Signature · 8.0% low-access (16th pct)

Knox County, ME

Knox County lands in the lower national band on low-access (8.0%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

8.0%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
8.5%
on SNAP
41K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 ME

USDA FARA access plate

County Knox County, ME

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR

  • LA-MODERATE 8.0% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -14.1 pts vs US
  • LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 8.5% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 5.4% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Androscoggin County (+ 1.2 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Knox County lands in the lower national band (8.0%, #2,641 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,641
national by low-access %
#12
in ME
3
low-access tracts
660
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 8.0% low-access (16th pct) (-14.1 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Knox County compares nationally

Knox County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.0% low-access share that beats 16% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,646).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Knox County's lower-band USDA tier split

10 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Knox County, ME USDA-defined food-access tiers: 7 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 10 tracts evaluated. 7 tracts adequate (70.0%) 3 tracts limited (30.0%) Adequate 70% Limited 30% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Knox County, ME
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Knox County has 3 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.

Knox County vs nearby low low-access peers

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

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Knox County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts10
Atlas Population (2010 basis)39,736
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population3,194
Low-Access Share8.0%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population660

ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Knox County
IndicatorValue
Population41,003
Median Household Income$74,096
Poverty Rate8.2%well below the national average
SNAP Households1,572
SNAP Participation Rate8.5%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.4%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.4%

Thick SNAP store book in Knox County

Knox County has 45 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 21 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 21

  • andes variety, warren
  • circle k 4707092, rockland
  • circle k 7103, rockport
  • edgecomb's, appleton
  • four corner variety, union
  • jacksons' corner store, washington
  • mic mac market, union
  • maritime farms #11 683, warren
  • maritime farms #13 676, rockland
  • maritime farms #18 677, rockland
  • maritime farms #52 675, rockland
  • maritime farms 674, south thomaston
  • maritime farms 681, union
  • north haven inn & market, north haven
  • nouria 160 new county road 1103, thomaston
  • nouria 536 old county road 1099, rockland
  • pick qwik, thomaston
  • pushaws trading post, hope
  • tenants harbor general store, tenants harbor
  • tolman pond market 680, rockport
  • washington general, washington

Combination Grocery/Other · 7

  • dollar general 18129, union
  • dollar tree 5919, rockland
  • family dollar store 5760, rockland
  • megunticook market, camden
  • ocean state job lot 475, rockland
  • walgreens 17473, rockland
  • walgreens 17523, camden

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • fresh off the farm, rockport
  • good tern natural foods co-op & cafe, rockland
  • lincoln's country store, warren

Small Grocery Store · 3

  • keag store, south thomaston
  • south end grocery, rockland
  • thomaston grocery, thomaston

Super Store · 3

  • hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8151, camden
  • hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8230, rockland
  • walmart 1797, thomaston

Supermarket · 3

  • carvers harbor market inc, vinalhaven
  • french & brawn, inc, camden
  • shaw's supermarket 3548, rockland

Farmers' Market · 2

  • camden farmers' market nafmnp, camden
  • rockland farmers' market nafmnp, rockland

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • graffam bros seafood market, rockport
  • the common market, union

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • jess's market, inc., rockland

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

Other Counties in Maine

One of 15 counties in Maine, 6 are shown here.

Compare Knox County vs Androscoggin County → · All Maine counties →

Counties near Knox County's lower low-access or SNAP band

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

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside ME (8.0% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside ME (8.5% 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.

Knox County inside a lower low-access state context

Knox County sits inside Maine (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 Knox County, ME are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 23013. 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.