Signature · 2.6% low-access (6th pct)

Lincoln County, ME

Lincoln County lands in the lower national band on low-access (2.6%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

2.6%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
7.9%
on SNAP
36K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 ME

USDA FARA access plate

County Lincoln County, ME

LA-ADEQUATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-NONE · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-CLEAR

  • LA-ADEQUATE 2.6% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -19.5 pts vs US
  • LILA-NONE 0 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 7.9% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 4.5% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-CLEAR 0% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Hancock County (+ 1.4 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Lincoln County lands in the lower national band (2.6%, #2,934 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,934
national by low-access %
#16
in ME
1
low-access tracts
319
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 2.6% low-access (6th pct) (-19.5 pts vs U.S. low-access).

How Lincoln County compares nationally

Food access in Lincoln County compares favorably nationally: its 2.6% low-access share is lower than the vast majority of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, higher than only 6% of them (rank #2,935).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Lincoln County's lower-band USDA tier split

9 census tracts grouped by USDA classification .

Food access tier distribution for Lincoln County, ME USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 9 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (88.9%) 1 tracts limited (11.1%) Adequate 89% Limited 11% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Lincoln County, ME
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Lincoln County has 0 urban and 9 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.

Lincoln County vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Maine, not a full county-board reprint

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

FARA 2019 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Lincoln County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts9
Atlas Population (2010 basis)34,457
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population907
Low-Access Share2.6%well below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population319

ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Lincoln County
IndicatorValue
Population36,099
Median Household Income$76,875
Poverty Rate7.9%well below the national average
SNAP Households1,303
SNAP Participation Rate7.9%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.5%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population2.1%

Thick SNAP store book in Lincoln County

Lincoln County has 35 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 16 locations (46% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 16

  • big apple 1071, waldoboro
  • c.e.reilly & sons, new harbor
  • circle k 4707026, waldoboro
  • circle k 4707028, boothbay harbor
  • circle k 4707037, wiscasset
  • country corners grocery inc, whitefield
  • dresden takeout no, dresden
  • energy north 2309, wiscasset
  • maritime farms #10 673, newcastle
  • maritime farms 682, waldoboro
  • maritime farms peaslee's 672, jefferson
  • mr. mike's damariscotta 612, damariscotta
  • nouria 695 bath road 1108, wiscasset
  • rideout market, jefferson
  • tanot rai inc, wiscasset
  • whitefield market, whitefield

Combination Grocery/Other · 8

  • dollar general 18373, damariscotta
  • dollar general 20374, wiscasset
  • dollar tree 4272, damariscotta
  • family dollar 11397, waldoboro
  • family dollar 9083, boothbay harbor
  • rising tide natural foods coop, damariscotta
  • walgreens 17964, damariscotta
  • walgreens 19886, boothbay harbor

Farmers' Market · 4

  • boothbay farmers market, boothbay
  • damariscotta farmers' market nafmnp, damariscotta
  • farmers market at pumpkin vine farm, somerville
  • wiscasset farmers market, wiscasset

Super Store · 4

  • hannaford supermarket 8143, boothbay harbor
  • hannaford supermarket 8294, waldoboro
  • hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8141, damariscotta
  • main street grocery, damariscotta

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • sheepscot general llc, whitefield

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • delano seafood, waldoboro

Supermarket · 1

  • shaw's supermarket 1609, wiscasset

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Maine

One of 15 counties in Maine, 6 are shown here.

Compare Lincoln County vs Androscoggin County → · All Maine counties →

Counties near Lincoln County's lower low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Lincoln County, both outside Maine so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside ME (2.6% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside ME (7.9% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Lincoln County inside a lower low-access state context

Lincoln County sits inside Maine (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

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

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 Lincoln County, ME are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 23015. 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.