Signature · 55 SNAP-authorized stores
Grand Forks County, ND
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Grand Forks 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).
- 25.0%
- low-access pop.
- 4
- food-desert tracts
- 6.0%
- on SNAP
- 73K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Grand Forks County, ND
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 25.0% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +2.9 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 4 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 6.0% SNAP
- VEH-OK 7.1% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 22% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Ward County ( -0.8 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Grand Forks County ranks #1,290 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #39 of 53 counties in ND (25.0% low-access; 4 food-desert tracts).
- #1,290
- national by low-access %
- #39
- in ND
- 8
- low-access tracts
- 7K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 55 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Grand Forks County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Grand Forks County's 25.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,296 most-affected nationwide.
Grand Forks County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
18 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 4 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Grand Forks County has 14 urban and 4 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.
Grand Forks County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in North Dakota, not a full county-board reprint
- Nelson
Nelson 100%
100 % low-access
- Burleigh 27.2
Burleigh 27.2%
27.2 % low-access
- Stark 26.8
Stark 26.8%
26.8 % low-access
- Grand Forks 25
Grand Forks 25%
25 % low-access
- Ward 24.2
Ward 24.2%
24.2 % low-access
- Mercer 23.4
Mercer 23.4%
23.4 % low-access
- Rolette 9.6
Rolette 9.6%
9.6 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 18 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 66,861 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 8 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 4 |
| Low-Access Population | 16,692 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.0%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 6,661 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 72,923 |
| Median Household Income | $68,075 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.2%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 1,892 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.0%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.1%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 6.5% |
Thick SNAP store book in Grand Forks County
Grand Forks County has 55 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 26 locations (47% of the total), followed by super store.
Convenience Store · 26
- 32nd cenex, grand forks
- brake time 241706, grand forks
- casey's 3621, grand forks
- casey's 4397, grand forks
- circle k 2746527, grand forks
- circle k 2746580, grand forks
- circle k 2746581, grand forks
- demers cenex, grand forks
- holiday stationstore 2746382, grand forks
- holiday stationstore 2746383, grand forks
- holiday stationstore 2746448, grand forks
- ortons southtown cenex 925, grand forks
- petro serve usa 201, grand forks
- petro serve usa 202, grand forks
- petro serve usa 203, grand forks
- petro serve usa 205, grand forks
- petro serve usa 206, grand forks
- petro serve usa 207, grand forks
- petro serve usa 208, grand forks
- pilot 489, grand forks
- s & t quick stop inc, thompson
- simonson station - south washington 9, grand forks
- simonson station-32nd ave 17, grand forks
- simonson station-gateway 5, grand forks
- simonson travel center 10, grand forks
- ta express grand forks, grand forks
Super Store · 9
- hugo's 12, grand forks
- hugos 2, grand forks
- hugos 3, grand forks
- hugos 6, grand forks
- hugos 8, grand forks
- sam's club 6385, grand forks
- target stores t- 1783, grand forks
- walmart sc 1545, grand forks
- walmart supercenter 5806, grand forks
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- cvs pharmacy 8620, grand forks
- dollar general 17433, larimore
- dollar general 20779, northwood
- dollar general 21897, emerado
- dollar general 23986, thompson
- dollar tree 2809, grand forks
- dollar tree 4966, grand forks
Supermarket · 4
- aldi 2771, grand forks
- miller's fresh foods, larimore
- millers fresh foods, northwood
- vitamin cottage natural food market u124, grand forks
Bakery Specialty · 2
- papa murphy's pizza nd003, grand forks
- papa murphy's pizza nd010, grand forks
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- al amiin grocery & halal meat, grand forks
- all international foods llc, grand forks
Small Grocery Store · 2
- fm international market, grand forks
- toucan international market, grand forks
Farmers' Market · 1
- town square farmers market, grand forks
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- l & m meat and sausage corporation, grand forks
Military Commissary · 1
- grand forks afb commissary 1017, grand forks afb
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in North Dakota
One of 52 counties in North Dakota, 6 are shown here.
Compare Grand Forks County vs Adams County → · All North Dakota counties →
Nationwide peers for Grand Forks County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Grand Forks County, both outside North Dakota so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside ND (25.0% here).
- Alamance County, NC · 25.0% low-access
- Alamance County, NC · 25.0% low-access
- Middlesex County, NJ · 25.0% low-access
- Middlesex County, NJ · 25.0% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside ND (6.0% here).
- Otoe County, NE · 6.0% SNAP
- Otoe County, NE · 6.0% SNAP
- Park County, MT · 6.0% SNAP
- Park County, MT · 6.0% 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.
Food access nationally, North Dakota in context
Grand Forks County sits inside North Dakota (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 Grand Forks County, ND are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 38035. 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.