County food-access profile · Illinois
Madison County, IL
Madison County sits among the counties with the widest food-access gaps the USDA tracks, most residents here live well outside a comfortable walk or drive to a supermarket. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.
- 41.8%
- low-access pop.
- 16
- food-desert tracts
- 13.7%
- on SNAP
- 264K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
41.8% of Madison County residents live in a low-access area, and 16 of its 61 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 37
- low-access tracts
- 35K
- food-desert residents
- 5.7%
- households, no vehicle
- 11.1%
- 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).
Madison County carries one of the more serious food-access burdens the USDA Atlas tracks: its low-access share of 41.8% is well above the national share. 37 of the county's 61 census tracts fall into that category, areas where residents live far from a supermarket, covering about 112,467 people. 16 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 34,650 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 Madison County compares nationally
Madison County sits among the nation's most food-access-constrained counties: its 41.8% low-access share outpaces 89% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data, ranking #347 most-affected nationwide.
Madison County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 61 census tracts in Madison County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Madison County vs. other Illinois counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Illinois
- Madison
Madison County, IL
41.8 % low-access
- Adams 16.5
Adams County, IL
16.5 % low-access
- Alexander
Alexander County, IL
49.6 % low-access
- Bond
Bond County, IL
20.8 % low-access
- Boone
Boone County, IL
31.5 % low-access
- Brown
Brown County, IL
34.5 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 61 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 269,282 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 37 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 16 |
| Low-Access Population | 112,467 |
| Low-Access Share | 41.8%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 34,650 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 264,238 |
| Median Household Income | $75,793 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.1%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 15,129 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 13.7%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.7%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
About 13.7% of Madison County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 41.8% of residents are low-access, well above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 13.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 15,129 households here.
- 5.7% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 16 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 Madison County
well above the national share
16 of Madison County's 61 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 26.2% of all its tracts.
A further 21 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 37.
An estimated 112,467 residents, roughly 41.8% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 34,650 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 24 tracts (39.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Madison County
Madison County has 242 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 11 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 122 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 122
- 4 o quick shop, troy
- 4-0-ii quickshop, collinsville
- 508 variety shop, granite city
- 7-eleven 20278d, granite city
- airline gas, east alton
- alton market, alton
- alton mart, alton
- alton mini mart, alton
- beasley's gas-n-go inc, wood river
- behme's market, edwardsville
- benham bp corporation, granite city
- bp, granite city
- casey's 3336, troy
- cc food mart 9, hamel
- cc food mart 11, highland
- cc food mart 4, highland
- circle k 4701456, east alton
- casey's general store 1779, bethalto
- casey's general store 1821, south roxana
- casey's general store 1851, godfrey
- casey's general store 1972, highland
- casey's general store 2016, pontoon beach
- casey's general store 2047, alton
- casey's general store 2215, wood river
- casey's general store 2226, collinsville
- casey's general store 2249, godfrey
- casey's general store 2287, glen carbon
- casey's general store 2310, hartford
- casey's general store 2327, troy
- casey's general store 2405, alton
- casey's general store 3015, maryville
- chavelitas market inc, granite city
- circle k 4701342, cottage hills
- circle k 4701352, highland
- circle k 4701355, collinsville
- circle k 4701359, troy
- circle k 4701360, edwardsville
- circle k 4701459, maryville
- circle k 4701462, madison
- circle k 4701599, edwardsville
- circle stop, alton
- club centre motomart 3135, edwardsville
- collinsville mini mart, collinsville
- collinsville moto 3106, collinsville
- corner market, granite city
- dairy fresh, bethalto
- dairy fresh rosewood, east alton
- edwardsville motomart 3107, edwardsville
- express market, hartford
- farm fresh, granite city
- farm fresh mart, granite city
- farm fresh mart 2, wood river
- fas mart 5154, hartford
- fast track, east alton
- flying j 645, granite city
- greens confectionery, granite city
- gill llc, granite city
- godfrey bp, godfrey
- godfrey moto mart 3113, godfrey
- granite fill & go llc, granite city
- handy mart, edwardsville
- highland motomart 3114, highland
- hit and run 2, alton
- hot spot, east alton
- hotshot liquor, collinsville
- huck's 296, godfrey
- jbl, llc 1, alton
- jbl, llc 6, east alton
- jbl, llc 7, granite city
- jbl, llc 8, bethalto
- jbl,llc 4, wood river
- jims corner, alton
- livingston shell, livingston
- love's travel stop 578, hamel
- m's mart fish & chicken, collinsville
- main st food & liquor, east alton
- melville dairy, godfrey
- midwest petroleum 57, granite city
- midwest petroleum 58, glen carbon
- midwest petroleum 59, edwardsville
- midwest petroleum 64, granite city
- midwest petroleum 82, wood river
- milton food & liquor mart, alton
- mini mart & grill, madison
- one stop shop, alton
- pontoon beach mobil, pontoon beach
- parkside market, granite city
- pilot travel center 249, troy
- pontoon express, granite city
- quik trip 694, edwardsville
- quiktrip 688, granite city
- quiktrip 695, bethalto
- quiktrip 697, granite city
- quiktrip 698, godfrey
- quick mart, pontoon beach
- quick stop, alton
- quick stop, madison
- quick stop kp, troy
- raceway, collinsville
- rocket 4275, wood river
- route 203 liquor and grocery, madison
- royal market express, alton
- s & g market, granite city
- stop-n-go mart, inc., marine
- second generation distribution, roxana
- shree hari fuel llc, alton
- singh petroleum inc, madison
- speedway 7269, granite city
- spirito's the italian store, collinsville
- sri sai satya tulasi 2 llc, cottage hills
- state corner market 1, alton
- step n go, granite city
- ta troy 199, troy
- trading post, collinsville
- troy zx 250, troy
- united gas mart, granite city
- venice discount market llc, madison
- venict mart, venice
- village motomart 3105, collinsville
- wings n things market, alton
- wood river convenience market 1, wood river
- worden food & liquor, worden
Combination Grocery/Other · 63
- cvs 2510, collinsville
- cvs 3259, edwardsville
- cvs 6831, alton
- cvs 6833, east alton
- cvs 6926, highland
- cvs pharmacy 10951, granite city
- dollar general 1053, troy
- dollar general 1067, alton
- dollar general 1073, bethalto
- dollar general 1085, east alton
- dollar general 1086, east alton
- dollar general 1987, godfrey
- dollar general 2003, granite city
- dollar general 3028, highland
- dollar general 3935, alton
- dollar general 4871, pontoon beach
- dollar general 7324, madison
- dollar general 7904, collinsville
- dollar general 9451, glen carbon
- dollar general 9784, wood river
- dollar general 9794, south roxana
- dollar tree 1034, granite city
- dollar tree 2896, alton
- dollar tree 3335, edwardsville
- dollartree 7046, bethalto
- dollar general 15789, godfrey
- dollar general 16494, hamel
- dollar general 19738, livingston
- dollar general 19795, saint jacob
- dollar general 19896, alton
- dollar general 21243, highland
- dollar general 21872, maryville
- dollar general 30771, granite city
- dollar general 30914, alton
- dollar general 30937, alton
- dollar general 4016, alton
- dollar tree 5997, collinsville
- dollar tree 6046, highland
- dollar tree 7417, troy
- dollar tree 7627, east alton
- dollar tree 7951, collinsville
- dollar tree 911, wood river
- dollartree plus 8909, godfrey
- family dollar 10123, wood river
- family dollar 7328, madison
- family dollar store 3320, granite city
- family dollar store 3725, granite city
- family dollar store 4168, alton
- kelly's butcher shop & deli llc, troy
- samara's international market 1, edwardsville
- walgreens 01996, wood river
- walgreens 04407, granite city
- walgreens 04971, granite city
- walgreens 2490, collinsville
- walgreens 5664, edwardsville
- walgreens 5665, glen carbon
- walgreen's 12395, maryville
- walgreens 01309, highland
- walgreens 03627, alton
- walgreens 03714, alton
- walgreens 04337, bethalto
- walgreens 09750, collinsville
- walgreens 10205, troy
Super Store · 23
- dierbergs edwardsville 24, edwardsville
- highland's tru buy, inc., highland
- ruler 274, collinsville
- ruler 278, godfrey
- ruler 279, granite city
- ruler 320, highland
- schnucks 119, collinsville
- schnucks 229, edwardsville
- schnucks 269, godfrey
- schnucks 288, granite city
- schnucks alton store 146, alton
- sam's club 4878, glen carbon
- schnucks 178, bethalto
- schnucks 224, wood river
- target store 733, edwardsville
- target store 78, alton
- walmart 2425, collinsville
- walmart 256, glen carbon
- walmart 361, collinsville
- walmart store 1761, granite city
- walmart supercenter 1071, wood river
- walmart supercenter 435, highland
- walmart supercenter 4695, godfrey
Supermarket · 9
- aldi 41022 41022, alton
- aldi 41027 41027, granite city
- aldi 41053 41053, collinsville
- aldi 41059 41059, wood river
- aldi 75029 75029, glen carbon
- bagley farms meat market, edwardsville
- dk's market, hamel
- korte meat processing, highland
- petes market, troy
Medium Grocery Store · 6
- green earth grocery, edwardsville
- godfrey meat market, inc., godfrey
- grantfork meats, inc., highland
- la esquinita corporation 1, collinsville
- la tapatia grocery store, inc., granite city
- wings and things market 1, granite city
Large Grocery Store · 5
- cionko's inc, granite city
- joe's market basket, edwardsville
- pearl market. inc, alton
- sever's market inc., east alton
- tienda el maguey, collinsville
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 4
- grants & sons meat market, pontoon beach
- j & m meats & supplies, madison
- novacich's meat market, collinsville
- troy frozen foods, troy
Bakery Specialty · 3
- duke bakery, alton
- duke bakery, granite city
- papa murphy's il062 edwardsville il il062, edwardsville
Farmers' Market · 3
- alton farmers & artisans farmers market/alton main, alton
- maryville farmers market, maryville
- the land of goshen community market, edwardsville
Fruits/Veg Specialty · 3
- farmers market, collinsville
- mike and sarah's produce, collinsville
- produce patch n/a, troy
Small Grocery Store · 1
- curly's corner market, granite city
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Illinois
Compare Madison County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Food access nationally, Illinois in context
Madison County sits inside Illinois (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 Madison County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Madison County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Madison County? ▼
Is Madison County a food desert? ▼
What share of Madison 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.