PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Hillsdale County, MI

Most of Hillsdale 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).

5.4%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
12.0%
on SNAP
46K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

5.4% of Hillsdale County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

2
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
5.5%
households, no vehicle
14.4%
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, Hillsdale County fares better than most: just 5.4% of residents live in a low-access tract, below the national share. Still, 2 of the county's 12 tracts meet that threshold, covering about 2,509 people who live far from a supermarket, and 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,056 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 Hillsdale County compares nationally

Food access in Hillsdale County compares favorably nationally: its 5.4% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 11% of them (rank #2,793).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Hillsdale County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 10 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 10 tracts adequate (83.3%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (16.7%) Adequate 83% Limited 0% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Hillsdale County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)46,688
Low-Access Tracts2
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population2,509
Low-Access Share5.4%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,056

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Hillsdale County
IndicatorValue
Population45,654
Median Household Income$64,242
Poverty Rate14.4%near the national average
SNAP Households2,152
SNAP Participation Rate12.0%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population3.4%
SNAP participation in Hillsdale County 12.0%

About 12.0% of Hillsdale County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 5.4% of residents are low-access, below the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,152 households here.
  • 5.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Hillsdale County

below the national share

2 of Hillsdale County's 12 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 16.7% of all its tracts.

An estimated 2,509 residents, roughly 5.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,056 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 10 tracts (83.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Hillsdale County

Hillsdale County has 46 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 23 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 23

  • admiral 5841, hillsdale
  • davis economy service, osseo
  • express stop 4661, north adams
  • express stop 4664, jerome
  • hillsdale grab 'n go, hillsdale
  • lightning quick gas n go 27, hillsdale
  • lightning quick gas n go 28, jonesville
  • lightning quick gas n go 29, litchfield
  • lightning quick gas n go 7, jonesville
  • lightning quick gas n go 19, reading
  • lightning quick gas n go 20, camden
  • litchfield fastlane 169, litchfield
  • litchfield shell 1550, litchfield
  • long lake grocery, reading
  • marv's hemlock party & bait, reading
  • meijer express 333, hillsdale
  • north adams general store, north adams
  • ps food mart 3002, hillsdale
  • ps food mart #3026 3026, jonesville
  • ps food mart 3029, hillsdale
  • ps food mart 3030, jonesville
  • reading ps mart 3009, reading
  • sand lake party store, hillsdale

Combination Grocery/Other · 15

  • dollar general 10316, reading
  • dollar general 13823, camden
  • dollar general 18972, osseo
  • dollar general 7831, hillsdale
  • dollar general 12356, somerset center
  • dollar general 21537, hillsdale
  • dollar general 22182, waldron
  • dollar general 22605, north adams
  • dollar general 22727, hillsdale
  • dollar general 24377, jonesville
  • dollar general store 12681, litchfield
  • dollar tree 5501, jonesville
  • family dollar 11421, pittsford
  • family dollar 13759, reading
  • walgreens 10288, hillsdale

Super Store · 4

  • hillsdale market house, hillsdale
  • kroger store 681, hillsdale
  • meijer 333, hillsdale
  • walmart 1809, jonesville

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • m & m smokehouse, osseo

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • pleasant view beef, jonesville

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • jerome country market, jerome

Supermarket · 1

  • aldi 67143, hillsdale

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 Hillsdale County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale County has low food access? ▼
5.4% of residents in Hillsdale 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 Hillsdale County? ▼
12.0% of households in Hillsdale County receive SNAP, covering 2,152 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Hillsdale County? ▼
The poverty rate in Hillsdale County, MI is 14.4%, with a median household income of $64,242 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Hillsdale County a food desert? ▼
2 of Hillsdale County's 12 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 Hillsdale County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.5% of households in Hillsdale 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.