PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Gratiot County, MI

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

39.6%
low-access pop.
3
food-desert tracts
15.1%
on SNAP
41K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

39.6% of Gratiot County residents live in a low-access area, and 3 of its 10 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

5
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents
5.2%
households, no vehicle
14.0%
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 Gratiot County's low-access share at 39.6%, above the national share. 5 of the county's 10 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 16,807 people. 3 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 7,029 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 Gratiot County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Gratiot County's 39.6% low-access share is elevated, higher than 87% of them and ranked #415 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Gratiot County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 10 census tracts in Gratiot 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 Gratiot County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 3 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 10 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (50.0%) 2 tracts limited (20.0%) 3 tracts severe / food desert (30.0%) Adequate 50% Limited 20% Severe 30% Food-access tier distribution: Gratiot County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Gratiot County vs. other Michigan counties

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

% 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 Gratiot County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts10
Atlas Population (2010 basis)42,476
Low-Access Tracts5
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)3
Low-Access Population16,807
Low-Access Share39.6%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population7,029

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Gratiot County
IndicatorValue
Population41,385
Median Household Income$63,556
Poverty Rate14.0%near the national average
SNAP Households2,229
SNAP Participation Rate15.1%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.2%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population14.3%
SNAP participation in Gratiot County 15.1%

About 15.1% of Gratiot County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 39.6% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 15.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,229 households here.
  • 5.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 3 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 Gratiot County

above the national share

3 of Gratiot County's 10 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 30.0% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 5.

An estimated 16,807 residents, roughly 39.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 7,029 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Gratiot County

Gratiot County has 36 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 20 locations (56% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 20

  • admiral 5869, alma
  • admiral 5871, ithaca
  • alma truck stop 223, alma
  • beacon & bridge market 13, ithaca
  • beacon & bridge market 17, ithaca
  • beacon & bridge market 31, alma
  • ithaca ez mart 620, ithaca
  • marathon, breckenridge
  • meijer gas station 270, alma
  • middleton ez mart 678, middleton
  • next door store 5050, breckenridge
  • om petroleum 1, elm hall
  • riverdale high hills, llc, riverdale
  • shawn llc, sumner
  • sky's outlet, alma
  • speedway 3585 3585, alma
  • speedway 8704, alma
  • st louis marathon llc, saint louis
  • sun up food mart, alma
  • the keg party store, ithaca

Combination Grocery/Other · 10

  • dollar general 16663, breckenridge
  • dollar general 17710, middleton
  • dollar general 25623, ashley
  • dollar general 6794, alma
  • dollar general 7876, saint louis
  • dollar general 8681, ithaca
  • dollar tree 3021, alma
  • ric's food center, ithaca
  • rogers natural foods pantry, alma
  • tienda mexicana el cunao, saint louis

Farmers' Market · 2

  • artesian well produce, elwell
  • st. louis farmers market, saint louis

Super Store · 2

  • meijer 270, alma
  • walmart supercenter 1422, alma

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • brick house jerky outlet, ashley

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • ashley village party store inc 1, ashley

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Michigan

Alcona County
15.6% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Alger County
12.8% low-access · 11.0% SNAP
Allegan County
20.8% low-access · 7.8% SNAP
Alpena County
15.9% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Antrim County
0.2% low-access · 10.0% SNAP
Arenac County
0.0% low-access · 16.1% SNAP

Compare Gratiot County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Gratiot County sits inside Michigan (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 Gratiot County has low food access? ▼
39.6% of residents in Gratiot County, MI 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 Gratiot County? ▼
15.1% of households in Gratiot County receive SNAP, covering 2,229 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Gratiot County? ▼
The poverty rate in Gratiot County, MI is 14.0%, with a median household income of $63,556 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Gratiot County a food desert? ▼
3 of Gratiot County's 10 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 Gratiot County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.2% of households in Gratiot 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.