Signature · 9.4% SNAP (13th pct in IL)
Lake County, IL
Lake County sits in the upper national band on low-access (34.4%, +12.3 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 34.4%
- low-access pop.
- 8
- food-desert tracts
- 9.4%
- on SNAP
- 714K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Lake County, IL
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-ELEVATED 34.4% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +12.3 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 8 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 9.4% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 5% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Brown County (+ 0.1 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Lake County sits in the upper national band (34.4%, #638 of 3,079) with 8 LILA tracts.
- #638
- national by low-access %
- #21
- in IL
- 93
- low-access tracts
- 42K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 9.4% SNAP (13th pct in IL) (-2.7 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Lake County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lake County's 34.4% low-access share is elevated, higher than 79% of them and ranked #638 most-affected nationwide.
Lake County's elevated USDA tier split
152 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 8 LILA.
Lake County is mostly urban by USDA tract type (141 urban, 11 rural), so most of its low-access count comes from the 1-mile test; the 11 rural tracts are held to 10 miles.
Lake County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Jackson
Jackson 34.9%
34.9 % low-access
- Brown
Brown 34.5%
34.5 % low-access
- Lake
Lake 34.4%
34.4 % low-access
- Peoria
Peoria 34.2%
34.2 % low-access
- Kendall
Kendall 33.8%
33.8 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 152 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 703,462 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 93 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 8 |
| Low-Access Population | 242,056 |
| Low-Access Share | 34.4%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 41,871 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 714,223 |
| Median Household Income | $110,416 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.3%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 24,166 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.4%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.8% |
Thick SNAP store book in Lake County
Lake County has 410 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 12 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 182 locations (44% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
44 towns share the 410 authorized stores; Waukegan holds 20% of them. 13 of the 44 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Beach Park, Wadsworth, Island Lake, Park City, Hainesville, Winthrop Harbor and 7 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Waukegan | 82 | 24 |
| Mundelein | 28 | 9 |
| Gurnee | 23 | 9 |
| Lake Zurich | 21 | 9 |
| Round Lake Beach | 18 | 7 |
| Zion | 18 | 6 |
| Buffalo Grove | 15 | 3 |
| Fox Lake | 15 | 2 |
| Grayslake | 15 | 2 |
| Vernon Hills | 15 | 7 |
Top 10 of 44 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 182
- 1005 golf inc, waukegan
- 1015 food mart inc., north chicago
- 1234 food mart inc, north chicago
- 2107 grand fuel inc, waukegan
- 33199 inc, grayslake
- 7-eleven, lake forest
- 7-eleven #33893b #33893b, lake zurich
- 7-eleven 33131, hainesville
- 7-eleven 33736b, mundelein
- 7-eleven, lake forest
- 7-eleven 21163g, round lake heights
- 7-eleven 33144c, zion
- 7-eleven 33869b, buffalo grove
- a & n liquor & deli, ingleside
- a&e mini mart, waukegan
- amazing dollar plus inc., waukegan
- american gas & food ent inc, wadsworth
- anna's marketplace & car wash 38512, beach park
- anna's marketplace & car wash zion, zion
- antioch kwik pantry, antioch
- bishoy corporation, gurnee
- bp, zion
- bp gas station, antioch
- beach park bp, beach park
- beach park mini mart, beach park
- beach park mobil, beach park
- beachpark gas & food llc, beach park
- bp, libertyville
- buffalo grove 996, buffalo grove
- buffalo grove bp gei-153, buffalo grove
- casey's 3916, grayslake
- casey's 3923, beach park
- casey's 4287, gurnee
- casey's 6427, buffalo grove
- casey's 6434, lake zurich
- casey's 6430, highland park
- casey's 6438, vernon hills
- circle k 4706710, barrington
- circle k 4706721, barrington
- circle k 4706732, buffalo grove
- circle k 4706734, buffalo grove
- circle k 4706739, palatine
- circle k 4706743, grayslake
- circle k 4706744, gurnee
- circle k 4706746, lake villa
- circle k 4706747, mundelein
- circle k 4706748, mundelein
- circle k 4706830, fox lake
- circle k 6883, grayslake
- citgo, antioch
- citgo north chicago, north chicago
- dharni gas and food, antioch
- diamond lake mobil llc, mundelein
- diegos mini mart inc, waukegan
- dran gas station, waukegan
- foxlake petro mart, fox lake
- gages lake food and liquor, grayslake
- glen flora mini martinc, waukegan
- graham c-stores co - countryside 107, mundelein
- graham c-stores co - fairfield 109, round lake beach
- graham c-stores co - fox lake 005, fox lake
- graham c-stores co - highland park 011, highland park
- graham c-stores co - lake zurich 003, lake zurich
- graham c-stores co - libertyville 007, libertyville
- graham c-stores co - lincolnshire 010, lincolnshire
- graham c-stores co - north chicago 009, lake bluff
- graham c-stores co - wadsworth 012, wadsworth
- grand shell oil corporation, fox lake
- grandwood mobil, gurnee
- grass lake grocery, lindenhurst
- grayslake 992, grayslake
- grayslake bp at 45 gei-159, grayslake
- gurnee bp, gurnee
- gurnee truck stop, gurnee
- handy spot liquor inc, beach park
- hbsn gas, llc, zion
- home run liquor and food, round lake park
- hot spot food and liquor, waukegan
- imperial food store ii, waukegan
- ins petroleum inc 1701zion, zion
- island lake mobil 50, island lake
- ivanhoe bp (gei-165), mundelein
- j. n. mini mart inc, waukegan
- john's liquor & mini mart, north chicago
- ksp enterprises inc, round lake
- la tiendita de park city, park city
- lake county mart inc, island lake
- lake street bp @ 83 gei-160, grayslake
- lake villa bp gei-175, lake villa
- lake villa marathon, lake villa
- lake villa quik shop gei-103, lake villa
- lake zurich 997, lake zurich
- lenny's gas n wash green oaks, libertyville
- lew's mini mart citgo, highwood
- libertyville 925, libertyville
- libertyville quik shop gei-001, libertyville
- love's travel stop 770, wadsworth
- m & t pantry and liquor, round lake
- mj energy, waukegan
- mannys mini mart, vernon hills
- marathon, waukegan
- meijer gas station 289, round lake beach
- mj7 oil corporation, winthrop harbor
- mobil, lake bluff
- mobil gas station, waukegan
- mobil gas station, libertyville
- mobil mart, ingleside
- mundelein quik shop gei-106, mundelein
- murphy express 8854, lake zurich
- murphy usa 7581, round lake beach
- murphy usa 7593, zion
- murphy usa 7696, waukegan
- north chicago bp gei-146, north chicago
- one stop food and liquor, round lake beach
- quick stop food & liquor, waukegan
- r&d #3 inc, lindenhurst
- r&d# 4 inc, gurnee
- ricky rockets fuel center, buffalo grove
- rmarts lake zurich 52, lake zurich
- rmarts wauconda 56, wauconda
- rollins fuel inc, round lake beach
- round lake beach 928, round lake beach
- round lake bp, round lake
- round lake fuel inc, round lake
- royal food, waukegan
- stop & save, hainesville
- sun rays enterprises inc, fox lake
- sadhi llc, waukegan
- sai ram mart inc, waukegan
- save a stop, fox lake
- sba petroleum inc, mundelein
- shell park city, waukegan
- speedway 3996, volo
- speedway 4248, deerfield
- speedway 4440, beach park
- speedway 6210, lake barrington
- speedway 7216, gurnee
- speedway 7350, gurnee
- speedway 7372 7372, waukegan
- speedway 7459, north chicago
- speedway 7513, mundelein
- speedway 7649, buffalo grove
- srand gas station llc, waukegan
- st martin gas inc., north chicago
- stop & save, beach park
- sukun inc, waukegan
- sunnyside liquor, fox lake
- super quick shop gei-105, mundelein
- supermercados giselle, mundelein
- ta chicago north 30, wadsworth
- taylors stop & shop, gurnee
- the pride of lake county 703, lake zurich
- thorntons 114, round lake beach
- thorntons 129, waukegan
- thorntons 221354, kildeer
- thorntons 221355, deerfield
- thorntons 221362, mundelein
- thorntons 304, round lake park
- thorntons 308, third lake
- thorntons 311, island lake
- thorntons 312, highland park
- thorntons 313, fox lake
- thorntons 321, waukegan
- tobacco shop, waukegan
- toors car and truck plaza, wadsworth
- tristar gas & food mart inc., wadsworth
- vernon hills marathon, vernon hills
- victory mobil, waukegan
- villa's grocery, park city
- vip food & liquor, north chicago
- volo bp gei-167, volo
- waukegan food mart, waukegan
- wadsworth gas & food inc, beach park
- wauconda bp gei-161, wauconda
- waukegan 903, waukegan
- waukegan bay inc, waukegan
- waukegan citgo gas station, waukegan
- waukegan food & fuel, waukegan
- waukegan gas & mini mart inc, waukegan
- winthrop mart, winthrop harbor
- zb mart, waukegan
- zion fuelmart, zion
Combination Grocery/Other · 98 (68 shown)
- alef sausage & deli, mundelein
- ania's polish deli, lake zurich
- cvs 2788, buffalo grove
- cvs 2900, third lake
- cvs 2901, waukegan
- cvs 2902, lake forest
- cvs 7170, round lake
- cvs 8926, antioch
- cvs 8946, long grove
- cvs pharmacy 1172, lindenhurst
- cvs pharmacy 4787, highland park
- cvs pharmacy 7181, barrington
- carniceria mexico, waukegan
- carniceria y fruteria el mexicano, waukegan
- dollar general 14200, winthrop harbor
- dollar general 17013, beach park
- dollar general 1788, round lake
- dollar general 1820, zion
- dollar general 4181, round lake beach
- dollar general 4320, fox lake
- dollar general 6279, waukegan
- dollar tree 0670, waukegan
- dollar tree 4619, fox lake
- dollartree 10605, zion
- dollartree 10714, waukegan
- dollartree 8822, lindenhurst
- dollartree 8953, mundelein
- dollartree 9056, round lake
- dollartree 9368, north chicago
- dollartree 9732, vernon hills
- dollar general 12110, waukegan
- dollar general 12781, chicago
- dollar general 15019, waukegan
- dollar general 21260, waukegan
- dollar general 23554, island lake
- dollar general 23794, zion
- dollar general 25295, gurnee
- dollar general 4152, antioch
- dollar general 4175, grayslake
- dollar tree 1350, lake zurich
- dollar tree 2139, zion
- dollar tree 2318, wauconda
- dollar tree 3649, vernon hills
- dollar tree 3880, waukegan
- dollar tree 4003, gurnee
- dollar tree 4039, waukegan
- dollar tree 4880, waukegan
- dollar tree 664, round lake beach
- dollar tree 7436, grayslake
- dollar tree 7581, mundelein
- dollar tree 8325, deerfield
- family dollar 12008, north chicago
- family dollar 12345, park city
- family dollar 2697, waukegan
- family dollar 6277, waukegan
- family dollar store 3262, fox lake
- international village market, waukegan
- mendoza grocery, round lake
- mi tiendita waukegan inc., waukegan
- prime beef ltd, mundelein
- shree sai indian grocery, lake zurich
- spice bazaar, vernon hills
- walgreen's 3750, waukegan
- walgreens 03078, waukegan
- walgreens 03749, waukegan
- walgreens 04940, round lake beach
- walgreens 5829, zion
- walgreen's 4067, buffalo grove
Showing 250 of 410 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Illinois
One of 101 counties in Illinois, 6 are shown here.
Compare Lake County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Counties near Lake County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Lake County (9.4%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Illinois.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IL (34.4% here).
- Lake County, IN · 34.4% low-access
- Wayne County, IN · 34.4% low-access
- Barton County, KS · 34.4% low-access
- Glynn County, GA · 34.4% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (9.4% here).
- Cass County, IN · 9.4% SNAP
- Clay County, IA · 9.4% SNAP
- Poweshiek County, IA · 9.4% SNAP
- Calloway County, KY · 9.4% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Illinois among East North Central states
Illinois ranks 5th of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (20.2%). Lake County, at 34.4%, runs 14.2 pts above the Illinois rate.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted by state; divisions per the U.S. Census Bureau. National state map
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 Lake County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17097. 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.