Signature · 34 SNAP-authorized stores
Lee County, IL
Lee County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 18.9%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 15.4%
- on SNAP
- 34K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Lee County, IL
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-SINGLE · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 18.9% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -3.2 pts vs US
- LILA-SINGLE 1 food-desert tract
- SNAP-HEAVY 15.4% SNAP
- VEH-OK 6.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 11% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Clay County ( -0.4 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Lee County ranks #1,779 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #60 of 102 counties in IL (18.9% low-access; 1 food-desert tracts).
- #1,779
- national by low-access %
- #60
- in IL
- 3
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 34 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Lee County compares nationally
Lee County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 18.9% low-access share that beats 43% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,779).
Lee County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
9 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 1 LILA.
Lee County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (6 rural, 3 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 3 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Lee County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Lee 18.9
Lee 18.9%
18.9 % low-access
- Clay 18.5
Clay 18.5%
18.5 % low-access
- Clinton 18.5
Clinton 18.5%
18.5 % low-access
- Edwards 18.5
Edwards 18.5%
18.5 % low-access
- Jo Daviess 17.2
Jo Daviess 17.2%
17.2 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 9 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 36,031 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 3 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 6,818 |
| Low-Access Share | 18.9%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,106 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 33,869 |
| Median Household Income | $70,292 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.8%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,048 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 15.4%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.6%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 7.9% |
Thick SNAP store book in Lee County
Lee County has 34 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 21 locations (62% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
6 towns share the 34 authorized stores; Dixon holds 65% of them. 3 of the 6 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Sublette, Ashton, Franklin Grove.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Dixon | 22 | 4 |
| Amboy | 4 | 1 |
| Sublette | 3 | none |
| Ashton | 2 | none |
| Paw Paw | 2 | 1 |
| Franklin Grove | 1 | none |
Convenience Store · 21
- casey's 1153, ashton
- casey's 1256, amboy
- casey's 1466, franklin grove
- casey's 4384, dixon
- casey's general store 1590, paw paw
- casey's general store 1973, dixon
- circle k 4701412, dixon
- dixon mobil 62, dixon
- express lane gas & food mart 1, amboy
- express lane gas & food mart 13, dixon
- expresslane 33, dixon
- expresslane 80, sublette
- hometown pantry, dixon
- huffy's gas station, dixon
- mkam gas & food llc, dixon
- mimini's general store, ashton
- murphy usa 7954, dixon
- road ranger 265, dixon
- sublette general store llc, sublette
- third street citgo gas station, dixon
- zariz inc 1, dixon
Combination Grocery/Other · 6
- dollar general 18506, amboy
- dollar general 7204, dixon
- dollar general 7900, dixon
- dollar tree 3523, dixon
- dollartree 9813, dixon
- walgreens 02591, dixon
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- amboy food and liquor, amboy
- paw paw fresh market and convenience, paw paw
Super Store · 2
- county market 223, dixon
- walmart supercenter 5399, dixon
Large Grocery Store · 1
- oliver's food pride, dixon
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1
- prairiesburg fields, inc., sublette
Supermarket · 1
- aldi 68026 68026, dixon
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 Lee County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Nationwide peers for Lee County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Lee County, both outside Illinois so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside IL (18.9% here).
- Parke County, IN · 18.9% low-access
- Daviess County, KY · 18.9% low-access
- West Baton Rouge Parish, LA · 18.9% low-access
- Carlton County, MN · 18.9% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (15.4% here).
- Elbert County, GA · 15.4% SNAP
- Henderson County, KY · 15.4% SNAP
- Pendleton County, KY · 15.4% SNAP
- Franklin County, ME · 15.4% 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%). Lee County, at 18.9%, runs 1.3 pts below 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 Lee County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17103. 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.