PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Mason County, MI

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

25.7%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
12.9%
on SNAP
29K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

25.7% of Mason County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
6.5%
households, no vehicle
14.1%
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).

USDA data puts Mason County's low-access share at 25.7%, above the national share. 3 of the county's 8 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 7,389 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,596 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 Mason County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Mason County's 25.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 60% of them and ranked #1,241 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Mason County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 8 census tracts in Mason 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 Mason County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 5 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 2 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 8 tracts evaluated. 5 tracts adequate (62.5%) 2 tracts limited (25.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (12.5%) Adequate 63% Limited 25% Severe 13% Food-access tier distribution: Mason County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Mason County vs. other Michigan counties

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

% 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 Mason County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts8
Atlas Population (2010 basis)28,705
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population7,389
Low-Access Share25.7%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,596

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Mason County
IndicatorValue
Population29,207
Median Household Income$64,748
Poverty Rate14.1%near the national average
SNAP Households1,646
SNAP Participation Rate12.9%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.4%
SNAP participation in Mason County 12.9%

About 12.9% of Mason County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 25.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 12.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,646 households here.
  • 6.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Mason County

above the national share

1 of Mason County's 8 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 12.5% of all its tracts.

A further 2 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 7,389 residents, roughly 25.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,596 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 5 tracts (62.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Mason County

Mason County has 36 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 18 locations (50% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 18

  • 4th ward market, ludington
  • admiral 5791, scottville
  • airport ez mart 216, ludington
  • aj's party port, ludington
  • branch grocery, branch
  • express mart, ludington
  • forest trail ez mart, free soil
  • fountain mkt, fountain
  • hamlin grocery, ludington
  • je asian grocery llc 0, ludington
  • meijer gas station 193, ludington
  • murphy usa 6652, ludington
  • pioneer party store, custer
  • ten31 stop amoco, scottville
  • wesco 23, ludington
  • wesco 25, ludington
  • wesco 28, scottville
  • y country store, ludington

Combination Grocery/Other · 7

  • dollar general 10682, ludington
  • dollar general 8803, scottville
  • dollar general 20604, free soil
  • dollar general 24636, ludington
  • dollar general store 17483, fountain
  • dollar tree 3225, ludington
  • walgreens 5560, ludington

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • northside market, ludington
  • orchard market, inc., free soil
  • west shore market llp, scottville

Super Store · 3

  • family fare 1895, ludington
  • meijer inc 193, ludington
  • walmart supercenter 2102, ludington

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2

  • ludington meat company, ludington
  • sanders meats, custer

Farmers' Market · 1

  • ludington farmer's market, ludington

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • the evergreen natural food market, ludington

Supermarket · 1

  • aldi 10, ludington

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Michigan

Alcona County
15.6% low-access · 12.5% SNAP
Alger County
12.8% low-access · 11.0% SNAP
Allegan County
20.8% low-access · 7.8% SNAP
Alpena County
15.9% low-access · 16.7% SNAP
Antrim County
0.2% low-access · 10.0% SNAP
Arenac County
0.0% low-access · 16.1% SNAP

Compare Mason County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Mason County sits inside Michigan (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 Mason County has low food access? ▼
25.7% of residents in Mason County, MI 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 Mason County? ▼
12.9% of households in Mason County receive SNAP, covering 1,646 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Mason County? ▼
The poverty rate in Mason County, MI is 14.1%, with a median household income of $64,748 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Mason County a food desert? ▼
1 of Mason County's 8 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 Mason County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.5% of households in Mason 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.