County food-access profile · Oregon
Lincoln County, OR
Lincoln 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.
- 14.2%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 21.1%
- on SNAP
- 51K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
14.2% of Lincoln County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 17 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 4
- low-access tracts
- 2K
- food-desert residents
- 4.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 15.9%
- 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).
Lincoln County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.2% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 17 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 6,542 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,232 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 Lincoln County compares nationally
Lincoln County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.2% low-access share that beats 30% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,184).
Lincoln County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 17 census tracts in Lincoln County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lincoln County vs. other Oregon counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Oregon
- Lincoln 14.2
Lincoln County, OR
14.2 % low-access
- Baker
Baker County, OR
37.9 % low-access
- Benton
Benton County, OR
27.9 % low-access
- Clackamas
Clackamas County, OR
17.3 % low-access
- Clatsop 12.4
Clatsop County, OR
12.4 % low-access
- Columbia 6.1
Columbia County, OR
6.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 17 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 46,034 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 4 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 6,542 |
| Low-Access Share | 14.2%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,232 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 50,964 |
| Median Household Income | $63,165 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.9%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 4,876 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 21.1%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.5%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.2% |
About 21.1% of Lincoln County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 14.2% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 21.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,876 households here.
- 4.5% 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 Lincoln County
near the national share
2 of Lincoln County's 17 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.8% of all its tracts.
A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.
An estimated 6,542 residents, roughly 14.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 2,232 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 13 tracts (76.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lincoln County
Lincoln County has 63 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 10 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 28 locations (44% of the total), followed by super store.
Convenience Store · 28
- archway market, newport
- bayfront market, newport
- center market 18, depoe bay
- circle k stores 2709645, newport
- circle k stores 2709646, lincoln city
- circle k stores 2709647, lincoln city
- coast petroleum llc, newport
- hilltop market #3 #3, waldport
- lc smoke shop, lincoln city
- logsden country store, logsden
- let 'r buck liquor & convenience llc, toledo
- main st market 10, lincoln city
- main st market 4, newport
- main st market 5, lincoln city
- nava's martket, depoe bay
- otis market llc, otis
- rose lodge market & liqour, otis
- siletz market & gas llc, siletz
- simple mini market, newport
- south beach grocery, south beach
- the sea gulp, lincoln city
- toledo food fair, toledo
- us food mart, lincoln city
- us market #104, newport
- us market 101, waldport
- us market 155, lincoln city
- us market 503 llc, lincoln city
- yachats mercantile, yachats
Super Store · 9
- 1st choice fresh market, lincoln city
- fred meyer 227, newport
- grocery outlet newport 315, newport
- grocery outlet of lincoln city 153, lincoln city
- jc market of toledo inc., toledo
- mckay's market 27, newport
- mckay's market 28, lincoln city
- ray's food place 44, waldport
- walmart 1925, newport
Combination Grocery/Other · 7
- bi-mart 682, lincoln city
- dollar general 18000, waldport
- dollar general 18301, yachats
- dollar tree 2484, newport
- dollar tree 4354, lincoln city
- walgreens 15239, newport
- walgreens 9875, lincoln city
Medium Grocery Store · 4
- el torito, lincoln city
- kenny's iga foodliner 2, lincoln city
- lajuquilita store inc, newport
- trillium natural foods, lincoln city
Bakery Specialty · 3
- franz bakery outlet 9008, newport
- papa murphy's take and bake pizza or012, lincoln city
- papa murphys take & bake or066, newport
Farmers' Market · 3
- lincoln city sunday market, lincoln city
- newport farmers market, newport
- toledo farmer's market - toledo, or chamber of com, toledo
Large Grocery Store · 3
- c&k market 77, yachats
- noel's market, siletz
- oceana natural foods cooperative, newport
Supermarket · 3
- chesters lincoln beach, depoe bay
- safeway 378, newport
- safeway 415, lincoln city
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2
- grizzlys gourmet meats & sausage shop, toledo
- oregon coastal cutters llc, south beach
Small Grocery Store · 1
- ya-hots video, yachats
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Oregon
Compare Lincoln County vs Baker County → · All Oregon counties →
Food access nationally, Oregon in context
Lincoln County sits inside Oregon (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 Lincoln County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lincoln County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lincoln County? ▼
Is Lincoln County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lincoln 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.