County food-access profile · Washington
Island County, WA
Island County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 11.4%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 7.7%
- on SNAP
- 87K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
11.4% of Island County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 21 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- food-desert residents
- 3.8%
- households, no vehicle
- 7.7%
- 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).
Island County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 11.4% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 21 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 8,980 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 4,036 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 Island County compares nationally
Island County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 11.4% low-access share that beats 24% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,385).
Island County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 21 census tracts in Island County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Island County vs. other Washington counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Washington
- Island 11.4
Island County, WA
11.4 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, WA
41.7 % low-access
- Asotin 13.8
Asotin County, WA
13.8 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, WA
22.8 % low-access
- Chelan
Chelan County, WA
18.1 % low-access
- Clallam
Clallam County, WA
38.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 21 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 78,506 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 8,980 |
| Low-Access Share | 11.4%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 4,036 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 86,836 |
| Median Household Income | $90,551 |
| Poverty Rate | 7.7%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,771 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 7.7%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 3.8%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.6% |
About 7.7% of Island County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 11.4% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 7.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,771 households here.
- 3.8% 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 Island County
near the national share
2 of Island County's 21 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 9.5% of all its tracts.
A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.
An estimated 8,980 residents, roughly 11.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 4,036 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 18 tracts (85.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Island County
Island County has 29 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 8 locations (28% of the total), followed by super store.
Convenience Store · 8
- 7-eleven 18255a, oak harbor
- 7-eleven 25888b, oak harbor
- arco ampm 7057, oak harbor
- dk market, oak harbor
- global food mart, oak harbor
- jkm petroleum inc, clinton
- soundview shopper, oak harbor
- west view mart 1, oak harbor
Super Store · 7
- camano plaza market, camano island
- goose community grocer, langley
- grocery outlet of oak harbor 427, oak harbor
- pay-less foods, freeland
- prairie center market, coupeville
- saars market place food & drug 610, oak harbor
- walmart 2319, oak harbor
Combination Grocery/Other · 4
- cvs pharmacy 11645, freeland
- dollar tree 3236, oak harbor
- the star store, langley
- walgreens 11214, oak harbor
Supermarket · 3
- kens korner red apple na, clinton
- safeway 0402, oak harbor
- safeway inc dba haggen 3427, oak harbor
Farmers' Market · 2
- bayview farmers market llc, langley
- south whidbey tilth, langley
Small Grocery Store · 2
- k&c filipino store, oak harbor
- perlas lumpia and oriental mini-m, oak harbor
Bakery Specialty · 1
- papa murphys pizza wa011 wa011, oak harbor
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- clinton food mart, clinton
Military Commissary · 1
- deca whidbey island nas commissary 1248, oak harbor
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Washington
Compare Island County vs Adams County → · All Washington counties →
Food access nationally, Washington in context
Island County sits inside Washington (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 Island County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Island County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Island County? ▼
Is Island County a food desert? ▼
What share of Island 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.