County food-access profile · Ohio
Fulton County, OH
Fulton County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 17.8%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 9.6%
- on SNAP
- 42K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
17.8% of Fulton County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- food-desert residents
- 2.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 9.4%
- 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).
Fulton County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 17.8% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 9 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,582 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.
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 Fulton County compares nationally
Fulton County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 17.8% low-access share that beats 40% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,885).
Fulton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 9 census tracts in Fulton County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Fulton County vs. other Ohio counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Ohio
- Fulton
Fulton County, OH
17.8 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, OH
22 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, OH
17.4 % low-access
- Ashland 5
Ashland County, OH
5 % low-access
- Ashtabula
Ashtabula County, OH
21.9 % low-access
- Athens
Athens County, OH
17 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 9 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 42,698 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 7,582 |
| Low-Access Share | 17.8%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,529 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 42,240 |
| Median Household Income | $72,864 |
| Poverty Rate | 9.4%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,633 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.6%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 2.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.0% |
About 9.6% of Fulton County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 17.8% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,633 households here.
- 2.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- Median household income is $72,864 with a 9.4% poverty rate.
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 Fulton County
near the national share
A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.
An estimated 7,582 residents, roughly 17.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 2,529 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 6 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Fulton County
Fulton County has 29 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 12 locations (41% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 12
- circle k 4705272, wauseon
- circle k 5631, wauseon
- circle k 5632, archbold
- circle k 5643, fayette
- circle k 5644, wauseon
- harns delta kwik stop, delta
- lassus handy dandy 556, swanton
- lassus handy dandy 559, delta
- mmg fayette inc 1, fayette
- s and g stores ii llc 119, swanton
- s and g stores llc 60, wauseon
- speedway 9690 9690, delta
Combination Grocery/Other · 10
- dollar general 118, wauseon
- dollar general 185, delta
- dollar general 18971, swanton
- dollar general 9911, swanton
- dollar general 12245, fayette
- dollar general 23805, archbold
- dollar general 25888, delta
- dollar general 30019, lyons
- dollar general 4719, archbold
- dollar tree 7614, swanton
Super Store · 3
- chief supermarket 118, wauseon
- kroger n-504, swanton
- walmart 2350, wauseon
Supermarket · 3
- archbold supervalu, archbold
- community markets 310, delta
- pettisville meats inc, pettisville
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- st mary's meats, swanton
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Ohio
Compare Fulton County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →
Food access nationally, Ohio in context
Fulton County sits inside Ohio (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 Fulton County has low food access? ▼
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What is the poverty rate in Fulton County? ▼
Is Fulton County a food desert? ▼
What share of Fulton 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.