Signature · 5 LILA tracts (41.7% of tracts)
Marion County, IL
Marion County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 5 LILA tracts (41.7% of the book) alongside 25.2% low-access.
- 25.2%
- low-access pop.
- 5
- food-desert tracts
- 19.8%
- on SNAP
- 37K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Marion County, IL
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 25.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +3.1 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 5 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 19.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 7.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 42% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Wayne County ( -0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Marion County ranks #1,281 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #42 of 102 counties in IL (25.2% low-access; 5 food-desert tracts).
- #1,281
- national by low-access %
- #42
- in IL
- 7
- low-access tracts
- 4K
- 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: 5 LILA tracts (41.7% of tracts) .
How Marion County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Marion County's 25.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,282 most-affected nationwide.
Marion County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
12 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 5 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Marion County has 6 urban and 6 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Marion County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint
- Scott
Scott 66.5%
66.5 % low-access
- Jefferson 26.3
Jefferson 26.3%
26.3 % low-access
- Logan 26
Logan 26%
26 % low-access
- Sangamon 25.6
Sangamon 25.6%
25.6 % low-access
- Marion 25.2
Marion 25.2%
25.2 % low-access
- Wayne 25.1
Wayne 25.1%
25.1 % low-access
- Putnam 0.1
Putnam 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 12 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 39,437 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 7 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 5 |
| Low-Access Population | 9,951 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.2%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 4,026 |
ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 37,000 |
| Median Household Income | $61,240 |
| Poverty Rate | 15.4%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 3,073 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 19.8%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.4% |
Thick SNAP store book in Marion County
Marion County has 42 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 22 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 22
- biggies general market, centralia
- casey's general store 1701, odin
- casey's general store 1797, centralia
- casey's general store 1871, centralia
- casey's general store 1874, salem
- casey's general store 2279, sandoval
- circle k 4700152, salem
- circle k 4701349, centralia
- citgo kkg1, centralia
- fast stop - patoka, patoka
- food mart cafe, centralia
- fuelvend express 11/12/2018, centralia
- huck's 151, centralia
- huck's 351, salem
- iuka general, iuka
- juqulita tienda mexicana, centralia
- murphy usa 6882, salem
- omega general, iuka
- salem motomart 3122, salem
- sandoval quickstop 0, sandoval
- fas mart 555, salem
- fas mart 556, salem
Combination Grocery/Other · 12
- cvs pharmacy 6389, salem
- dollar general 19992, iuka
- dollar general 6266, sandoval
- dollar general 8292, centralia
- dollar tree 3559, salem
- dollar general 1122, salem
- dollar general 19994, centralia
- dollar general 20692, patoka
- dollar general 22307, centralia
- dollar general 24724, kinmundy
- dollar tree 7127, centralia
- walgreens 7236, centralia
Small Grocery Store · 3
- farm fresh, centralia
- farm fresh, centralia
- kinmundy general st, kinmundy
Medium Grocery Store · 2
- dan's meat market, centralia
- produce plus, salem
Super Store · 2
- farm fresh super market, salem
- walmart supercenter 198, salem
Supermarket · 1
- aldi 75070 75070, centralia
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 Marion County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →
Nationwide peers for Marion County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Marion 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 (25.2% here).
- Jennings County, IN · 25.2% low-access
- Jennings County, IN · 25.2% low-access
- Honolulu County, HI · 25.2% low-access
- Honolulu County, HI · 25.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (19.8% here).
- Ouachita Parish, LA · 19.8% SNAP
- Ouachita Parish, LA · 19.8% SNAP
- Bristol County, MA · 19.8% SNAP
- Bristol County, MA · 19.8% 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.
Food access nationally, Illinois in context
Marion County sits inside Illinois (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
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 Marion County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17121. 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.