PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Indiana

Marshall County, IN

Marshall County's food-access picture is close to the national norm, with pockets that qualify as low-access. This profile breaks down who qualifies as a food desert and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it.

14.9%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
6.4%
on SNAP
46K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IN

The food-access picture

14.9% of Marshall County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.

4
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
6.6%
households, no vehicle
11.7%
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).

Marshall County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.9% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 12 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,016 residents who live far from a supermarket. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.

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 Marshall County compares nationally

Marshall County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.9% low-access share that beats 32% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,130).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Marshall County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 12 census tracts in Marshall 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 Marshall County, IN USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 12 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (66.7%) 4 tracts limited (33.3%) Adequate 67% Limited 33% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Marshall County, IN
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Marshall County vs. other Indiana counties

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

% 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 Marshall County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts12
Atlas Population (2010 basis)47,051
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population7,016
Low-Access Share14.9%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,321

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Marshall County
IndicatorValue
Population46,284
Median Household Income$71,808
Poverty Rate11.7%below the national average
SNAP Households1,133
SNAP Participation Rate6.4%well below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.6%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.5%
SNAP participation in Marshall County 6.4%

About 6.4% of Marshall County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 14.9% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 6.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,133 households here.
  • 6.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • Median household income is $71,808 with a 11.7% poverty rate.

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 Marshall County

near the national share

A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 7,016 residents, roughly 14.9% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,321 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (66.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Marshall County

Marshall County has 47 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 6 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 19 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 19

  • b & g petroleum, plymouth
  • bremen marathon, bremen
  • brothers stop n go, plymouth
  • casey's 2051, plymouth
  • casey's general store 1918, argos
  • casey's general store 3684, bremen
  • culver food mart, culver
  • family express 25, plymouth
  • family express 54, plymouth
  • family express 80, bourbon
  • good to go 70, culver
  • love's travel stop 633, plymouth
  • murphy usa 6560, plymouth
  • nb investment inc, plymouth
  • pilot travel center 198, plymouth
  • plymouth express, plymouth
  • robin gas & grocery inc, plymouth
  • speedway 7571, plymouth
  • speedway 8310 8310, lapaz

Combination Grocery/Other · 17

  • cvs 6468, bremen
  • cvs 6474, plymouth
  • cvs 6539, culver
  • dollar general 11092, argos
  • dollar general 18850, bourbon
  • dollar general 2031, bremen
  • dollar general 2097, plymouth
  • dollar general 3741, plymouth
  • dollar tree 1356, plymouth
  • dollar general 10756, lapaz
  • dollar general 18170, plymouth
  • dollar general 20538, culver
  • dollar general 21837, plymouth
  • dollar tree 6645, bremen
  • family dollar store 7424, culver
  • family dollar store 7860, bourbon
  • walgreens 09100, plymouth

Small Grocery Store · 4

  • el super grocery store 1, bremen
  • el super panaderia martina llc, plymouth
  • guanajuato supermarket llc, plymouth
  • macs market, plymouth

Super Store · 4

  • kroger j-963, plymouth
  • martin's super market fuel center 2322, plymouth
  • woodies supermarket inc, bremen
  • walmart 1978, plymouth

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 62007 62007, plymouth
  • park n shop 3, culver

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • jaimes grocery, plymouth

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Indiana

Adams County
17.5% low-access · 6.6% SNAP
Allen County
37.8% low-access · 9.1% SNAP
Bartholomew County
36.4% low-access · 7.4% SNAP
Benton County
1.7% low-access · 11.7% SNAP
Blackford County
15.2% low-access · 14.6% SNAP
Boone County
17.9% low-access · 3.7% SNAP

Compare Marshall County vs Adams County → · All Indiana counties →

Food access nationally, Indiana in context

Marshall County sits inside Indiana (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 Marshall County has low food access? ▼
14.9% of residents in Marshall County, IN 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 Marshall County? ▼
6.4% of households in Marshall County receive SNAP, covering 1,133 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Marshall County? ▼
The poverty rate in Marshall County, IN is 11.7%, with a median household income of $71,808 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Marshall County a food desert? ▼
0 of Marshall County's 12 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). No tracts here meet both conditions in the 2019 Atlas.
What share of Marshall County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.6% of households in Marshall 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.