Signature · 38 SNAP-authorized stores
Livingston County, IL
Livingston 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.
- 16.2%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 14.7%
- on SNAP
- 36K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Livingston County, IL
LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-MODERATE 16.2% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -5.9 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 14.7% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.5% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 20% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Wabash County ( -0.2 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Livingston County ranks #2,012 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #68 of 102 counties in IL (16.2% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #2,012
- national by low-access %
- #68
- in IL
- 6
- low-access tracts
- 3K
- 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: 38 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Livingston County compares nationally
Livingston County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 16.2% low-access share that beats 36% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,012).
Livingston County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
10 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
Livingston County is mostly rural by USDA tract type (6 rural, 4 urban), so most tracts are held to the 10-mile test and only the 4 urban tracts face the 1-mile one.
Livingston County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Adams 16.5
Adams 16.5%
16.5 % low-access
- Livingston 16.2
Livingston 16.2%
16.2 % low-access
- Wabash 16
Wabash 16%
16 % low-access
- Montgomery 15.8
Montgomery 15.8%
15.8 % low-access
- Jasper 15.7
Jasper 15.7%
15.7 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 10 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 38,950 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 6 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 6,315 |
| Low-Access Share | 16.2%below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 2,530 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 35,565 |
| Median Household Income | $73,790 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.5%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,146 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.7%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.5%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.7% |
Thick SNAP store book in Livingston County
Livingston County has 38 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 18 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Where the store book sits, by town
11 towns share the 38 authorized stores; Pontiac holds 32% of them. 7 of the 11 towns have no grocery-grade outlet, only convenience or dollar/combination stores: Flanagan, Chatsworth, Forrest, Odell, Saunemin, Cornell and 1 more.
| Town | SNAP stores | Grocery-grade |
|---|---|---|
| Pontiac | 12 | 3 |
| Fairbury | 6 | 1 |
| Dwight | 5 | 1 |
| Flanagan | 3 | none |
| Chatsworth | 2 | none |
| Cullom | 2 | 1 |
| Forrest | 2 | none |
| Odell | 2 | none |
| Saunemin | 2 | none |
| Cornell | 1 | none |
Top 10 of 11 towns by store count.
Convenience Store · 18
- 55 northeast corp, pontiac
- casey's general store 1341, cornell
- casey's general store 1348, flanagan
- casey's general store 1452, chatsworth
- casey's general store 1494, cullom
- casey's general store 2172, dwight
- casey's general store 2507, pontiac
- casey's general store 2633, fairbury
- casey's general store 2927, forrest
- circle k 4701433, fairbury
- jamies market, forrest
- jensen's bp, odell
- love's travel stop 292, dwight
- odellfast stop, odell
- ricky rockets fuel center, pontiac
- shiva marathon, saunemin
- shrey gas llc, pontiac
- thorntons 366, pontiac
Combination Grocery/Other · 13
- cvs pharmacy 10624, fairbury
- cvs pharmacy 10738, pontiac
- cvs/pharmacy 10607, dwight
- dollar general 18052, streator
- dollar general 2046, pontiac
- dollar tree 3756, pontiac
- dollar general 16018, chatsworth
- dollar general 22189, flanagan
- dollar general 22690, saunemin
- dollar general 8470, fairbury
- family dollar 11388, fairbury
- family dollar store 4022, dwight
- walgreens 05460, pontiac
Super Store · 4
- berkot's super foods 320, dwight
- county market 329, pontiac
- dave's super market, inc, fairbury
- walmart 1386, pontiac
Medium Grocery Store · 1
- cullom community market, cullom
Small Grocery Store · 1
- bart's supermarket, flanagan
Supermarket · 1
- aldi 68051, pontiac
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 Livingston County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Nationwide peers for Livingston County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Livingston 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 (16.2% here).
- Jasper County, IA · 16.2% low-access
- Washington County, KY · 16.2% low-access
- Chippewa County, MN · 16.2% low-access
- Randolph County, AR · 16.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (14.7% here).
- Franklin County, GA · 14.7% SNAP
- Glenn County, CA · 14.7% SNAP
- Jefferson County, AR · 14.7% SNAP
- Hudson County, NJ · 14.7% 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%). Livingston County, at 16.2%, runs 4.0 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 Livingston County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17105. 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.