PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Livingston County, MI

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

28.9%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
4.8%
on SNAP
196K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

28.9% of Livingston County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 61 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

24
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents
3.2%
households, no vehicle
5.1%
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 Livingston County's low-access share at 28.9%, above the national share. 24 of the county's 61 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 52,267 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 6,549 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 Livingston County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Livingston County's 28.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 68% of them and ranked #1,013 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Livingston County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 61 census tracts in Livingston 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 Livingston County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 37 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 23 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 61 tracts evaluated. 37 tracts adequate (60.7%) 23 tracts limited (37.7%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (1.6%) Adequate 61% Limited 38% Severe 2% Food-access tier distribution: Livingston County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Livingston 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 Livingston County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts61
Atlas Population (2010 basis)180,967
Low-Access Tracts24
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population52,267
Low-Access Share28.9%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population6,549

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Livingston County
IndicatorValue
Population195,833
Median Household Income$103,039
Poverty Rate5.1%well below the national average
SNAP Households3,663
SNAP Participation Rate4.8%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle3.2%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.6%
SNAP participation in Livingston County 4.8%

About 4.8% of Livingston County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 28.9% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 4.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 3,663 households here.
  • 3.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Livingston County

above the national share

1 of Livingston County's 61 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 1.6% of all its tracts.

A further 23 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 24.

An estimated 52,267 residents, roughly 28.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 6,549 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 37 tracts (60.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Livingston County

Livingston County has 87 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 46 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 46

  • 7-eleven 33596, brighton
  • 7-eleven 33030c, brighton
  • 7-eleven 33394c, howell
  • acres market, south lyon
  • boomers party store & pizza, brighton
  • bp of howell inc, howell
  • brighton ac holdings, brighton
  • brighton bp, brighton
  • brighton business holdings, brighton
  • cascardo oil howell inc, howell
  • clark gas m36, hamburg
  • fowlerville convenience, fowlerville
  • fowlerville mobil, fowlerville
  • hilltop party store llc, hartland
  • howell 2 go, howell
  • kreegers country market, fowlerville
  • mugg&bopps 1, howell
  • mugg&bopps 10, brighton
  • mugg&bopps 14, howell
  • mugg&bopps 15, whitmore lake
  • mugg&bopps 17, hartland
  • mugg&bopps 18, howell
  • mugg&bopps 19, fowlerville
  • mugg&bopps 21, howell
  • mugg&bopps 3, pinckney
  • mugg&bopps 7, gregory
  • mugg&bopps 9, howell
  • meijer gas station 46, brighton
  • oceola village, howell
  • outlet oasis 755, howell
  • pardiac shell, howell
  • pinckney bp, pinckney
  • red barn market #11, pinckney
  • red barn market 16, fenton
  • reems mini mart inc, howell
  • runyan lake food center, fenton
  • s and g stores llc 111, whitmore lake
  • s and g stores llc 113, brighton
  • s and g stores llc 114, fowlerville
  • s and g stores llc 115, fowlerville
  • s&j convenience, howell
  • speedway 5515, hartland
  • speedway 5516, howell
  • speedway 8770, howell
  • the black water market, fenton
  • unadilla liquor, gregory

Combination Grocery/Other · 17

  • cvs 8046, howell
  • cvs 8111, brighton
  • cvs 8295, howell
  • cvs pharmacy 5741, hamburg
  • dollartree 9737, brighton
  • dollar general 23857, fowlerville
  • dollar general 25812, howell
  • dollar general 6030, brighton
  • dollar general store 12683, pinckney
  • dollar tree 3945, brighton
  • dollar tree 4066, hartland
  • dollar tree 7184, pinckney
  • dollar tree 7955, howell
  • dollar tree 846, howell
  • family dollar store 10585, howell
  • walgreens 05170, brighton
  • walgreens 01910, howell

Super Store · 13

  • costco wholesale 0786, brighton
  • kroger 720, howell
  • kroger store 638, brighton
  • kroger 444, howell
  • kroger 721, pinckney
  • meijer 245, hartland
  • meijer inc 046, brighton
  • meijer inc 172, howell
  • target store 1971, howell
  • target store 922, brighton
  • vg's 1920, howell
  • walmart 1754, howell
  • walmart supercenter 4540, fowlerville

Supermarket · 5

  • aldi 71027 71027, howell
  • aldi 67049, brighton
  • busch's fresh food market 1051, pinckney
  • busch's fresh food market 1062, brighton
  • gordon food service store mp049, brighton

Medium Grocery Store · 4

  • great lakes custom meats and more llc, howell
  • gregory market, gregory
  • jonna's country market, howell
  • save on family foods, fowlerville

Farmers' Market · 1

  • brighton farmer's market, brighton

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • oceanside seafood, howell

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 Livingston County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Livingston 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 Livingston County has low food access? ▼
28.9% of residents in Livingston 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 Livingston County? ▼
4.8% of households in Livingston County receive SNAP, covering 3,663 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Livingston County? ▼
The poverty rate in Livingston County, MI is 5.1%, with a median household income of $103,039 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Livingston County a food desert? ▼
1 of Livingston County's 61 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 Livingston County households lack a vehicle? ▼
3.2% of households in Livingston 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.