County food-access profile · Ohio
Lorain County, OH
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Lorain 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).
- 27.9%
- low-access pop.
- 13
- food-desert tracts
- 11.4%
- on SNAP
- 317K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
27.9% of Lorain County residents live in a low-access area, and 13 of its 73 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 36
- low-access tracts
- 20K
- food-desert residents
- 5.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 12.1%
- 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 Lorain County's low-access share at 27.9%, above the national share. 36 of the county's 73 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 83,987 people. 13 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 20,340 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 Lorain County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Lorain County's 27.9% low-access share is elevated, higher than 65% of them and ranked #1,093 most-affected nationwide.
Lorain County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 73 census tracts in Lorain County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Lorain County vs. other Ohio counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Ohio
- Lorain
Lorain County, OH
27.9 % low-access
- Adams
Adams County, OH
22 % low-access
- Allen
Allen County, OH
17.4 % low-access
- Ashland 5
Ashland County, OH
5 % low-access
- Ashtabula
Ashtabula County, OH
21.9 % low-access
- Athens
Athens County, OH
17 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 73 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 301,356 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 36 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 13 |
| Low-Access Population | 83,987 |
| Low-Access Share | 27.9%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 20,340 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 317,129 |
| Median Household Income | $73,347 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.1%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 14,487 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 11.4%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.7%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.7% |
About 11.4% of Lorain County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 27.9% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 11.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 14,487 households here.
- 5.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 13 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 Lorain County
above the national share
13 of Lorain County's 73 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 17.8% of all its tracts.
A further 23 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 36.
An estimated 83,987 residents, roughly 27.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 20,340 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 37 tracts (50.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Lorain County
Lorain County has 240 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 118 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 118
- 7-eleven store no. 19743b, lorain
- 7580 leavitt, amherst
- a & f gas inc, lorain
- amherst citgo inc 2, amherst
- amherst citgo inc. 3, amherst
- avon lake food mart, avon lake
- ayan inc, lorain
- brownhelm country market, vermilion
- brownie's market, sheffield lake
- certified oil 400345, oberlin
- certified oil corp 400220, wellington
- certified oil corp 400243, elyria
- certified oil corp 400243, elyria
- chapman's food mart, lorain
- chet and fran's country store 1, wellington
- circle k 4705312, elyria
- circle k 4705315, elyria
- circle k 4705317, grafton
- circle k 4705573, grafton
- columbia convenient food mart, columbia station
- convenient supermarket, elyria
- cooper deli & grocery, lorain
- country breeze carryout, inc, vermilion
- d & m mart, elyria
- dairy mart 5476, lorain
- da petroleum llc, elyria
- da petroleum llc, elyria
- daily mart, lorain
- dairy mart, lorain
- dales market & deli, elyria
- dm mart, amherst
- dons sunoco, lorain
- double a mart, lorain
- east 28 drive thru, lorain
- east ave convenient, elyria
- east river convenient, jk river inc, elyria
- eaton marathon, grafton
- elyria 325, elyria
- elyria express gas llc, elyria
- elyria food mart, elyria
- friendship 90, elyria
- friendship 93, north ridgeville
- friendship 95, lagrange
- friendship 97, amherst
- friendship 98, vermilion
- ganesh inc, north ridgeville
- getgo 3015, avon
- getgo 3220, amherst
- getgo 3225, elyria
- getgo 3284, avon
- grafton convenient express, grafton
- grafton quick mart, grafton
- h & h market, elyria
- hometown market, lorain
- hanini subs, elyria
- harlem food mart, elyria
- heart of amherst llc, amherst
- henrietta honey & mercantile, sheffield lake
- hira inc, lorain
- joe's kwik marts 268, avon
- joe's kwik marts 277, lorain
- koko mart 1, vermilion
- lake erie stop convenience, lorain
- long avenue market, lorain
- lorain 301, lorain
- lorain convenient food mart, lorain
- lorain smokes & beverage, lorain
- mapco 975, avon
- marathon grafton, grafton
- mario food inc, lorain
- meijer gas station 318, lorain
- mejier gas station 308, avon
- mickey mart 18, wellington
- mickey mart 30, oberlin
- mickey mart 52, vermilion
- mickey mart 67, wellington
- mid city pure inc, lorain
- n & m real estate, lorain
- north ridgeville marathon, north ridgeville
- par mar store 121, south amherst
- pearl road exxon, lorain
- piggy's main street market, south amherst
- pilot travel center 4, avon
- pure gas, lorain
- raceway pure gas, lorain
- rainbow bakery, lorain
- riverside beverage & deli, elyria
- sdm food mart inc, lorain
- shaks corner, lorain
- sheetz 347, n ridgeville
- sheetz 441, sheffield village
- sheetz 744, amherst
- sheetz 793, elyria
- sheetz 845, avon
- shree llc, elyria
- sky fuel inc, elyria
- speedway 3379, elyria
- speedway 3385, north ridgeville
- speedway 3392, north ridgeville
- speedway 3528, avon lake
- speedway 3622, sheffield village
- speedway 3690, sheffield lake
- speedway 3698, elyria
- speedway 7236, avon
- speedway 8556, elyria
- speedway 9975, amherst
- speedy elyria inc, elyria
- sunoco, elyria
- sunoco-hop in, lorain
- the pit stop mini mart, oberlin
- tower shell, lorain
- uni-mart 293, west chester
- uni-mart 296, north ridgeville
- valero colorado, lorain
- vidhi & ayan llc, lorain
- walmart fuel station 5066, avon
- west erie food mart, lorain
- westside marathon, elyria
Combination Grocery/Other · 71
- cvs 2588, avon
- cvs 3353, lorain
- cvs 3376, n ridgeville
- cvs 4078, avon lake
- cvs 4805, oberlin
- cvs pharmacy 3997, elyria
- dollar general 10296, lorain
- dollar general 11285, lagrange
- dollar general 14336, elyria
- dollar general 18419, amherst
- dollar general 530, lorain
- dollar general 7012, wellington
- dollar general 7388, lorain
- dollar general 7807, lorain
- dollar general 8454, sheffield village
- dollar general 9516, elyria
- dollar general 9634, elyria
- dollar tree 3102, elyria
- dollartree 10292, wellington
- dollartree 10791, amherst
- dollartree 8734, lorain
- dollartree 9648, grafton
- discount drug mart 1, elyria
- discount drug mart 19, lorain
- discount drug mart 2, amherst
- discount drug mart 23, oberlin
- discount drug mart 27, wellington
- discount drug mart 4, avon lake
- discount drug mart 62, avon
- discount drug mart 71, sheffield village
- discount drug mart 78, elyria
- discount drug mart 94, north ridgeville
- dollar general 12868, lorain
- dollar general 15058, amherst
- dollar general 15252, sheffield village
- dollar general 16243, lorain
- dollar general 16855, amherst
- dollar general 20525, elyria
- dollar general 21801, grafton
- dollar general 22311, lorain
- dollar general 22400, north ridgeville
- dollar general 22962, elyria
- dollar general 4686, amherst
- dollar general 548, sheffield lake
- dollar general 9791, oberlin
- dollar general store 12759, lorain
- dollar general store 17014, lorain
- dollar general store 17240, grafton
- dollar tree 1431, elyria
- dollar tree 2299, sheffield village
- dollar tree 3214, north ridgeville
- dollar tree 3488, amherst
- dollar tree 4166, oberlin
- dollar tree 5911, lorain
- dollar tree 6249, elyria
- dollar tree 6723, sheffield lake
- dollar tree 7740, lorain
- family dollar 0896, lorain
- family dollar 11143, elyria
- family dollar 1716, lorain
- family dollar 4806, lorain
- family dollar 5155, elyria
- family dollar 6358, elyria
- family dollar 6401, lorain
- steve polansky mkt inc, amherst
- vermillion farm market, vermilion
- walgreens #6574 06574, lorain
- walgreens 5138, elyria
- walgreens 06588, avon lake
- walgreens 09372, north ridgeville
- walgreens 10222, lorain
Super Store · 23
- apples (lorain), lorain
- apples (sheffield ctr), lorain
- apples(elyria), elyria
- apples, sheffield lake
- bj's wholesale club 115, avon
- costco wholesale 0343, avon
- fligners supermarket, lorain
- giant eagle 0199, n ridgeville
- giant eagle 0220, amherst
- giant eagle 0231, sheffield village
- giant eagle 1284, avon lake
- giant eagle 6375, elyria
- meijer 318, lorain
- meijer store 308, avon
- sam's club 6314, sheffield village
- target store 1215, elyria
- target store 1325, avon
- target store 2351, amherst
- village market, wellington
- walmart 4255, elyria
- walmart 5066, avon
- walmart supercenter 1839, lorain
- walmart supercenter 5309, oberlin
Supermarket · 21
- aldi 63005 63005, sheffield village
- aldi 63052, north ridgeville
- aldi 63059 63059, elyria
- aldi 63082, oberlin
- aldi 67097 67097, amherst
- alberts fresh market, grafton
- aldi 45, avon
- apple's market (wellington), wellington
- domec foods llc, lagrange
- gordon food service store mp094, elyria
- heinen's inc 18, avon
- lorain grocery outlet 811, lorain
- marc's 26, lorain
- marc's 54, n ridgeville
- marc's 55, elyria
- marc's 69av, avon
- oberlin iga, oberlin
- save a lot 21743, lorain
- save a lot 21745, elyria
- save a lot 21747, lorain
- schilds iga, grafton
Small Grocery Store · 3
- convenient food mart, elyria
- south side market, lorain
- tienda la san luis inc, lorain
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- convenient fd mart 744, n ridgeville
- vollick's bi-rite, sheffield lake
Food Buying Co-op · 1
- new agrarian center, oberlin
Large Grocery Store · 1
- key foods, lorain
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Ohio
Compare Lorain County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →
Food access nationally, Ohio in context
Lorain County sits inside Ohio (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 Lorain County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Lorain County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Lorain County? ▼
Is Lorain County a food desert? ▼
What share of Lorain 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.