PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Illinois

Kendall County, IL

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

33.8%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
8.6%
on SNAP
138K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IL

The food-access picture

33.8% of Kendall County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 10 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents
2.2%
households, no vehicle
5.4%
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).

USDA data puts Kendall County's low-access share at 33.8%, above the national share. 6 of the county's 10 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 38,750 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 7,040 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 Kendall County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Kendall County's 33.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 78% of them and ranked #687 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Kendall County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 10 census tracts in Kendall 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 Kendall County, IL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 4 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 5 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 10 tracts evaluated. 4 tracts adequate (40.0%) 5 tracts limited (50.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (10.0%) Adequate 40% Limited 50% Severe 10% Food-access tier distribution: Kendall County, IL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Kendall County vs. other Illinois counties

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

% 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 Kendall County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts10
Atlas Population (2010 basis)114,736
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population38,750
Low-Access Share33.8%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population7,040

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Kendall County
IndicatorValue
Population137,675
Median Household Income$111,601
Poverty Rate5.4%well below the national average
SNAP Households3,907
SNAP Participation Rate8.6%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle2.2%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.3%
SNAP participation in Kendall County 8.6%

About 8.6% of Kendall County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 33.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 8.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,907 households here.
  • 2.2% 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 Kendall County

above the national share

1 of Kendall County's 10 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 10.0% of all its tracts.

A further 5 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.

An estimated 38,750 residents, roughly 33.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 7,040 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 4 tracts (40.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Kendall County

Kendall County has 70 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 32 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 32

  • 7-eleven 27099c, oswego
  • 7-eleven 38672a 38672a, oswego
  • bp oswego, oswego
  • c-stop citgo, plano
  • casey's 6546, oswego
  • casey's general store 3469, plano
  • casey's general store 3725, yorkville
  • circle k 4706712, yorkville
  • circle k 4706716, yorkville
  • circle k 4706753, oswego
  • circle k 4706822, oswego
  • circle k 4706833, minooka
  • circle k 4706893, plano
  • energymart inc., oswego
  • expresslane 65, plano
  • fox hill pantry, yorkville
  • fruitful yield oswego 1126, oswego
  • gas n wash mill road, oswego
  • gas n wash orchard and jericho, montgomery
  • gas n wash plano, plano
  • graham c-stores co - yorkville 204, yorkville
  • lenny's gas n wash yorkville, llc, yorkville
  • marathon gas station, montgomery
  • meijer gas station 239, oswego
  • murphy usa 7442, oswego
  • murphy usa 7896, plano
  • oswego bp, oswego
  • oswego petroleum inc, oswego
  • quiktrip 4433, yorkville
  • speedway 1417, oswego
  • speedway 2120, oswego
  • speedway 7113, yorkville

Combination Grocery/Other · 18

  • dollar general 0152, montgomery
  • dollar general 3927, sandwich
  • dollar general 9047, montgomery
  • dollartree 8844, oswego
  • dollar general 25475, oswego
  • dollar general store 17086, newark
  • dollar tree 3738, montgomery
  • dollar tree 5149, yorkville
  • dollar tree 7686, montgomery
  • family dollar 3346, plano
  • plano rural king supply 55, plano
  • walgreens 04779, montgomery
  • walgreens 06469, yorkville
  • walgreens 01484, oswego
  • walgreens 05824, oswego
  • walgreens 10498, yorkville
  • walgreens 10885, montgomery
  • walgreens 11740, montgomery

Super Store · 9

  • chiquita food market montgomery, inc., montgomery
  • costco wholesale 1763, yorkville
  • meijer inc 239, oswego
  • sam's club 6388, montgomery
  • target store 1402, oswego
  • target store 2378, yorkville
  • walmart 3400, oswego
  • walmart 4286, montgomery
  • walmart supercenter 1003, plano

Supermarket · 7

  • aldi 40074, oswego
  • aldi 68047 68047, yorkville
  • aldi 70053 70053, montgomery
  • aldi 80060 80060, plano
  • jewel 81, oswego
  • jewel food store 2702, yorkville
  • jewel food store 4138, oswego

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • central market produce inc 2, plano
  • oswego food mart, oswego

Farmers' Market · 1

  • oswego country market nafmnp, oswego

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • the little marketa, plano

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Illinois

Adams County
16.5% low-access · 12.4% SNAP
Alexander County
49.6% low-access · 26.8% SNAP
Bond County
20.8% low-access · 12.9% SNAP
Boone County
31.5% low-access · 14.3% SNAP
Brown County
34.5% low-access · 12.1% SNAP
Bureau County
36.6% low-access · 13.5% SNAP

Compare Kendall County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →

Food access nationally, Illinois in context

Kendall County sits inside Illinois (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 Kendall County has low food access? ▼
33.8% of residents in Kendall County, IL 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 Kendall County? ▼
8.6% of households in Kendall County receive SNAP, covering 3,907 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Kendall County? ▼
The poverty rate in Kendall County, IL is 5.4%, with a median household income of $111,601 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Kendall County a food desert? ▼
1 of Kendall County's 10 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 Kendall County households lack a vehicle? ▼
2.2% of households in Kendall 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.