County food-access profile · Ohio
Lake County, OH
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lake 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).
- 38.3%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 7.5%
- on SNAP
- 232K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
38.3% of Lake County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 58 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 31
- low-access tracts
- 18K
- food-desert residents
- 5.1%
- households, no vehicle
- 8.3%
- 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 Lake County's low-access share at 38.3%, above the national share. 31 of the county's 58 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 88,021 people. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 18,045 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 Lake County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lake County's 38.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 85% of them and ranked #469 most-affected nationwide.
Lake County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 58 census tracts in Lake County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lake County vs. other Ohio counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Ohio
- Lake
Lake County, OH
38.3 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, OH
22 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, OH
17.4 % low-access
- Ashland 5
Ashland County, OH
5 % low-access
- Ashtabula
Ashtabula County, OH
21.9 % low-access
- Athens
Athens County, OH
17 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 58 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 230,041 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 31 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 88,021 |
| Low-Access Share | 38.3%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 18,045 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 232,216 |
| Median Household Income | $80,925 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.3%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 7,547 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 7.5%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.1%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.2% |
About 7.5% of Lake County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 38.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 7.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 7,547 households here.
- 5.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 2 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 Lake County
above the national share
2 of Lake County's 58 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 3.4% of all its tracts.
A further 29 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 31.
An estimated 88,021 residents, roughly 38.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 18,045 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 27 tracts (46.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lake County
Lake County has 183 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 84 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 84
- 29849 lakeland llc, wickliffe
- 7-eleven 36228b 36228b, wickliffe
- 7-eleven 36233j, willoughby hills
- 7-eleven, inc. 36221h, mentor
- 7-eleven 36227a, mentor
- 7-eleven store no. 36234b, mentor
- 7-eleven, inc. store #36233b, wickliffe
- avenue food & beverage, wickliffe
- c store, willowick
- convenient fd mart 3-114, willowick
- chestnut food mart, painesville
- circle k 4705712, willowick
- circle k 5252, eastlake
- circle k 5616, willoughby
- clark avenue groceries, willoughby
- convenient deli and beverage, wickliffe
- convenient fd mart 3008, eastlake
- convenient food mart 3-141, willowick
- convenient food mart 3039, painesville
- convenient food mart 3077, madison
- convenient food mart 3085, mentor
- dairy express food mart, painesville
- dairymart kirtland, willoughby
- dannys quick stop, painesville
- falcone's convenient mart, painesville
- five star convenient, painesville
- getgo 3216, willowick
- getgo 3350, mentor
- getgo 3357, painesville
- getgo 3638, mentor
- grand river foods, grand river
- harry's beverage, willoughby
- harry's drive thru, painesville
- jordan gas inc, painesville
- lost nation convenient mart, willoughby
- lakeshore express, mentor
- lighthouse beverage & deli, mentor
- mapco 986, madison
- madison 128, madison
- mentor food mart, mentor
- mentor sunoco, mentor
- north ridge marathon, painesville
- painesville 127, painesville
- perry one stop, painesville
- perry village cafe, perry
- prime food mart, mentor
- rebel 902, mentor
- rebel 907, willoughby
- redigo food mart, madison
- redigo food mart 5, fairport harbor
- redigo foodmart 9, perry
- richmond foodmart, painesville
- riyadiya inc, mentor on the lake
- shahan inc, wickliffe
- sheetz 394, mentor
- sheetz 404, perry
- sheetz 526, mentor
- sheetz 693, willoughby
- sheetz 731, willoughby
- sheetz 745, madison
- sheetz 786, painesville
- sheetz 792, madison
- sheetz 799, painesville
- sheetz 810, willoughby hills
- shore sunoco 1, willowick
- speedway 3027, wickliffe
- speedway 3060, willowick
- speedway 3083, mentor
- speedway 3350, willoughby
- speedway 3529, willoughby
- speedway 3685, mentor
- speedway 5402, mentor
- steele's drive thru beverage & deli, fairport harbor
- sue z salvage l.l.c., madison
- sunoco gas station no, willoughby
- the wickliffe food mart, wickliffe
- true north energy, llc 363, willoughby
- true north energy, llc 372, willoughby hills
- uddhavadha enterprise, inc., willoughby
- wickliffe drive thru, wickliffe
- wickliffe one stop, wickliffe
- wickliffe shell, wickliffe
- willoughby 314, willoughby
- willow food mart, willoughby
Combination Grocery/Other · 50
- alesci's of shoregate, willowick
- cvs 3326, mentor
- cvs 4327, painesville
- cvs 4351, willoughby
- cvs 5941, painesville
- cvs 7686, mentor
- dollar general 10583, mentor
- dollar general 10601, mentor
- dollar general 10613, kirtland
- dollar general 14080, painesville
- dollar general 19506, willoughby
- dollar general 3, willowick
- dollar general 3115, willoughby
- dollar general 3343, willowick
- dollar general 9189, wickliffe
- dollar general 9396, madison
- dollartree 8076, painesville
- dollartree 9347, willoughby
- dollartree 9459, willowick
- discount drug mart 25, mentor
- discount drug mart 36, willowick
- discount drug mart 87, painesville
- dollar general 11977, eastlake
- dollar general 13853, painesville
- dollar general 15043, perry
- dollar general 16073, eastlake
- dollar general 20050, fairport harbor
- dollar general 20241, painesville twp
- dollar general 22391, madison
- dollar general 24289, mentor on the lake
- dollar general 30224, mentor
- dollar general store 16322, mentor
- dollar tree 0215, mentor
- dollar tree 2182, madison
- dollar tree 2407, wickliffe
- dollar tree 3578, willowick
- dollar tree 4282, mentor
- dollar tree 5206, willoughby hills
- dollar tree 5824, mentor on the lake
- dollar tree 6039, painesville
- dollar tree 7630, mentor
- family dollar store 6327, painesville
- miro's meat market, eastlake
- rideout's iga, painesville
- walgreens 04294, willoughby
- walgreens 05820, mentor on the lake
- walgreens 5821, painesville
- walgreens 04317, mentor
- walgreens 10518, madison
- walgreens 13058, eastlake
Super Store · 17
- bj's wholesale club 96, willoughby
- giant eagle 4097, madison
- giant eagle 1217, mentor on the lake
- giant eagle 1282, mentor
- giant eagle 216, willowick
- giant eagle 6377, painesville
- giant eagle 6381, willoughby
- lucky's concord 21, concord township
- meijer store 309, mentor
- mentor supermarket, inc., mentor
- sam's club 4846, mentor
- sweetberry fresh market, wickliffe
- target store 1112, willoughby
- target store 2322, mentor
- walmart 1857, mentor
- walmart supercenter 3608, madison
- walmart supercenter 1863, willowick
Supermarket · 17
- aldi 63016 63016, painesville
- aldi 63042 63042, madison
- aldi 63056 63056, willowick
- aldi 63087, willoughby
- aldi 77, willoughby hills
- aldi 39, mentor
- gordon food service store mp088, mentor
- heinen's inc 12, willoughby
- heinen's inc 9, mentor
- marc's 16, mentor
- marc's 20, willowick
- marc's 32, willoughby hills
- marc's 57, madison
- marc's 61, mentor on the lake
- marc's 70, painesville
- marc's willoughby 75wy, willoughby
- trader joe's mentor 709, mentor
Medium Grocery Store · 7
- barb & patty's butcher palace, mentor
- discount supermarket, wickliffe
- evans quality meats 1, madison
- jai bhole shankar inc, fairport harbor
- la candelaria mexican store, painesville
- surfside convenient, eastlake
- taqueria el pipila dba la casita, painesville
Small Grocery Store · 3
- headlands iga, mentor
- redi go four inc, painesville
- redigo food mart 1, painesville
Large Grocery Store · 2
- la mexicana, painesville
- rudy's quality meats inc, willowick
Bakery Specialty · 1
- schwebel bakery outlet 18, mentor
Farmers' Market · 1
- painesville farmer's market, painesville
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1
- west orchards, llc, perry
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Ohio
Food access nationally, Ohio in context
Lake County sits inside Ohio (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 Lake County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lake County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lake County? ▼
Is Lake County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lake 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.