County food-access profile · Michigan
Kent County, MI
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Kent 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).
- 20.3%
- low-access pop.
- 5
- food-desert tracts
- 10.3%
- on SNAP
- 663K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
20.3% of Kent County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 128 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 45
- low-access tracts
- 23K
- food-desert residents
- 6.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 10.1%
- 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).
USDA data puts Kent County's low-access share at 20.3%, above the national share. 45 of the county's 128 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 122,554 people. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 23,231 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 Kent County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Kent County's 20.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 47% of them and ranked #1,668 most-affected nationwide.
Kent County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 128 census tracts in Kent County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Kent County vs. other Michigan counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Michigan
- Kent
Kent County, MI
20.3 % low-access
- Alcona
Alcona County, MI
15.6 % low-access
- Alger
Alger County, MI
12.8 % low-access
- Allegan
Allegan County, MI
20.8 % low-access
- Alpena
Alpena County, MI
15.9 % low-access
- Antrim 0.2
Antrim County, MI
0.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 128 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 602,622 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 45 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 5 |
| Low-Access Population | 122,554 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.3%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 23,231 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 663,150 |
| Median Household Income | $82,631 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.1%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 26,393 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 10.3%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.8% |
About 10.3% of Kent County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 20.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 10.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 26,393 households here.
- 6.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 5 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 Kent County
above the national share
5 of Kent County's 128 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 3.9% of all its tracts.
A further 40 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 45.
An estimated 122,554 residents, roughly 20.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 23,231 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 83 tracts (64.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Kent County
Kent County has 536 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 137 locations (26% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 137
- 28th breton shell 4830, grand rapids
- 28th e paris shell 4860, grand rapids
- 28th st citgo 28, grand rapids
- 28th street party store, wyoming
- 36th st citgo 3, grand rapids
- 44th st citgo 32, wyoming
- 44th st shell 4250, wyoming
- 54th/division shell 4200, grand rapids
- 616 liquor, grand rapids
- 76th street citgo 47, grand rapids
- 84th st citgo 18, byron center
- a & b grocery, grand rapids
- admiral 5759, lowell
- admiral 5770, lowell
- admiral 5822, sparta
- aikan liquor, grand rapids
- all american north country store, kent city
- alpine citgo 615725, grand rapids
- alpine ez mart 232, comstock park
- alpine liquor, comstock park
- apple valley natural foods #710, kentwood
- b bliss llc, grand rapids
- b&b party store, grand rapids
- ball park party store, grand rapids
- ballpark citgo 13, comstock park
- beer run, grand rapids
- bella vista citgo 615721, rockford
- belmans bakery inc, wyoming
- beltline shell 4045, grand rapids
- big apple mart party store, grand rapids
- boston square shell 4055, grand rapids
- bottlenecks, grand rapids
- bricks alto marathon, alto
- bricks at campau corner 3, alto
- broadmoor convenience store 1, caledonia
- buddys liquor, grand rapids
- burton citgo 40, wyoming
- burton heights foodland, grand rapids
- burton marathon, grand rapids
- burton market, grand rapids
- burton quick stop, grand rapids
- burton quick stop ii, wyoming
- butterworth party store, grand rapids
- casey's 5215, walker
- casey's 5216, grand rapids
- casey's 5217, grandville
- casey's 5218, grandville
- casey's 5219, grand rapids
- casey's 5220, grand rapids
- casey's 5221, wyoming
- casey's 5222, wyoming
- circle k 4706208, comstock park
- circle k 4706316, caledonia
- circle k 4706318, comstock
- cannonsburg gristmill, cannonsburg
- cascade citgo 17, grand rapids
- cascade johnny's market 4075, grand rapids
- cedar citgo 5, cedar springs
- century food and liquor, grand rapids
- champion beverage, grand rapids
- charlie's party store, grand rapids
- circle k 6207, grand rapids
- citgo east 44th street 49, kentwood
- citgo kentwood, grand rapids
- clyde park foods, wyoming
- clyde park fuel, wyoming
- coit libation station, grand rapids
- cornerstone 330, grand rapids
- cottage market citgo 33, greenville
- creston market, grand rapids
- d & w quick stop 713, grand rapids
- dannys beverage, grand rapids
- division 23, grand rapids
- downtown mobil, grand rapids
- dutton bp llc dba dutton marathon, caledonia
- e & j laundromat & store, grand rapids
- eastern avenue marathon, grand rapids
- eastern gas station, grand rapids
- eastown citgo 34, grand rapids
- eli's breton village mobil, llc, grand rapids
- eli's northeast shell autowash, inc, grand rapids
- fulton party store, grand rapids
- family fare express 760, wyoming
- family fare express 765, rockford
- family fare express 834, byron center
- family fare express 855, grand rapids
- fannie's corner, grand rapids
- farm market at from, lowell
- fas mart 5052, grand rapids
- food mart, grand rapids
- franklin beer wine & gas, grand rapids
- franklin big save, grand rapids
- franklin taj bp, grand rapids
- fruitridge citgo 15, walker
- gr city market, grand rapids
- grattan general store, belding
- gaines marketplace 4530, caledonia
- galewod foods, wyoming
- goldkaja petroleum, grand rapids
- gowen ago 43, gowen
- grand valley party store, grandville
- grandville citgo 42, grandville
- grandville party store, grand rapids
- grandville shell 4850, grandville
- hall street party store, grand rapids
- handy market, cedar springs
- harry's corner, grand rapids
- hometown pharmacy 55 - walker 55, grand rapids
- imperial bakery gto, wyoming
- j & h family stores - northern spr 129, cedar springs
- j & h family stores - plainfield 106, grand rapids
- j & h family stores - burton 142, grand rapids
- j & h family stores - clyde park 147, wyoming
- j & h family stores - exit 76 auto truck stop 101, byron center
- j & h family stores - gezon mobil mart 131, wyoming
- j & h family stores - lowell mobil mart 135, lowell
- j & h family stores - mall view 150, byron center
- j & h family stores - meadowbrooke mobil mart 111, grand rapids
- j & h family stores - rockford mobil mart 128, rockford
- j & h family stores - south express 151, byron center
- j & h family stores - sunnybrook mobil mart 113, grandville
- j & h family stores - walker mobil mart 105, grand rapids
- j & h family stores - wilson 148, grandville
- j & k party store, grand rapids
- j & r liquor, wyoming
- j&h family stores - alpine mobil 141, grand rapids
- j&h family stores - byron center 165, byron center
- j&h family stores - fallasburg mobil 145, lowell
- j&h family stores - lake bella vista 126, rockford
- j&h family stores - post drive 159, belmont
- j&h family stores - walker view 163, grand rapids
- j&h family stores - york creek 155, comstock park
- j&h family stores- cedar rock 108, rockford
- j&h family stores-remembrance 110, walker
- j&h family stores - pit stop 109, wyoming
- jj ghotra, rockford
- jj ghotra inc, grand rapids
Combination Grocery/Other · 110
- a dong market, grand rapids
- asian delight marketplace, kentwood
- baileys grove beverage, grand rapids
- cvs 5610, grand rapids
- cvs 8290, wyoming
- cvs 8293, grand rapids
- cvs pharmacy 8291, grand rapids
- dollar general 10158, walker
- dollar general 10531, grand rapids
- dollar general 10561, wyoming
- dollar general 11606, caledonia
- dollar general 14180, grand rapids
- dollar general 14539, caledonia
- dollar general 18847, grand rapids
- dollar general 5853, belmont
- dollar general 6209, walker
- dollar general 7535, grandville
- dollar general 7639, sparta
- dollar general 8221, grand rapids
- dollar general 9222, rockford
- dollar general 9718, grand rapids
- dollar tree 0691, wyoming
- dollar tree 2517, grand rapids
- dollar tree 2882, grand rapids
- dollar tree 4700, grand rapids
- dollartree 10229, grand rapids
- dollartree 10650, grand rapids
- dollartree 10764, grand rapids
- dollartree 5295, lowell
- dollar general 11461, grand rapids
- dollar general 12357, grand rapids
- dollar general 13614, wyoming
- dollar general 18010, gowen
- dollar general 18124, kent city
- dollar general 19154, grand rapids
- dollar general 19155, grand rapids
- dollar general 19166, wyoming
- dollar general 20657, wyoming
- dollar general 20820, alto
- dollar general 21060, wyoming
- dollar general 21521, grand rapids
- dollar general 22770, grand rapids
- dollar general 22792, rockford
- dollar general 25080, sparta
- dollar general 30346, wyoming
- dollar general 31344, grand rapids
- dollar general 6296, cedar springs
- dollar general 8343, lowell
- dollar general store 13000, grand rapids
- dollar tree 165, kentwood
- dollar tree 1917, grand rapids
- dollar tree 3616, grandville
- dollar tree 4032, grand rapids
- dollar tree 4804, grand rapids
- dollar tree 5272, cedar springs
- dollar tree 5649, grand rapids
- dollar tree 5667, byron center
- dollar tree 6218, walker
- dollar tree 6232, wyoming
- dollar tree 6650, grandville
- dollar tree 7307, grand rapids
- family dollar 10127, grand rapids
- family dollar 10295, grand rapids
- family dollar 11605, sand lake
- family dollar 12139, syoming
- family dollar 8319, kentwood
- family dollar 8422, grand rapids
- family dollar store 11107, grand rapids
- family dollar store 1436, grand rapids
- family dollar store 1607, grand rapids
- family dollar store 2354, grand rapids
- family dollar store 4760, grand rapids
- family dollar store 5697, grand rapids
- family dollar store 5707, wyoming
- family dollar store 5926, grand rapids
- family dollar store 7430, kent city
- family dollar store 7504, grand rapids
- fast lane party store, grand rapids
- hawaii market n/a, grand rapids
- heffron farms market, grand rapids
- indian spice and grocery bazar, grand rapids
- korting, grand rapids
- lee's oriental market, grand rapids
- mi bella guatemala store llc, grand rapids
- royal india market llc, grand rapids
- spice of india, grand rapids
- supermercado la victoria, grand rapids
- tamu tamu market, grand rapids
- vanden brink sweet smoked honey ham, grand rapids
- walgreens 02581, grand rapids
- walgreens 15466, grand rapids
- walgreens 2714, wyoming
- walgreens 3012, grandville
- walgreens 3426, grand rapids
- walgreens 5095, grand rapids
- walgreens 04413, grand rapids
- walgreens 04726, grand rapids
- walgreens 05534, kentwood
- walgreens 07140, grand rapids
- walgreens 07160, grandville
- walgreens 09131, grand rapids
- walgreens 10129, byron center
- walgreens 10351, walker
- walgreens 10803, kentwood
- walgreens 11249, wyoming
- walgreens 11801, wyoming
- walgreens 12561, grand rapids
- walgreens 12777, grand rapids
- walgreens 12893, lowell
- walgreens 15007, grand rapids
Bakery Specialty · 3
- aunt millies bakery outlet 50026, grand rapids
- papa murphy's pizza mi026, grand rapids
- papa murphy's pizza mi031, grand rapids
Showing 250 of 536 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Michigan
Compare Kent County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →
Food access nationally, Michigan in context
Kent County sits inside Michigan (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 Kent County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Kent County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Kent County? ▼
Is Kent County a food desert? ▼
What share of Kent 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.