Signature · 10.3% SNAP (17th pct in IL)

McLean County, IL

McLean County sits in the upper national band on low-access (30.7%, +8.6 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.

30.7%
low-access pop.
8
food-desert tracts
10.3%
on SNAP
172K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IL

USDA FARA access plate

County McLean County, IL

LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-ELEVATED 30.7% low-access
  • ABOVE-NATIONAL +8.6 pts vs US
  • LILA-CLUSTER 8 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-LIGHT 10.3% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 5.9% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 20% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Henry County (+ 0.7 pts)

Upper-band low-access

McLean County sits in the upper national band (30.7%, #890 of 3,079) with 8 LILA tracts.

#890
national by low-access %
#30
in IL
17
low-access tracts
15K
food-desert residents

Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.

Signature read: 10.3% SNAP (17th pct in IL) (-1.8 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .

How McLean County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, McLean County's 30.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 71% of them and ranked #896 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

McLean County's elevated USDA tier split

41 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 8 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for McLean County, IL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 24 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 9 limited, 8 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 41 tracts evaluated. 24 tracts adequate (58.5%) 9 tracts limited (22.0%) 8 tracts severe / food desert (19.5%) Adequate 59% Limited 22% Severe 20% Food-access tier distribution: McLean County, IL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, McLean County has 32 urban and 9 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.

McLean County vs nearby high low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Illinois, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · elevated low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for McLean County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts41
Atlas Population (2010 basis)169,572
Low-Access Tracts17
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)8
Low-Access Population52,059
Low-Access Share30.7%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population14,890

ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for McLean County
IndicatorValue
Population171,556
Median Household Income$79,905
Poverty Rate12.9%near the national average
SNAP Households7,245
SNAP Participation Rate10.3%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.9%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population5.4%

Thick SNAP store book in McLean County

McLean County has 125 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 61 locations (49% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 61

  • 4700129.0 129, bloomington
  • 707 food & liquor, normal
  • 707 liquors & mart, normal
  • 707 liquors & mart 3 3, normal
  • bloomington fast stop, bloomington
  • bloomington shell, bloomington
  • brake time, mc lean
  • brake time 223629, gridley
  • casey's 2819, hudson
  • casey's general store 3901, lexington
  • casey's 2851, heyworth
  • casey's general store 1420, colfax
  • casey's general store 1457, saybrook
  • casey's general store 1630, chenoa
  • casey's general store 1655, normal
  • casey's general store 1721, bloomington
  • casey's general store 1764, bloomington
  • casey's general store 2267, normal
  • casey's general store 2554, bloomington
  • casey's general store 2934, normal
  • casey's general store 3538, le roy
  • circle k 1251, bloomington
  • circle k 21, normal
  • circle k 4700139, normal
  • circle k 4700150, normal
  • circle k 4701204, normal
  • circle k 4701210, bloomington
  • circle k 4701211, bloomington
  • circle k 4701407, bloomington
  • circle k 4701414, normal
  • circle k 4701421, bloomington
  • fast stop, normal
  • fast stop, bloomington
  • franzetti's pantry plus na, bloomington
  • hot spot grocery and liquor, bloomington
  • huck's 186, heyworth
  • huck's 353, bloomington
  • huck's 355, bloomington
  • huck's 360, bloomington
  • hy-vee c-store 5035, bloomington
  • lexington c store, lexington
  • love's travel stop 367, le roy
  • love's travel stop 867, normal
  • main street convenience, bloomington
  • meijer gas station 207, normal
  • murphy usa 6827, bloomington
  • najah enterprises inc, chenoa
  • one stop market plus i corp. 1, bloomington
  • pilot travel center 299, bloomington
  • qik-n-ez # 62, bloomington
  • qik-n-ez convenience store 72, normal
  • qik n ez 60, normal
  • quiktrip 7193, bloomington
  • red & blue shop ii corp 1, bloomington
  • road ranger 185, mclean
  • shell, le roy
  • shell food shop, chenoa
  • south of chicago groceries llc, bloomington
  • thorntons 360, bloomington
  • thorntons 361, bloomington
  • west market groceries, bloomington

Combination Grocery/Other · 32

  • aalaya foods llc, bloomington
  • college hills meats inc, normal
  • cvs 7017, bloomington
  • cvs 7020, normal
  • cvs 8043, normal
  • dollar general 7307, normal
  • dollar general 7462, heyworth
  • dollar general 9247, bloomington
  • dollar tree 0744, bloomington
  • dollartree 11022, bloomington
  • dollartree 3008, bloomington
  • dollar general 12164, chenoa
  • dollar general 12420, bloomington
  • dollar general 13635, lexington
  • dollar general 16019, bloomington
  • dollar general 20722, gridley
  • dollar general 21006, colfax
  • dollar general 21046, bloomington
  • dollar general 21771, hudson
  • dollar general 21881, bloomington
  • dollar general 30383, saybrook
  • dollar general 4092, le roy
  • dollar general store 16478, normal
  • dollar tree 2379, bloomington
  • dollar tree 3540, normal
  • family dollar store 1742, bloomington
  • walgreens 9983, bloomington
  • walgreens 05188, bloomington
  • walgreens 09313, normal
  • walgreens 11828, bloomington
  • walgreens 12396, normal
  • walgreens 15164, bloomington

Super Store · 12

  • fresh thyme market 110blm, bloomington
  • hy-vee 1035, bloomington
  • kroger 347, normal
  • kroger 856, bloomington
  • kroger 943, bloomington
  • meijer inc 207, normal
  • schnucks - bloomington 706, bloomington
  • sam's club 4815, normal
  • schnucks # 729, normal
  • target store 137, normal
  • walmart supercenter 3459, bloomington
  • walmart supercenter 1125, normal

Supermarket · 7

  • aldi 68054 68054, bloomington
  • aldi 68055, bloomington
  • aldi 75032 75032, normal
  • jewel food store 116, bloomington
  • jewel food store 3073, normal
  • jewel food store 3775, bloomington
  • kirby foods leroy iga 302, le roy

Medium Grocery Store · 5

  • iga heyworth, heyworth
  • lupitas hispanic & american grocery inc, bloomington
  • luz's market, normal
  • signature india grocery, bloomington
  • spice venue, normal

Large Grocery Store · 3

  • green top grocery, bloomington
  • la mexicana grocery inc, bloomington
  • lexington finer foods & liquor, lexington

Bakery Specialty · 2

  • papa murphy's pizza il004, normal
  • papa murphy's pizza il008, bloomington

Farmers' Market · 2

  • downtown bloomington farmers' market, bloomington
  • le roy farmer's market, le roy

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • bloomington meats, bloomington

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 McLean County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →

Counties near McLean County's elevated low-access or SNAP band

SNAP-led peer set first for McLean County (10.3%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Illinois.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside IL (30.7% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside IL (10.3% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

McLean County inside a higher low-access state context

McLean 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 McLean County, IL are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 17113. 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.