PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Ohio

Marion County, OH

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

32.2%
low-access pop.
7
food-desert tracts
17.0%
on SNAP
65K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 OH

The food-access picture

32.2% of Marion County residents live in a low-access area, and 7 of its 18 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

8
low-access tracts
9K
food-desert residents
6.9%
households, no vehicle
16.6%
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 Marion County's low-access share at 32.2%, above the national share. 8 of the county's 18 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 21,410 people. 7 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 8,987 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 Marion County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Marion County's 32.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 74% of them and ranked #803 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Marion County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 18 census tracts in Marion 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 Marion County, OH USDA-defined food-access tiers: 10 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 7 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 18 tracts evaluated. 10 tracts adequate (55.6%) 1 tracts limited (5.6%) 7 tracts severe / food desert (38.9%) Adequate 56% Limited 6% Severe 39% Food-access tier distribution: Marion County, OH
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Marion County vs. other Ohio counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Ohio

% 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 Marion County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts18
Atlas Population (2010 basis)66,501
Low-Access Tracts8
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)7
Low-Access Population21,410
Low-Access Share32.2%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population8,987

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Marion County
IndicatorValue
Population65,020
Median Household Income$59,371
Poverty Rate16.6%above the national average
SNAP Households4,191
SNAP Participation Rate17.0%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.9%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population8.4%
SNAP participation in Marion County 17.0%

About 17.0% of Marion County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 32.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 17.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,191 households here.
  • 6.9% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 7 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 Marion County

above the national share

7 of Marion County's 18 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 38.9% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 8.

An estimated 21,410 residents, roughly 32.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 8,987 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 10 tracts (55.6%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Marion County

Marion County has 58 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 29 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 29

  • 5 points drive thru llc, marion
  • al's country market, marion
  • alfaa 23 23, marion
  • busy convenience store, marion
  • center street motomart 4129, marion
  • certified oil 400289, marion
  • certified oil 400289, marion
  • clover & merchant 1179, marion
  • dino's drive thru, marion
  • drexel grocery store llc, marion
  • fairpark duchess 1221, marion
  • five o drive thru, marion
  • general sales drive thru, marion
  • green camp pit stop, green camp
  • jacks drive thru, marion
  • marion food mart, marion
  • marion motomart 4125, marion
  • marion sunoco, marion
  • marion sunoco gas station, marion
  • meijer gas station 111, marion
  • mikes drive through, marion
  • north marion fuel inc, marion
  • quick stop, caledonia
  • rt. 95 duchess 1216, marion
  • south prospect market, marion
  • speedway 1146 1146, marion
  • speedway 3619, marion
  • speedway 9733, marion
  • waldo duchess 1235, waldo

Combination Grocery/Other · 17

  • cvs 3432, marion
  • cvs 6171, marion
  • dollar general 14436, caledonia
  • dollar general 19559, prospect
  • dollar general 2929, marion
  • dollar general 12300, marion
  • dollar general 15523, marion
  • dollar general 25498, new bloomington
  • dollar general 4389, marion
  • dollar tree 38, marion
  • dollar tree 7273, marion
  • family dollar 13296, la rue
  • family dollar 9332, marion
  • family dollar store 1777, marion
  • family dollar store 4129, marion
  • grand prairie market, marion
  • walgreens 10295, marion

Super Store · 4

  • kroger n-808 n808, marion
  • kroger n-880, marion
  • meijer inc 111, marion
  • walmart 1750, marion

Supermarket · 4

  • aldi 61030 61030, marion
  • gordon food service store mp078, marion
  • king saver 810, marion
  • save a lot 30067, marion

Farmers' Market · 2

  • caledonia farmers market, caledonia
  • caledonia farmers market, marion

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • la condesa grocery store #3 llc, marion

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • center street corner market, marion

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Ohio

Adams County
22.0% low-access · 20.7% SNAP
Allen County
17.4% low-access · 13.8% SNAP
Ashland County
5.0% low-access · 8.9% SNAP
Ashtabula County
21.9% low-access · 18.2% SNAP
Athens County
17.0% low-access · 14.4% SNAP
Auglaize County
9.9% low-access · 6.8% SNAP

Compare Marion County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →

Food access nationally, Ohio in context

Marion County sits inside Ohio (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 Marion County has low food access? ▼
32.2% of residents in Marion County, OH 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 Marion County? ▼
17.0% of households in Marion County receive SNAP, covering 4,191 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Marion County? ▼
The poverty rate in Marion County, OH is 16.6%, with a median household income of $59,371 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Marion County a food desert? ▼
7 of Marion County's 18 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 Marion County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.9% of households in Marion 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.