County food-access profile · Michigan
Macomb County, MI
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Macomb 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).
- 27.3%
- low-access pop.
- 24
- food-desert tracts
- 12.8%
- on SNAP
- 880K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
27.3% of Macomb County residents live in a low-access area, and 24 of its 215 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 88
- low-access tracts
- 49K
- food-desert residents
- 6.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 10.4%
- 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 Macomb County's low-access share at 27.3%, above the national share. 88 of the county's 215 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 229,349 people. 24 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 49,219 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 Macomb County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Macomb County's 27.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 64% of them and ranked #1,133 most-affected nationwide.
Macomb County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 215 census tracts in Macomb County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Macomb County vs. other Michigan counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Michigan
- Macomb
Macomb County, MI
27.3 % low-access
- Alcona
Alcona County, MI
15.6 % low-access
- Alger
Alger County, MI
12.8 % low-access
- Allegan
Allegan County, MI
20.8 % low-access
- Alpena
Alpena County, MI
15.9 % low-access
- Antrim 0.2
Antrim County, MI
0.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 215 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 840,978 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 88 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 24 |
| Low-Access Population | 229,349 |
| Low-Access Share | 27.3%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 49,219 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 879,853 |
| Median Household Income | $77,837 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.4%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 45,824 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 12.8%near the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 6.2%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 0.9% |
About 12.8% of Macomb County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 27.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 12.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 45,824 households here.
- 6.2% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 24 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 Macomb County
above the national share
24 of Macomb County's 215 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 11.2% of all its tracts.
A further 64 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 88.
An estimated 229,349 residents, roughly 27.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 49,219 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 127 tracts (59.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Macomb County
Macomb County has 742 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Combination Grocery/Other lead with 155 locations (21% of the total), followed by convenience store.
Combination Grocery/Other · 155
- 7-eleven 24731-e, warren
- andrea's fish market inc, roseville
- all india grocers, shelby township
- annie's market, shelby township
- cvs 445, macomb
- cvs 8014, sterling hts
- cvs 8016, clinton twp
- cvs 8024, richmond
- cvs 8039, warren
- cvs 8040, saint clair shores
- cvs 8045, warren
- cvs 8050, warren
- cvs 8078, sterling heights
- cvs 8080, sterling hts
- cvs 8091, fraser
- cvs 8092, clinton twp
- cvs 8093, clinton township
- cvs 8095, harrison twp
- cvs 8108, chesterfield
- cvs 8113, shelby township
- cvs 8144, shelby township
- cvs 8146, warren
- cvs 8156, shelby twp
- cvs 8158, macomb
- cvs 8179, bruce twp
- cvs 8183, saint clair shores
- cvs 8189, shelby twp
- cvs 8191, sterling hts
- cvs 8238, chesterfield
- cvs 8261, new baltimore
- cvs 8272, chesterfield
- cvs 8287, macomb
- cvs 8416, shelby township
- cvs pharmacy 8170, eastpointe
- dollar general 18093, eastpointe
- dollar general 18167, new haven
- dollar general 18216, warren
- dollar general 7922, warren
- dollar general 7974, mount clemens
- dollar general 8157, lenox
- dollar general 9701, warren
- dollar tree 0174, roseville
- dollar tree 0179, utica
- dollar tree 1877, eastpointe
- dollar tree 3048, warren
- dollar tree 4532, washington
- dollar tree 4654, shelby township
- dollartree 10278, eastpointe
- dollartree 10631, center line
- dollartree 10731, warren
- dollartree 11023, sterling heights
- dollartree 6994, warren
- dollartree 8161, clinton township
- dollartree 9421, shelby township
- dollartree 9771, bruce twp
- dollar general 11030, clinton township
- dollar general 11883, macomb
- dollar general 12059, sterling heights
- dollar general 12241, sterling heights
- dollar general 12295, clinton township
- dollar general 12572, chesterfield
- dollar general 13973, warren
- dollar general 16592, memphis
- dollar general 19153, eastpointe
- dollar general 21047, roseville
- dollar general 21066, saint clair shores
- dollar general 21850, sterling heights
- dollar general 22313, warren
- dollar general 24836, roseville
- dollar general 25137, warren
- dollar general 30704, new baltimore
- dollar general 7799, washington
- dollar general 9170, saint clair shores
- dollar general store 10866, clinton township
- dollar general store 10903, roseville
- dollar general store 12919, warren
- dollar tree 1919, fraser
- dollar tree 275, sterling heights
- dollar tree 3218, eastpointe
- dollar tree 3498, chesterfield
- dollar tree 3709, richmond
- dollar tree 3806, sterling heights
- dollar tree 3844, warren
- dollar tree 4234, shelby township
- dollar tree 4455, clinton township
- dollar tree 5711, chesterfield
- dollar tree 5735, new baltimore
- dollar tree 6106, warren
- dollar tree 6172, macomb
- dollar tree 679, warren
- dollar tree 681, saint clair shores
- dollar tree 6989, warren
- dollar tree 7213, sterling heights
- dollar tree 7659, mount clemens
- dollar tree 7786, utica
- dollar tree 79, warren
- dollar tree 7998, eastpointe
- dollar tree 80, clinton township
- dollar tree 8330, sterling heights
- dollar tree 8470, macomb
- dollar tree 8471, clinton township
- dollar tree 8473, sterling heights
- dollar tree 8599, shelby township
- dream market, sterling heights
- dss marketplace, warren
- east detroit bakery, eastpointe
- family dollar 10628, warren
- family dollar 11837, warren
- family dollar 12057, eastpointe
- family dollar 13379, warren
- family dollar 13885, saint clair shores
- family dollar 2150, warren
- family dollar 2947, mount clemens
- family dollar 4542, warren
- family dollar 4564, warren
- family dollar 5010, eastpointe
- family dollar 5297, warren
- family dollar 6488, roseville
- family dollar 7519, clinton twp
- family dollar 7971, sterling heights
- family dollar 8288, warren
- family dollar 8345, fraser
- family dollar 8398, center line
- family dollar 8815, warren
- family dollar store 10449, clinton township
- family dollar store 8037, eastpointe
- omega general store, warren
- pitha ghor sweets & grocery llc, sterling heights
- rogers bulk candy & ice cream inc, eastpointe
- roseville village inn inc, saint clair shores
- snack depot, warren
- srodek's quality polish food, sterling heights
- vince and joes fruit market inc., clinton twp
- walgreens 04255, fraser
- walgreens 04932, warren
- walgreens 05322, warren
- walgreens 01246, sterling heights
- walgreens 01610, saint clair shores
- walgreens 04308, saint clair shores
- walgreens 04452, chesterfield
- walgreens 04453, macomb
- walgreens 04608, clinton township
- walgreens 04661, sterling heights
- walgreens 04795, eastpointe
- walgreens 05227, new baltimore
- walgreens 05291, shelby township
- walgreens 05968, clinton township
- walgreens 05971, warren
- walgreens 06175, clinton township
- walgreens 06529, saint clair shores
- walgreens 07033, sterling heights
- walgreens 07787, saint clair shores
- walgreens 11264, macomb
- walgreens 11395, shelby township
- walgreens 7509, fraser
Convenience Store · 91
- 10 mile & i-94 petro-mart inc., eastpointe
- 12 & harper gas station, saint clair shores
- 12 & little mack fuel inc, roseville
- 12 & ryan mobil inc, warren
- 12 mile & gratiot service center inc., roseville
- 13 & hoover bp, warren
- 14 mile oil inc, warren
- 15 mile & groesbeck mobil, clinton township
- 15035 street enterprise llc, eastpointe
- 17 & hayes, clinton township
- 18 & mound bp, sterling heights
- 18 dequindre, llc, sterling heights
- 23 and baker bp, chesterfield
- 23 mile & romeo plank corp., macomb
- 23 mile fuel & go inc, new baltimore
- 23 mile petro inc, macomb
- 26 & romeo plank inc., macomb
- 27 mile & gratiot sunoco, new haven
- 31025 ryan operation, inc., warren
- 36315 express inc, clinton township
- 4 brothers romeo, romeo
- 7 eleven 13455-c, saint clair shores
- 7 eleven 32871-g, clinton township
- 7 eleven 19627c, warren
- 7 eleven 25676f, roseville
- 7 eleven 27162b, saint clair shores
- 7 eleven 32222b, macomb
- 7 eleven 33438, sterling heights
- 7 eleven 33703, washington
- 7-eleven & nasim enterprises, inc. 24262b, center line
- 7-eleven 13452, clinton township
- 7-eleven 18742, harrison twp
- 7-eleven 25636, clinton twp
- 7-eleven 26310, fraser
- 7-eleven 26851t, warren
- 7-eleven 29718, eastpointe
- 7-eleven 32161-c, sterling heights
- 7-eleven 32193d, macomb
- 7-eleven 32367c, saint clair shores
- 7-eleven 32375c, warren
- 7-eleven 32692c, macomb
- 7-eleven 32898, warren
- 7-eleven 32933, lenox
- 7-eleven 33143c, shelby township
- 7-eleven 33398, shelby township
- 7-eleven 33432, chesterfield
- 7-eleven 33551, clinton twp
- 7-eleven 34542a, warren
- 7-eleven 34576h, eastpointe
- 7-eleven #13432e, fraser
- 7-eleven 13426, warren
- 7-eleven 13428-e, sterling heights
- 7-eleven 13434-b, shelby township
- 7-eleven 13438-e, shelby township
- 7-eleven 13440-d, clinton township
- 7-eleven 13451-g, sterling heights
- 7-eleven 15045g, roseville
- 7-eleven 15453-f, saint clair shores
- 7-eleven 21112-f, roseville
- 7-eleven 26309, clinton township
- 7-eleven 27656, roseville
- 7-eleven 32277b, chesterfield
- 7-eleven 32293, sterling heights
- 7-eleven 32414-e, sterling heights
- 7-eleven 32663, shelby township
- 7-eleven 32721-c, macomb
- 7-eleven 33490-c, warren
- 7-eleven store #17477g 17477g, roseville
- 7-eleven store 32133e, saint clair shores
- 7-eleven, inc. store 13453a, sterling heights
- 8100 fifteen mile 1, sterling heights
- 9 mile mobil, saint clair shores
- 9 mile stop & go, warren
- a & b liquor and wine shoppe, eastpointe
- a & j fuel mart inc, roseville
- a&b one stop inc, clinton township
- ans gas-marathon 1, warren
- action liquor shoppe, warren
- adam's market, warren
- afans investment llc, warren
- al fady, warren
- alaa petroleum inc, warren
- amal gas company llc, eastpointe
- amc fuels, inc, warren
- amoco, roseville
- andy's liquor, new haven
- armada liquor stop, armada
- ashers market, clinton township
- asil petro 1, warren
- b & m auto service inc, saint clair shores
- b b mart, clinton township
Bakery Specialty · 4
- apple sweets inc. 1, sterling heights
- maatouk bakery 426, sterling heights
- paris pastry, sterling heights
- stellino bakery, warren
Showing 250 of 742 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Michigan
Compare Macomb County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →
Food access nationally, Michigan in context
Macomb County sits inside Michigan (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 Macomb County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Macomb County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Macomb County? ▼
Is Macomb County a food desert? ▼
What share of Macomb 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.