PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Ohio

Highland County, OH

Most of Highland County sits within reach of a supermarket, better than most U.S. counties. This profile covers who, if anyone, qualifies as a food desert here, plus the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

6.1%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
15.1%
on SNAP
44K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 OH

The food-access picture

6.1% of Highland County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
6.8%
households, no vehicle
14.1%
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).

By the USDA's measure, Highland County fares better than most: just 6.1% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 2 of the county's 9 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 2,660 people who live far from a supermarket, and 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,031 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 Highland County compares nationally

Food access in Highland County compares favorably nationally: its 6.1% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 12% of them (rank #2,760).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Highland County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 9 census tracts in Highland 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 Highland County, OH USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (77.8%) 1 tracts limited (11.1%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (11.1%) Adequate 78% Limited 11% Severe 11% Food-access tier distribution: Highland County, OH
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Highland County vs. other Ohio counties

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

% 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 Highland County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)43,589
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population2,660
Low-Access Share6.1%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,031

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Highland County
IndicatorValue
Population43,517
Median Household Income$65,785
Poverty Rate14.1%near the national average
SNAP Households2,555
SNAP Participation Rate15.1%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.8%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.1%
SNAP participation in Highland County 15.1%

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

What this means

  • 6.1% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 15.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,555 households here.
  • 6.8% 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 Highland County

below the national share

1 of Highland County's 9 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.1% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 2.

An estimated 2,660 residents, roughly 6.1% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,031 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 7 tracts (77.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Highland County

Highland County has 47 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 22 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 22

  • allensburg 1st stop 88, hillsboro
  • belfast market, hillsboro
  • buford convenient mart, mount orab
  • carmel market llc, hillsboro
  • clark, greenfield
  • east main sunoco, hillsboro
  • hillsboro 1st stop 42, hillsboro
  • hillsboro convenient foodmart, hillsboro
  • joey's pizza & video, hillsboro
  • leesburg 1st stop 75, leesburg
  • lynchburg 1st stop 82, lynchburg
  • maplecrest meats & more, hillsboro
  • marshall food mart, hillsboro
  • mowrystown 1st stop 70, mowrystown
  • murphy usa 6833, hillsboro
  • north end sunoco, greenfield
  • rainsboro 1st stop 60, greenfield
  • rocky road sunoco, hillsboro
  • sinking spring 1st stop 58, sinking spring
  • speedway 1189 1189, hillsboro
  • speedway 5413 5413, hillsboro
  • west end sunoco, greenfield

Combination Grocery/Other · 18

  • cvs 3446, hillsboro
  • dollar general 1575, hillsboro
  • dollar general 520, greenfield
  • dollar general 7333, hillsboro
  • dollar tree 4706, hillsboro
  • dollar general 12462, leesburg
  • dollar general 19752, hillsboro
  • dollar general 24896, mowrystown
  • dollar general 24897, hillsboro
  • dollar general 25523, hillsboro
  • dollar general 30842, hillsboro
  • dollar general 7347, lynchburg
  • family dollar 10455, sinking springs
  • family dollar 13376, hillsboro
  • family dollar 8799, hillsboro
  • family dollar store 1691, greenfield
  • united dairy farmers 095, hillsboro
  • walgreens 11158, hillsboro

Supermarket · 5

  • aldi 61102, hillsboro
  • community markets 200, hillsboro
  • community markets 590, greenfield
  • save a lot 21718, hillsboro
  • save a lot 21719, greenfield

Super Store · 2

  • kroger 380, hillsboro
  • walmart 3515, hillsboro

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Ohio

Adams County
22.0% low-access · 20.7% SNAP
Allen County
17.4% low-access · 13.8% SNAP
Ashland County
5.0% low-access · 8.9% SNAP
Ashtabula County
21.9% low-access · 18.2% SNAP
Athens County
17.0% low-access · 14.4% SNAP
Auglaize County
9.9% low-access · 6.8% SNAP

Compare Highland County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →

Food access nationally, Ohio in context

Highland County sits inside Ohio (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 Highland County has low food access? ▼
6.1% of residents in Highland County, OH 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 Highland County? ▼
15.1% of households in Highland County receive SNAP, covering 2,555 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Highland County? ▼
The poverty rate in Highland County, OH is 14.1%, with a median household income of $65,785 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Highland County a food desert? ▼
1 of Highland County's 9 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 Highland County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.8% of households in Highland 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.