population (2010 basis)146,156
Low-Access Tracts10
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)6
Low-Access Population36,013
Low-Access Share24.6%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population8,755

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Fairfield County
IndicatorValue
Population163,453
Median Household Income$90,966
Poverty Rate8.0%well below the national average
SNAP Households5,469
SNAP Participation Rate9.1%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.1%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.0%
SNAP participation in Fairfield County 9.1%

About 9.1% of Fairfield County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 24.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 9.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,469 households here.
  • 4.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 6 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 Fairfield County

above the national share

6 of Fairfield County's 28 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 21.4% of all its tracts.

A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 10.

An estimated 36,013 residents, roughly 24.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 8,755 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 18 tracts (64.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Fairfield County

Fairfield County has 93 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 43 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 43

  • ameristop food mart 29316, lancaster
  • amanda quick stop, amanda
  • bremen petroleum llc, bremen
  • certified oil corp 400211, lancaster
  • circle k 4705264, lancaster
  • circle k 4705556, lancaster
  • circle k 4705691, millersport
  • circle k 5263, pickerington
  • circle k 5717, baltimore
  • east lancaster duchess 1254, lancaster
  • greg's marathon, lancaster
  • jai guruji llc, lancaster
  • jay mahant guru llc, lancaster
  • lancaster duchess 1214, lancaster
  • love's travel stop 872, lancaster
  • mapco 1936, carroll
  • marathon, lancaster
  • meijer gas station 144, lancaster
  • north memorial drive duchess 1178, lancaster
  • one stop crossing, bremen
  • par mar store 169, lancaster
  • pickerington duchess 1274, pickerington
  • pilot travel center 699, millersport
  • pleasantville marathon, pleasantville
  • reynoldsburg 614, reynoldsburg
  • reynoldsburg duchess 1632, reynoldsburg
  • round the clock buckeye station ltd, stoutsville
  • route 22 sunoco, lancaster
  • rram petroleum, lancaster
  • rushville marathon, rushville
  • sheetz 844, lancaster
  • sims corner company, lancaster
  • speedway 2356 2356, lancaster
  • speedway 9179 9179, lancaster
  • speedway 9226, carroll
  • speedway 9271, pickerington
  • speedway 9773 9773, lancaster
  • stakely's watson 03, lancaster
  • stoutsville mini mart, stoutsville
  • sugar crossing convenience store 1, lancaster
  • sunoco food mart, lancaster
  • the beach stop market llc, thornville
  • zane trace station, lancaster

Combination Grocery/Other · 27

  • big lots 3031, lancaster
  • cvs 6185, pickerington
  • cvs 6188, lancaster
  • dollar general 10440, lancaster
  • dollar general 1729, lancaster
  • dollar general 18953, millersport
  • dollar general 19047, carroll
  • dollar general 3279, lancaster
  • dollar general 7340, baltimore
  • dollar general 8899, lancaster
  • dollar tree 16, lancaster
  • dollartree 9026, pickerington
  • discount drug mart 67, pickerington
  • dollar general 15495, amanda
  • dollar general 15761, pleasantville
  • dollar general 16307, amanda
  • dollar general 22511, stoutsville
  • dollar general 24381, lancaster
  • dollar general store 13027, bremen
  • family dollar 11601, amanda
  • family dollar 9048, millersport
  • family dollar store 5684, lancaster
  • family dollar store 6683, lancaster
  • united dairy farmers 681, pickerington
  • walgreens 07798, lancaster
  • walgreens 09120, lancaster
  • walgreens 12008, pickerington

Super Store · 10

  • giant eagle 6514, pickerington
  • giant eagle 6538, lancaster
  • kroger 264, lancaster
  • kroger 931, lancaster
  • kroger n-532, pickerington
  • kroger n538, pickerington
  • meijer inc 144, lancaster
  • meijer inc 246, canal winchester
  • target store 990, lancaster
  • walmart supercenter 3792, lancaster

Small Grocery Store · 4

  • fred's food market, inc, lancaster
  • keller market house, lancaster
  • oakland grocery & hardware, amanda
  • saraa grocery & beer llc, pickerington

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • annapurna market, pickerington
  • druk international, pickerington
  • gn international grocery llc, pickerington

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 61074 61074, lancaster
  • aldi 61007, pickerington
  • save a lot 21712, lancaster

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • baltimore market iga, baltimore
  • bay food market, lancaster

Farmers' Market · 1

  • lancaster fresh market, inc, lancaster

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Ohio

Adams County
22.0% low-access · 20.7% SNAP
Allen County
17.4% low-access · 13.8% SNAP
Ashland County
5.0% low-access · 8.9% SNAP
Ashtabula County
21.9% low-access · 18.2% SNAP
Athens County
17.0% low-access · 14.4% SNAP
Auglaize County
9.9% low-access · 6.8% SNAP

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

Food access nationally, Ohio in context

Fairfield County sits inside Ohio (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Fairfield County has low food access? ▼
24.6% of residents in Fairfield County, OH live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Fairfield County? ▼
9.1% of households in Fairfield County receive SNAP, covering 5,469 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Fairfield County? ▼
The poverty rate in Fairfield County, OH is 8.0%, with a median household income of $90,966 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Fairfield County a food desert? ▼
6 of Fairfield County's 28 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Fairfield County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.1% of households in Fairfield County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.