County food-access profile · Ohio
Hamilton County, OH
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Hamilton 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).
- 31.1%
- low-access pop.
- 39
- food-desert tracts
- 12.2%
- on SNAP
- 831K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
31.1% of Hamilton County residents live in a low-access area, and 39 of its 222 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 106
- low-access tracts
- 64K
- food-desert residents
- 10.3%
- households, no vehicle
- 15.0%
- 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 Hamilton County's low-access share at 31.1%, above the national share. 106 of the county's 222 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 249,868 people. 39 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 63,556 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 Hamilton County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Hamilton County's 31.1% low-access share is elevated, higher than 72% of them and ranked #873 most-affected nationwide.
Hamilton County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 222 census tracts in Hamilton County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Hamilton County vs. other Ohio counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Ohio
- Hamilton
Hamilton County, OH
31.1 % 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 | 222 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 802,374 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 106 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 39 |
| Low-Access Population | 249,868 |
| Low-Access Share | 31.1%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 63,556 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 830,774 |
| Median Household Income | $72,470 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.0%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 43,374 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.2%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 10.3%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
About 12.2% of Hamilton County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 31.1% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.2% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 43,374 households here.
- 10.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 39 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 Hamilton County
above the national share
39 of Hamilton County's 222 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 17.6% of all its tracts.
A further 67 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 106.
An estimated 249,868 residents, roughly 31.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 63,556 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 116 tracts (52.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Hamilton County
Hamilton County has 651 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 2 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 200 locations (31% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 200
- avril bleh meat market & deli, cincinnati
- big lots 3032, harrison
- big lots 3033, cincinnati
- badmos african market, cincinnati
- bengals quality fish & meats, cincinnati
- bombay grocers, cincinnati
- cvs 2715, cincinnati
- cvs 2764, cincinnati
- cvs 5426, cincinnati
- cvs 6082, sharonville
- cvs 6089, harrison
- cvs 6093, cincinnati
- cvs 6094, montgomery
- cvs 6095, cincinnati
- cvs 6101, cincinnati
- cvs 6107, cincinnati
- cvs 6110, cincinnati
- cvs 6111, cincinnati
- cvs 6123, anderson
- cvs 6126, cincinnati
- cvs 6129, cheviot
- cvs 6131, cincinnati
- cvs 6996, springdale
- cvs pharmacy 3246, cincinnati
- chamling grocery, cincinnati
- country fresh farm market, cincinnati
- court & main market, cincinnati
- dollar general 14293, cincinnati
- dollar general 14376, cincinnati
- dollar general 1441, cincinnati
- dollar general 2234, harrison
- dollar general 4544, loveland
- dollar general 6112, cincinnati
- dollar general 6736, cincinnati
- dollartree 09172, cincinnati
- dollartree 10781, cincinnati
- dollartree 11000, cincinnati
- dollartree 8795, cincinnati
- dollartree 8986, cincinnati
- delicias supermarket, cincinnati
- dollar general 10994, north bend
- dollar general 14515, cincinnati
- dollar general 14685, cincinnati
- dollar general 19249, cincinnati
- dollar general 19250, cincinnati
- dollar general 19251, cincinnati
- dollar general 19252, cincinnati
- dollar general 20283, cleves
- dollar general 21806, cincinnati
- dollar general 22356, cincinnati
- dollar general 23716, cincinnati
- dollar general 23771, mount healthy
- dollar general 31212, cincinnati
- dollar general 31233, cincinnati
- dollar general 7182, cincinnati
- dollar general 7925, cincinnati
- dollar general 9626, cincinnati
- dollar general store 10887, cincinnati
- dollar general store 16393, cincinnati
- dollar tree 0245, springdale
- dollar tree 1787, cincinnati
- dollar tree 1788, cincinnati
- dollar tree 2029, cincinnati
- dollar tree 2404, cincinnati
- dollar tree 2556, saint bernard
- dollar tree 3283, cincinnati
- dollar tree 3309, cincinnati
- dollar tree 3321, cincinnati
- dollar tree 3336, loveland
- dollar tree 3388, cincinnati
- dollar tree 3524, cincinnati
- dollar tree 3903, cincinnati
- dollar tree 4990, harrison
- dollar tree 5476, cincinnati
- dollar tree 6021, cincinnati
- dollar tree 6681, cincinnati
- dollar tree 7197, cincinnati
- dollar tree 8291, sharonville
- dollar tree 8365, loveland
- dollar tree 9033, cincinnati
- dollar tree 9060, harrison
- e star asian market, sharonville
- family dollar 12300, cincinnati
- family dollar 1792, cincinnati
- family dollar 1846, norwood
- family dollar 3137, cincinnati
- family dollar 3169, cincinnati
- family dollar 3566, cincinnati
- family dollar 3718, cincinnati
- family dollar 3820, cincinnati
- family dollar 4565, cincinnati
- family dollar 4883, cincinnati
- family dollar 5330, cincinnati
- family dollar 6140, cincinnati
- family dollar 6306, cincinnati
- family dollar 6374, cincinnati
- family dollar 6407, cincinnati
- family dollar 6830, cincinnati
- family dollar 8267, cincinnati
- family dollar 8466, cincinnati
- family dollar 8530, cincinnati
- family dollar store 10543, reading
- family dollar store 3699, cincinnati
- family dollar store 8058, cincinnati
- gramma debbie's kitchen, cincinnati
- grayson's meats and deli, cincinnati
- humbert's meats, cincinnati
- kuhlmann's fine meats & market, cincinnati
- leeblessing, cincinnati
- mi casita, cincinnati
- northside meat co., inc, cincinnati
- roses 517, cincinnati
- saigon market, cincinnati
- samarkand food market, cincinnati
- tienda el chapin, cincinnati
- tienda la perla escondida llc, cincinnati
- tienda tutuapense, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 001, norwood
- united dairy farmers 005, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 023, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 025, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 046, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 051, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 065, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 071, norwood
- united dairy farmers 075, norwood
- united dairy farmers 079, harrison
- united dairy farmers 087, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 093, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 096, harrison
- united dairy farmers 105, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 107, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 111, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 112, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 114, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 115, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 123, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 125, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 128, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 129, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 131, sharonville
- united dairy farmers 135, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 140, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 141, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 144, terrace park
- united dairy farmers 145, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 146, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 151, norwood
- united dairy farmers 154, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 158, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 16, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 161, reading
- united dairy farmers 166, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 168, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 170, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 179, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 180, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 184, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 187, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 189, harrison
- united dairy farmers 191, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 196, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 29, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 3, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 30, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 36, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 64, blue ash
- united dairy farmers 69, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 76, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 77, cincinnati
- united dairy farmers 83, newtown
- united dairy farmers 98, cincinnati
- vonderhaar's market, reading
- walgreens #7181 07181, cincinnati
- walgreens 00274, cincinnati
- walgreens 4246, cincinnati
- walgreens 5632, cincinnati
- walgreens 7435, norwood
- walgreens 01502, cincinnati
- walgreens 02136, cincinnati
- walgreens 02694, cincinnati
- walgreens 02697, cincinnati
- walgreens 02875, cincinnati
- walgreens 03672, cincinnati
- walgreens 03807, cincinnati
- walgreens 04245, cincinnati
- walgreens 04522, cincinnati
- walgreens 04731, cincinnati
- walgreens 04893, cincinnati
- walgreens 06191, loveland
- walgreens 06653, cincinnati
- walgreens 07470, harrison
- walgreens 07877, cincinnati
- walgreens 07900, cincinnati
- walgreens 09775, cincinnati
- walgreens 10493, cincinnati
- walgreens 11269, cincinnati
- walgreens 11630, cincinnati
- walgreens 12830, cincinnati
- walgreens 12831, cincinnati
Convenience Store · 50
- 1 stop market, cincinnati
- a to z wireless center & grocery, cincinnati
- abyssinia food mart, cincinnati
- adama pam convenience store, cincinnati
- ajm discount shop, cincinnati
- alfaa 12 12, cincinnati
- alfaa 2, cincinnati
- alfaa 26 26, cincinnati
- all n 1, cincinnati
- amali's mini mart, cincinnati
- amarshop, cincinnati
- ameristop, cincinnati
- ameristop food market, cincinnati
- ameristop food mart, cincinnati
- ameristop food mart, cincinnati
- ameristop food mart 1, cincinnati
- ameristop food mart 29032, cincinnati
- ameristop food mart 29096, cincinnati
- ameristop foodmart, cincinnati
- ameristop good mart, cincinnati
- ameristore carry out, cincinnati
- andreas grocery llc, cincinnati
- anna enterprise llc, cincinnati
- avondale food mart, cincinnati
- b&d asian nepali market, cincinnati
- b&d asian plaza 1, cincinnati
- bp northside, cincinnati
- bs market llc, cincinnati
- bank street market, cincinnati
- beechwood bp 0000965488, cincinnati
- beekman market #1, cincinnati
- billies pony keg, cincinnati
- bj fish & chicken., cincinnati
- blair market inc, cincinnati
- blue ash marathon, blue ash
- boudinot bp, cincinnati
- bp foodmart, cincinnati
- bp gas station, cincinnati
- bp glenway, cincinnati
- bpmitchell, cincinnati
- bramble market, cincinnati
- brauns deli, cincinnati
- bud's pony keg, cincinnati
- casey's 4380, whitewater twp
- central park market, cincinnati
- canasta supermarket, cincinnati
- cee kay ii, llc, cincinnati
- chester rd sunoco 44, cincinnati
- circle k 4700059, harrison
- circle k 4705288, cincinnati
Showing 250 of 651 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Ohio
Compare Hamilton County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →
Food access nationally, Ohio in context
Hamilton 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 Hamilton County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Hamilton County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Hamilton County? ▼
Is Hamilton County a food desert? ▼
What share of Hamilton 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.