Signature · 19.1% SNAP (96th pct in MI)
Lake County, MI
Lake County stands out on SNAP (19.1%, +7 pts vs U.S.) with 1.4% low-access from USDA FARA 2019.
- 1.4%
- low-access pop.
- 0
- food-desert tracts
- 19.1%
- on SNAP
- 13K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Lake County, MI
LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR
- LA-ADEQUATE 1.4% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -20.7 pts vs US
- LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 19.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.9% no vehicle
- DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Charlevoix County (+ 0.0 pts)
Lower-band low-access
Lake County lands in the lower national band (1.4%, #2,991 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.
- #2,991
- national by low-access %
- #77
- in MI
- 0
- low-access tracts
- 69
- food-desert residents
Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.
Signature read: 19.1% SNAP (96th pct in MI) (+7 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How Lake County compares nationally
Food access in Lake County compares favorably nationally: its 1.4% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 5% of them (rank #2,991).
Lake County's lower-band USDA tier split
4 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .
All 4 of Lake County's tracts are rural in the USDA classification, so every one is judged on the 10-mile test: a resident counts as low-access only when the nearest supermarket is more than 10 miles away.
Lake County vs nearby low low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Michigan, not a full county-board reprint
- Schoolcraft
Schoolcraft 46%
46 % low-access
- Montcalm 2.5
Montcalm 2.5%
2.5 % low-access
- Oscoda 1.6
Oscoda 1.6%
1.6 % low-access
- Lake 1.4
Lake 1.4%
1.4 % low-access
- Charlevoix 1.4
Charlevoix 1.4%
1.4 % low-access
- Antrim 0.2
Antrim 0.2%
0.2 % low-access
- Arenac 0
Arenac 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · lower low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 4 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 11,539 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 0 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 0 |
| Low-Access Population | 165 |
| Low-Access Share | 1.4%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 69 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 12,563 |
| Median Household Income | $50,805 |
| Poverty Rate | 20.5%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 989 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.1%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.9%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.3% |
SNAP retailers in Lake County
Lake County has 19 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 4 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 8 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
4 towns share the 19 authorized stores; Baldwin holds 63% of them. 2 of the 4 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Irons, Chase.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Baldwin | 12 | 3 |
| Irons | 3 | none |
| Luther | 3 | 1 |
| Chase | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 8
- baldwin ez mart 240, baldwin
- baldwin quick stop, baldwin
- copeland ez mart 352, baldwin
- cv kwik mart, luther
- irons e-z mart 616, irons
- na-tah-ka corner store 1, irons
- wesco 38, baldwin
- wolf lake store, baldwin
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- dollar general 20193, irons
- dollar general 22530, luther
- dollar general 23388, baldwin
- dollar general 30312, chase
- dollar general 8771, baldwin
- family dollar store 6462, baldwin
- pattie drugs, baldwin
Supermarket · 3
- houseman's foods, baldwin
- save a lot baldwin 449, baldwin
- save-a-lot 24235, baldwin
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- bristol store, luther
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Michigan
One of 82 counties in Michigan, 6 are shown here.
Compare Lake County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →
Counties near Lake County's lower low-access or SNAP band
SNAP-led peer set first for Lake County (19.1%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Michigan.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MI (1.4% here).
- Washington County, NC · 1.4% low-access
- Harris County, GA · 1.3% low-access
- East Feliciana Parish, LA · 1.5% low-access
- Carroll County, NH · 1.5% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MI (19.1% here).
- Rapides Parish, LA · 19.1% SNAP
- Grant County, NM · 19.1% SNAP
- Lane County, OR · 19.1% SNAP
- Erie County, PA · 19.1% 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.
Michigan among East North Central states
Michigan ranks 3rd of 5 East North Central states by population-weighted low-access (23.2%). Lake County, at 1.4%, runs 21.8 pts below the Michigan 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, MI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 26085. 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.