PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Lenawee County, MI

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lenawee 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).

28.8%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
11.1%
on SNAP
98K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

28.8% of Lenawee County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 23 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

10
low-access tracts
10K
food-desert residents
5.4%
households, no vehicle
10.7%
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 Lenawee County's low-access share at 28.8%, above the national share. 10 of the county's 23 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 28,797 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 10,295 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 Lenawee County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lenawee County's 28.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 67% of them and ranked #1,019 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lenawee County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 23 census tracts in Lenawee County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Lenawee County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 13 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 6 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 23 tracts evaluated. 13 tracts adequate (56.5%) 6 tracts limited (26.1%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (17.4%) Adequate 57% Limited 26% Severe 17% Food-access tier distribution: Lenawee County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Lenawee County vs. other Michigan counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Michigan

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

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Lenawee County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts23
Atlas Population (2010 basis)99,892
Low-Access Tracts10
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population28,797
Low-Access Share28.8%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population10,295

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lenawee County
IndicatorValue
Population98,415
Median Household Income$70,518
Poverty Rate10.7%below the national average
SNAP Households4,316
SNAP Participation Rate11.1%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.4%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population4.8%
SNAP participation in Lenawee County 11.1%

About 11.1% of Lenawee County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 28.8% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,316 households here.
  • 5.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Lenawee County

above the national share

4 of Lenawee County's 23 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 17.4% of all its tracts.

A further 6 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 10.

An estimated 28,797 residents, roughly 28.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 10,295 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 13 tracts (56.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Lenawee County

Lenawee County has 86 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 41 locations (48% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 41

  • addison food mart #2, addison
  • adrian fuel, adrian
  • adrian fuels, adrian
  • adrian mobil, llc, adrian
  • beecher spee-d-mart 1040, adrian
  • brooklyn market #2, brooklyn
  • cc village market, cement city
  • clayton ps mart 3011, clayton
  • clinton market east 2, clinton
  • clinton market west #2, clinton
  • clinton shell 1100, clinton
  • diana market, adrian
  • gabby's farm, britton
  • jerry's express, tecumseh
  • lightning quick gas & go 9, adrian
  • lightning quick gas n go 1, manitou beach
  • lightning quick gas n go 14, tecumseh
  • lightning quick gas n go 18, brooklyn
  • lightning quick gas n go 2, morenci
  • lightning quick gas n go 3, deerfield
  • lightning quick gas n go 6, blissfield
  • lightning quick gas n go 15, palmyra
  • lightning quick gas n go 22, adrian
  • lightning quick gas n go 24, adrian
  • lightning quick gas-n-go 21, jasper
  • lowry grocery store, adrian
  • meijer gas station 45, adrian
  • mike's pharmacy, morenci
  • morenci deli, llc, morenci
  • morning fresh bp 1, adrian
  • murphy usa 6649, adrian
  • onsted food mart, onsted
  • party shop, the, tecumseh
  • ps food mart 3025, cement city
  • rayaan fuel, adrian
  • ridis 11 ridis 11, adrian
  • seven eleven 20862, adrian
  • speedway 5494, adrian
  • speedway 7306, tecumseh
  • wesco 10, adrian
  • woodstock wine cheese, addison

Combination Grocery/Other · 28

  • cvs 8013, adrian
  • cvs 8025, tecumseh
  • dollar general 10219, blissfield
  • dollar general 14158, hudson
  • dollar general 18970, tecumseh
  • dollar general 7710, adrian
  • dollartree 10180, blissfield
  • dollartree 9672, adrian
  • dollar general 15694, adrian
  • dollar general 16141, adrian
  • dollar general 17314, manitou beach
  • dollar general 18009, onsted
  • dollar general 20587, addison
  • dollar general 20795, britton
  • dollar general 21898, jasper
  • dollar general 22488, tecumseh
  • dollar general 23075, cement city
  • dollar general 23205, clayton
  • dollar general 30229, onsted
  • dollar general 30389, adrian
  • dollar general 31057, manitou beach
  • dollar general 8089, morenci
  • dollar general store 12861, clinton
  • dollar tree 109, adrian
  • family dollar store 2320, tecumseh
  • family dollar store 6725, hudson
  • walgreens 07319, adrian
  • walgreens 12820, tecumseh

Super Store · 7

  • bob's market house, hudson
  • country market 11, adrian
  • country markets 33, blissfield
  • jerry's market 11, tecumseh
  • meijer inc 045, adrian
  • southern michigan sausage, addison
  • walmart 1836, adrian

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 67073 67073, adrian
  • busch's fresh food market 1038, tecumseh
  • busch's fresh food market 1047, clinton

Farmers' Market · 2

  • adrian city market, adrian
  • tecumseh farmers market, tecumseh

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • the marks trading company, adrian
  • veronicas market, adrian

Delivery Route · 1

  • veggie mobile for lenawee county, tecumseh

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • monahan's meat market, adrian

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • kapnick orchards, britton

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Michigan

Alcona County
15.6% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Alger County
12.8% low-access · 11.0% SNAP
Allegan County
20.8% low-access · 7.8% SNAP
Alpena County
15.9% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Antrim County
0.2% low-access · 10.0% SNAP
Arenac County
0.0% low-access · 16.1% SNAP

Compare Lenawee County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Lenawee County sits inside Michigan (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Lenawee County has low food access? ▼
28.8% of residents in Lenawee County, MI live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lenawee County? ▼
11.1% of households in Lenawee County receive SNAP, covering 4,316 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Lenawee County? ▼
The poverty rate in Lenawee County, MI is 10.7%, with a median household income of $70,518 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Lenawee County a food desert? ▼
4 of Lenawee County's 23 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Lenawee County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.4% of households in Lenawee County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
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.