County food-access profile · New Jersey
Mercer County, NJ
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Mercer 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).
- 28.0%
- low-access pop.
- 1
- food-desert tracts
- 9.3%
- on SNAP
- 386K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
28.0% of Mercer County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 77 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 32
- low-access tracts
- 13K
- food-desert residents
- 11.2%
- households, no vehicle
- 10.3%
- 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 Mercer County's low-access share at 28.0%, above the national share. 32 of the county's 77 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 102,458 people. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 13,450 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 Mercer County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Mercer County's 28.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 65% of them and ranked #1,083 most-affected nationwide.
Mercer County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 77 census tracts in Mercer County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Mercer County vs. other New Jersey counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New Jersey
- Mercer
Mercer County, NJ
28 % low-access
- Atlantic
Atlantic County, NJ
30.1 % low-access
- Bergen 10.3
Bergen County, NJ
10.3 % low-access
- Burlington
Burlington County, NJ
36.3 % low-access
- Camden
Camden County, NJ
20 % low-access
- Cape May
Cape May County, NJ
32.8 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 77 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 366,513 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 32 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 1 |
| Low-Access Population | 102,458 |
| Low-Access Share | 28.0%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 13,450 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 385,864 |
| Median Household Income | $100,645 |
| Poverty Rate | 10.3%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 13,377 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.3%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 11.2%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.5% |
About 9.3% of Mercer County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 28.0% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 9.3% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 13,377 households here.
- 11.2% 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 Mercer County
above the national share
1 of Mercer County's 77 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 1.3% of all its tracts.
A further 31 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 32.
An estimated 102,458 residents, roughly 28.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 13,450 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 45 tracts (58.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Mercer County
Mercer County has 262 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 9 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 105 locations (40% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 105
- 7 eleven 2412 10945b, yardville
- 7 eleven 2412 21228f, trenton
- 7- eleven 25798, trenton
- 7- eleven inc f 10970d, trenton
- 7-eleven inc f 10977d, ewing
- 7-eleven store #41892a, trenton
- 7-eleven store 23786e, trenton
- 7-eleven store 26619e, hamilton twp
- 7-eleven store 26629d, ewing
- 7-eleven 10972d, trenton
- 7-eleven inc f 39439a, princeton junction
- 7-eleven store #27391c, ewing
- 7-eleven store #27890f, hightstown
- 7-eleven store #36995b 36995b, princeton
- 7-eleven store 2411 10957f, trenton
- african & caribbean food market, trenton
- ariel mini market, trenton
- b&f grocery inc, trenton
- bp go, trenton
- beltran associates llc, trenton
- bueno minimarket, trenton
- bz deli inc, trenton
- c-store, ewing
- collado rodriguez grocery, trenton
- country farm, trenton
- d&e grocery, trenton
- dayton deli and grocery, trenton
- ej deli grocery llc, trenton
- el sabor caribeno grocery, trenton
- el valle llp 1, trenton
- express grocery & grill, trenton
- express mini market, trenton
- family convenience store, trenton
- family mini market, trenton
- felix deli, trenton
- fernandez deli & grocery llc, trenton
- frazer food store, trenton
- freddys grocery and deli, trenton
- gabriel super market, trenton
- hanel grocery and deli, ewing
- harlem deli & grocery llc, trenton
- hightstown convenience, inc, hightstown
- italian peoples bakery, inc, trenton
- j and a grocery, trenton
- j&k food market llc, trenton
- jinhee grocery llc, trenton
- jojos family market, trenton
- karina grocery, trenton
- krauszer's food store, trenton
- krauzer's food store, east windsor
- latinos mini market, trenton
- los amigos deli and grocery 2 corp, trenton
- los amigos deli llc, trenton
- los compadres deli & grocery llc, trenton
- luciano market, trenton
- lucky mart, ewing
- lucky star deli, trenton
- lucky7 deli food store, lawrence township
- luz fica grocery & deli, trenton
- m and w grocery, trenton
- mega convenient store inc, ewing
- mi tierra minimarket llc, trenton
- monchy deli grocery, trenton
- mulberry street deli and grocery, trenton
- my health pharmacy, trenton
- nicky grocery, trenton
- nityas restaurant & grocery llc, trenton
- noelia deli & grocery, trenton
- olden deli & grocery, llc., trenton
- omit llc, trenton
- one stop deli, grocery & food store, hamilton
- paketeria food market, trenton
- pantry 1 food, trenton
- pantry 1 food mart, trenton
- pantry one food mart, trenton
- prospect deli, trenton
- quality food mart llc, trenton
- quick stop, trenton
- quick stop food market, trenton
- quick sub mini mart, trenton
- reyes moran grocery 2 llc, trenton
- reyes reyes grocery, trenton
- robinson mini market, trenton
- rodriguez reyes grocery inc, trenton
- sam's deli mart, east windsor
- santana grocery llc, trenton
- st. francis deli & grocery, trenton
- sweets mak mart, trenton
- tony's deli grocery, trenton
- torres & rodriguez deli, trenton
- torres lopez market deli, trenton
- uceta food market, trenton
- wawa 349, hamilton
- wawa 735, hightstown
- wawa 8399, robbinsville
- wawa 8331, princeton
- wawa 8342, hamilton
- wawa 8357, hamilton
- wawa 8360, ewing
- wawa store 8339, lawrence township
- wawa store 8356, trenton
- wawa store 8383, robbinsville
- wawa store 8447, princeton
- wawa store 8452, hamilton
- whitehorse mercerville exxon, trenton
Combination Grocery/Other · 61
- cvs pharmacy 1967, trenton
- cvs pharmacy 2126, lawrenceville
- cvs pharmacy 6036, ewing
- cvs pharmacy 6038, trenton
- cvs pharmacy 6039, hamilton
- cvs pharmacy 1069, princeton
- cvs pharmacy 11456, hopewell township
- cvs pharmacy 2117, robbinsville
- cvs pharmacy 2816, hamilton
- cvs pharmacy 432, east windsor
- cvs pharmacy 6035, trenton
- cvs pharmacy 824, lawrence township
- cvs pharmacy inc 3161, east windsor
- cvs pharmacy inc 5871, princeton
- cvs pharmacy inc 6900, ewing
- cvs/pharmacy 7160, princeton junction
- cha's seafood inc, trenton
- dollar general 14234, ewing
- dollar general 15771, trenton
- dollar general 17890, trenton
- dollar general 19190, ewing
- dollar general 19192, trenton
- dollar general 24232, trenton
- dollar general 8966, lawrenceville
- dollar general 9330, trenton
- dollar tree 1638, trenton
- dollar tree 1650, hamilton
- dollar tree 1699, lawrence township
- dollar tree 2797, east windsor
- dollar tree 4478, trenton
- dollar tree 5115, princeton
- dollar tree 5186, ewing
- dollar tree 6857, trenton
- dollar tree 7583, ewing
- dollar tree 7866, trenton
- dollar tree 8554, robbinsville
- dollartree 8895, ewing
- family dollar 11517, trenton
- family dollar 12983, trenton
- family dollar 4267, ewing
- family dollar 7560, trenton
- halo farm, inc, lawrence
- halal grocery, lawrence township
- quick chek food stores 022, trenton
- quisqueya deli and grocery, trenton
- quick chek 107, lawrence township
- quick chek corporation 173, trenton
- quickchek 177, trenton
- quickchek 204, east windsor
- walgreens 15558, trenton
- walgreens 07477, east windsor
- walgreens 07974, trenton
- walgreens 10500, trenton
- walgreens 10709, hamilton
- walgreens 11313, trenton
- walgreens 16034, ewing
- walgreens 17293, princeton
- walgreens 18274, princeton junction
- walgreens 19172, ewing
- walgreens 19579, pennington
- whole earth center, princeton
Small Grocery Store · 22
- american haitian island market, trenton
- cruz deli & grocery, trenton
- chestnut deli & grocery llc, trenton
- community food market, trenton
- elizabeth mini market, trenton
- familia latina mini market, princeton junction
- gara grocery & grill, trenton
- hamilton fil-am foodmart, trenton
- jaquez deli market llc, trenton
- jeneslyn mini market, trenton
- jimenez mini market 2, trenton
- jumbo wholesale, trenton
- karla's mini market, trenton
- la familia grocery llc, trenton
- la isla grocery store, trenton
- los amigos deli and grocery, trenton
- mecca halal meat, ewing
- mr supermarket, trenton
- new way deli market, trenton
- sajoma fresh supermarket, trenton
- tu pais supermarket llc, trenton
- unidos supermarket 2 corp, trenton
Supermarket · 21
- 130 farm market, east windsor
- acme 2914, trenton
- acme 3919, hamilton
- aldi 60061, trenton
- aldi 4, trenton
- aldi 6, east windsor
- aldi 60090, hamilton
- bravo supermarket, inc, trenton
- big family meat & produce inc dba compare foods, trenton
- city beef, trenton
- east windsor shop rite 506, east windsor
- ewing shop rite 514, ewing
- fernandez supermarket of trenton, trenton
- gold group 2 llc, trenton
- grocery outlet of hamilton 733, trenton
- hamilton shop rite 521, hamilton township
- hamilton square shop rite 566, trenton
- lalor food market llc, trenton
- lawrenceville shoprite 500, lawrence township
- mccaffrey's mkt/princeton mkt inc 1615, princeton
- n&w 2020 inc, trenton
Super Store · 17
- b js wholesale club 141, trenton
- costco 1199, lawrence township
- east windsor grocery llc/patel brothers, east windsor
- foley's family market, hamilton
- food bazaar 35, trenton
- lidl 1429, lawrenceville
- marrazzo's market, ewing township
- pennington supermarket, pennington
- patel brothers, trenton
- patidar cash & carry, hightstown
- target store 1151, princeton
- target stores 1345, east windsor
- walmart 2518, hamilton
- walmart 3266, east windsor
- walmart supercenter 5012, trenton
- whole foods market 10187, princeton
- woo-ri mart, west windsor
Medium Grocery Store · 13
- awas international grocery, trenton
- emaan grocery & halal meat, trenton
- guate supermarket llc, trenton
- house of meat, hamilton
- josmary deli and grocery, trenton
- jimenez mini market, trenton
- karla's mini marketing ii, trenton
- muluh international grocery iii, trenton
- nj african caribbean market, trenton
- new shop for less llc, hightstown
- rodriguez deli and grocery, trenton
- rt 1 market, lawrence township
- stop one mini market, llc., trenton
Large Grocery Store · 4
- colonial farm foods market, trenton
- family supermarket, trenton
- subzi mandi 130 inc, east windsor
- subzi mandi hamilton inc, trenton
Meat/Poultry Specialty · 4
- a legacy meat market, trenton
- hc live poultry 0, ewing
- victors meat market., trenton
- witherspoon meat market, hopewell
Farmers' Market · 3
- princeton farmers market inc, princeton
- terhune orchards, princeton
- west windsor community farmers market, west windsor
Showing 250 of 262 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New Jersey
Compare Mercer County vs Atlantic County → · All New Jersey counties →
Food access nationally, New Jersey in context
Mercer County sits inside New Jersey (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Mercer County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Mercer County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Mercer County? ▼
Is Mercer County a food desert? ▼
What share of Mercer County households lack a vehicle? ▼
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.