PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Indiana

Hendricks County, IN

Hendricks County sits among the counties with the widest food-access gaps the USDA tracks, most residents here live well outside a comfortable walk or drive to a supermarket. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

51.5%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
3.3%
on SNAP
183K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IN

The food-access picture

51.5% of Hendricks County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 21 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

12
low-access tracts
10K
food-desert residents
3.3%
households, no vehicle
5.3%
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).

Hendricks County carries one of the more serious food-access burdens the USDA Atlas tracks: its low-access share of 51.5% is well above the national share. 12 of the county's 21 census tracts fall into that category, areas where residents live far from a supermarket, covering about 74,972 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 10,149 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 Hendricks County compares nationally

Hendricks County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 51.5% low-access share outpaces 94% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #186 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Hendricks County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 21 census tracts in Hendricks 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 Hendricks County, IN USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 11 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 21 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (42.9%) 11 tracts limited (52.4%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (4.8%) Adequate 43% Limited 52% Severe 5% Food-access tier distribution: Hendricks County, IN
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Hendricks County vs. other Indiana counties

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

% 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 Hendricks County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts21
Atlas Population (2010 basis)145,448
Low-Access Tracts12
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population74,972
Low-Access Share51.5%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population10,149

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Hendricks County
IndicatorValue
Population183,344
Median Household Income$101,144
Poverty Rate5.3%well below the national average
SNAP Households2,220
SNAP Participation Rate3.3%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.3%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.7%
SNAP participation in Hendricks County 3.3%

About 3.3% of Hendricks County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 51.5% of residents are low-access, well above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 3.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,220 households here.
  • 3.3% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Hendricks County

well above the national share

1 of Hendricks County's 21 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 4.8% of all its tracts.

A further 11 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 12.

An estimated 74,972 residents, roughly 51.5% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 10,149 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (42.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Hendricks County

Hendricks County has 84 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 37 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 37

  • brownsburg shell, brownsburg
  • casey's general store 2338, danville
  • casey's general store 2432, brownsburg
  • circle k 4702282, avon
  • circle k 4702369, pittsboro
  • circle k 4702411, danville
  • dala mart, brownsburg
  • getgo 3663, plainfield
  • hometown shell, clayton
  • love's travel stop 319, pittsboro
  • mapco 988, brownsburg
  • marathon foodmart, avon
  • meijer gas station 133, avon
  • meijer gas station 204, camby
  • meijer gas station 256, plainfield
  • my coatesville food store, coatesville
  • plainfield dairyland, plainfield
  • plainfield oil co - plainfield phillips 66, plainfield
  • rapid fuel inc, danville
  • rickers 7535, brownsburg
  • rickers 7537, plainfield
  • rickers 7540, avon
  • rickers 7541, plainfield
  • shell food mart, brownsburg
  • speedway 3338, plainfield
  • speedway 4018, brownsburg
  • speedway 5390, brownsburg
  • speedway 5514, plainfield
  • speedway 6023, plainfield
  • speedway 6125, avon
  • speedway 6384, danville
  • speedway 8030, avon
  • speedway 8101, plainfield
  • thorntons 141, plainfield
  • village pantry 5623, plainfield
  • wawa store 7401, plainfield
  • wawa store 7403, brownsburg

Combination Grocery/Other · 24

  • cvs 6550, plainfield
  • cvs 6555, brownsburg
  • cvs 6556, danville
  • cvs 6559, avon
  • cvs pharmacy 1658, avon
  • cvs pharmacy 5067, plainfield
  • dollar general 14499, danville
  • dollar general 3389, brownsburg
  • dollar general 7403, plainfield
  • dollartree 9452, avon
  • dollar general 13212, stilesville
  • dollar general 15463, pittsboro
  • dollar general 22063, north salem
  • dollar general 23705, brownsburg
  • dollar general 24155, danville
  • dollar general 9114, danville
  • dollar general store 12684, lizton
  • dollar tree 2086, brownsburg
  • dollar tree 2997, camby
  • dollar tree 3546, avon
  • dollar tree 739, plainfield
  • dollar tree 7473, danville
  • walgreens #6454 06454, brownsburg
  • walgreens 05753, avon

Super Store · 16

  • costco wholesale 1577, avon
  • kroger 985, avon
  • kroger co 215, brownsburg
  • kroger j-118, plainfield
  • kroger j-947, danville
  • meijer 256, plainfield
  • meijer inc 133, avon
  • meijer inc 204, camby
  • target store 1788, avon
  • target store 773, plainfield
  • walmart 2786, avon
  • walmart 2788, brownsburg
  • walmart 828, plainfield
  • walmart neighborhood market 6470, plainfield
  • walmart supercenter 4417, camby
  • walmart supercenter 6476, danville

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 44051, brownsburg
  • aldi 44055 44055, plainfield
  • aldi 60012 60012, avon

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • redias african market, avon
  • virsa indian grocery store inc, plainfield

Bakery Specialty · 1

  • papa murphy's pizza in044, plainfield

Farmers' Market · 1

  • brownsburg farmers market, brownsburg

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Indiana

Adams County
17.5% low-access · 6.6% SNAP
Allen County
37.8% low-access · 9.1% SNAP
Bartholomew County
36.4% low-access · 7.4% SNAP
Benton County
1.7% low-access · 11.7% SNAP
Blackford County
15.2% low-access · 14.6% SNAP
Boone County
17.9% low-access · 3.7% SNAP

Compare Hendricks County vs Adams County → · All Indiana counties →

Food access nationally, Indiana in context

Hendricks County sits inside Indiana (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 Hendricks County has low food access? ▼
51.5% of residents in Hendricks County, IN 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 Hendricks County? ▼
3.3% of households in Hendricks County receive SNAP, covering 2,220 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Hendricks County? ▼
The poverty rate in Hendricks County, IN is 5.3%, with a median household income of $101,144 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Hendricks County a food desert? ▼
1 of Hendricks County's 21 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 Hendricks County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.3% of households in Hendricks 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.