Signature · 60 SNAP-authorized stores

Ionia County, MI

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

27.3%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
13.6%
on SNAP
67K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

USDA FARA access plate

County Ionia County, MI

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN

  • LA-ELEVATED 27.3% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +5.2 pts vs US
  • LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
  • SNAP-HEAVY 13.6% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 6.2% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-THIN 8% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Macomb County (+ 0.0 pts)

The food-access picture

According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Ionia County ranks #1,128 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #22 of 80 counties in MI (27.3% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).

#1,128
national by low-access %
#22
in MI
4
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents

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).

Signature read: 60 SNAP-authorized stores .

How Ionia County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Ionia County's 27.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 64% of them and ranked #1,133 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Ionia County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

13 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Ionia County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 13 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (69.2%) 3 tracts limited (23.1%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (7.7%) Adequate 69% Limited 23% Severe 8% Food-access tier distribution: Ionia County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Ionia County has 6 urban and 7 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.

Ionia County low-access neighbourhood

Poles + nearest peers in Michigan, not a full county-board reprint

% 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 Ionia County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts13
Atlas Population (2010 basis)63,905
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population17,433
Low-Access Share27.3%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,384

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Ionia County
IndicatorValue
Population66,574
Median Household Income$75,611
Poverty Rate10.6%below the national average
SNAP Households3,177
SNAP Participation Rate13.6%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.2%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population5.1%

Thick SNAP store book in Ionia County

Ionia County has 60 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 31

  • 66 riverside llc, orleans
  • admiral 5882, ionia
  • belding ago 4, belding
  • belding marathon, belding
  • even more purks, ionia
  • fabiano's westside grocery, portland
  • ionia city market, ionia
  • ionia marathon, ionia
  • ionia shell 4380, ionia
  • joe's market, palo
  • lake o mart, lake odessa
  • lake odessa express 83, lake odessa
  • lake odessa shell 4450, lake odessa
  • m-21 mobil, ionia
  • m66 mobil, ionia
  • more purks, ionia
  • mays corner, ionia
  • meijer gas station 303, ionia
  • muir mini mart, muir
  • om one stop shop, ionia
  • orleans petroleum llc, orleans
  • pilot travel center 23, ionia
  • portland citgo ago 615720, portland
  • portland shell 1755, portland
  • sai belding oil llc, belding
  • sai portland oil, portland
  • seans pop shop, orleans
  • speedway 2319, portland
  • speedway 3592, saranac
  • wesco 39, belding
  • woods deli llc, pewamo

Combination Grocery/Other · 12

  • dollar general 6876, belding
  • dollar general 7564, ionia
  • dollar general 10781, saranac
  • dollar general 17765, muir
  • dollar general 20393, orleans
  • dollar general 21381, clarksville
  • dollar tree 3227, ionia
  • family dollar store 2205, belding
  • family dollar store 3746, portland
  • family dollar store 5591, lake odessa
  • jones farm market, saranac
  • walgreens 07952, ionia

Supermarket · 5

  • aldi 67027 67027, ionia
  • carls market of lake odessa, lake odessa
  • ken's farm market, llc, ionia
  • leppinks inc 509, belding
  • save a lot belding 456, belding

Farmers' Market · 4

  • denny farms, saranac
  • ionia farmers market, ionia
  • ionia harvest marketplace, inc. n/a, ionia
  • market on main, ionia

Super Store · 3

  • meijer inc 303, ionia
  • toms food center inc, portland
  • walmart supercenter 5411, ionia

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2

  • pinckney hill meat co, saranac
  • yes deer pro, orleans

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • sav-a-lot 23503, belding

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • muir village market, muir

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • hubbardston market, hubbardston

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Michigan

One of 82 counties in Michigan, 6 are shown here.

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

Nationwide peers for Ionia County's low-access or SNAP share

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Ionia County, both outside Michigan so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside MI (27.3% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside MI (13.6% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Ionia County sits inside Michigan (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Read with this county

Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .

PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Ionia County, MI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 26067. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.

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.