County food-access profile · New Jersey
Middlesex County, NJ
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Middlesex 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).
- 25.0%
- low-access pop.
- 5
- food-desert tracts
- 7.9%
- on SNAP
- 871K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
25.0% of Middlesex County residents live in a low-access area, and 5 of its 175 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 75
- low-access tracts
- 32K
- food-desert residents
- 8.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 8.6%
- 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 Middlesex County's low-access share at 25.0%, above the national share. 75 of the county's 175 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 202,816 people. 5 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 31,605 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 Middlesex County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Middlesex County's 25.0% low-access share is elevated, higher than 59% of them and ranked #1,296 most-affected nationwide.
Middlesex County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 175 census tracts in Middlesex County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Middlesex County vs. other New Jersey counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New Jersey
- Middlesex
Middlesex County, NJ
25 % 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 | 175 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 809,858 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 75 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 5 |
| Low-Access Population | 202,816 |
| Low-Access Share | 25.0%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 31,605 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 871,290 |
| Median Household Income | $111,549 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.6%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 24,330 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 7.9%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 8.0%near the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.9% |
About 7.9% of Middlesex County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 25.0% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 7.9% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 24,330 households here.
- 8.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 5 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 Middlesex County
above the national share
5 of Middlesex County's 175 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 2.9% of all its tracts.
A further 70 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 75.
An estimated 202,816 residents, roughly 25.0% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 31,605 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 100 tracts (57.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Middlesex County
Middlesex County has 464 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 149 locations (32% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 149
- 1207 convience limited liability, iselin
- 19 express, south amboy
- 7 eleven store 2412 10950c, east brunswick
- 7-eleven 37239j, perth amboy
- 7-eleven inc f 11047 11047c, south amboy
- 7-eleven inc f 11455a, colonia
- 7-eleven inc f 24608, south plainfield
- 7-eleven inc f 34900a, edison
- 7-eleven inc f 39227, old bridge
- 7-eleven store 11023c, old bridge
- 7-eleven store 11037 11037g, matawan
- 7-eleven store 2412 36472a, perth amboy
- 7-eleven store 34173a 34173a, old bridge
- 7-eleven store 34591a, edison
- 7-eleven store 35886a, east brunswick
- 7-eleven store 36047b, piscataway
- 7-eleven store 39020b, edison
- 7-eleven store inc f 15560g 15560g, jamesburg
- 7-eleven 32950c, edison
- 7-eleven 39765a, cranbury
- 7-eleven inc f 39688a, east brunswick
- 7-eleven store #11452a, edison
- 7-eleven store #11457e 11457e, edison
- 7-eleven store #20610d, avenel
- 7-eleven store #32210d 32210d, middlesex
- 7-eleven store #32412c 32412c, edison
- 7-eleven store #37076b 37076b, iselin
- 7-eleven store #38308a 38308a, perth amboy
- 7-eleven store 11444b, edison
- 7-eleven store 11445e, woodbridge
- 7-eleven store 2411 39718a, monmouth junction
- 7-eleven store 2412-32771b 32771b, old bridge
- 7-eleven store 2412-34699a 34699a, east brunswick
- 7-eleven store 2413 11443d, iselin
- 7-eleven store 2413 34531b, carteret
- 7-eleven store 2413 39709a, south plainfield
- 7-eleven store 32896b, perth amboy
- 7-eleven store 33650a, new brunswick
- 7-eleven store 38462b, middlesex
- 7-eleven store, new brunswick
- a & b grocery llc, new brunswick
- a.k. corner store, woodbridge
- aadk corp, fords
- aser & brothers llc, edison
- circle k, monmouth junction
- citgo, east brunswick
- cold cut center, carteret
- cook's grocery and deli, piscataway
- cooke avenue food mart, carteret
- cranbury convenience store, cranbury
- crystal's express deli, parlin
- deli delight, metuchen
- e z pick, perth amboy
- e and j mini market, perth amboy
- easy mart llc, spotswood
- el tropical meat and groceries corp 1, edison
- espinal mini market, perth amboy
- evo market - hopelawn, perth amboy
- exxon, south amboy
- ez chek food, sayreville
- ez pick, perth amboy
- fresh mart, edison
- freshmart, edison
- freshmart, highland park
- gabys bakery deli and grocery, new brunswick
- gamny service station no, new brunswick
- harrys newstand, new brunswick
- international food market, jamesburg
- iselin deli and mini mart, iselin
- jamesburg food inc, jamesburg
- jd deli & grocery, new brunswick
- k & v west indian market 1, south plainfield
- krauszer's food store, south river
- knights deli, new brunswick
- krauszer, new brunswick
- krauszer's, avenel
- krauszers, avenel
- krauszers, south amboy
- krauszers 465, north brunswick
- krauszers food store, sayerville
- krauszers food store, port reading
- krauszers food store, edison
- krauszers south amboy, south amboy
- krauzers, highland park
- l&m mini market, perth amboy
- los lopez mini market, new brunswick
- la famosa esquina, perth amboy
- lake mart inc. 1, colonia
- latin flavor deli llc, carteret
- latinoamericana deli and grocery, jamesburg
- lucky 7 days, dunellen
- mahant swami 91 llc, perth amboy
- market deli & grocery 2, perth amboy
- metuchen news, metuchen
- mini mart 1, middlesex
- minit mart food stores, south river
- neighborhood mini mart, perth amboy
- nelson's mini market, perth amboy
- nisael mini market llc, new brunswick
- pantry 1 food mart, south river
- pantry 1 food mart no, north brunswick
- pantry 1 foodmart, middlesex
- park deli & grill, edison
- petro express 1, port reading
- piscataway quick food mart, piscataway
- pitstop food store, old bridge
- quick dairy and grocery, sayreville
- quick buy store, edison
- quick mart pharmacy, parlin
- quick stop, piscataway
- quick stop, middlesex
- quick stop deli, hopelawn
- r & j food store, perth amboy
- racestar foodmart and deli, carteret
- red deli & grocery, new brunswick
- reys mini market 4, new brunswick
- rihanna mini market, north brunswick
- san ramon grocery & deli 1 inc, perth amboy
- scarlet convenience store, new brunswick
- spanish corner deli #1, new brunswick
- speedway 3444, perth amboy
- speedway 3446, edison
- speedway 3447, milltown
- speedway 3491, perth amboy
- speedy mart, parlin
- stop & go, sayreville
- stop n go, piscataway
- stop n go, south river
- sunny mart, iselin
- sunny mart food store, avenel
- sunny mart food store, port reading
- the market at carteret, carteret
- tiger mart, new brunswick
- tnt fast stop 2, new brunswick
- torres mini market, perth amboy
- wawa 365, monroe township
- wawa 476, dayton
- wawa 781, sayreville
- wawa 8412, north brunswick
- wawa 914, east brunswick
- wawa 934, matawan
- wawa 940, old bridge
- wawa 983, south river
- wawa 8323, avenel
- wawa 0989, old bridge
- wawa 8315, old bridge
- wawa 8317, fords
- wawa 8330, monroe township
- wawa 8365, edison
Combination Grocery/Other · 100
- adonis market, north brunswick
- brunswick desi bazaar, east brunswick
- cvs 2139, old bridge
- cvs pharmacy 1275, woodbridge
- cvs pharmacy inc 6061, carteret
- cvs pharmacy 10047, east brunswick
- cvs pharmacy 1927, greenbrook
- cvs pharmacy 2001, south plainfield
- cvs pharmacy 2017, middlesex
- cvs pharmacy 2456, edison
- cvs pharmacy 271, south plainfield
- cvs pharmacy 2815, east brunswick
- cvs pharmacy 506, edison
- cvs pharmacy 6034, north brunswick
- cvs pharmacy 759, piscataway
- cvs pharmacy 817, plainsboro
- cvs pharmacy cvs11080, east brunswick
- cvs pharmacy inc 5128, jamesburg
- cvs pharmacy inc 5980, north brunswick
- cvs pharmacy inc 6032, kendall park
- cvs pharmacy inc 7238, monroe township
- dollar general 19832, south plainfield
- dollartree 8179, south plainfield
- dollartree 8435, old bridge
- dollartree 9208, princeton
- dollartree 9461, east brunswick
- delight big bazar inc, south brunswick
- dollar general 15513, middlesex
- dollar general 22133, perth amboy
- dollar general 24165, colonia
- dollar tree 0612, south plainfield
- dollar tree 1629, north brunswick
- dollar tree 3180, woodbridge
- dollar tree 3182, carteret
- dollar tree 3276, parlin
- dollar tree 4004, middlesex
- dollar tree 4955, woodbridge
- dollar tree 5045, east brunswick
- dollar tree 5375, edison
- dollar tree 5439, south plainfield
- dollar tree 5467, perth amboy
- dollar tree 6145, milltown
- dollar tree 6369, green brook
- dollar tree 6658, avenel
- dollar tree 7321, plainsboro
- dollar tree 7650, edison
- dollar tree 7663, matawan
- family dollar 5435, sayreville
- family dollar 7130, perth amboy
- family dollar 9338, edison
- indian grocery outlet, edison
- kb's african store, old bridge
- maple tree market, north brunswick
- nam's fish market, new brunswick
- o & b african market, new brunswick
- ocean state job lot 554, south plainfield
- patidar supermarket, north brunswick
- quick chek food stores 001, dunellen
- quick chek food stores 002, piscataway
- quick chek food stores 041, south plainfield
- quick chek food stores 051, perth amboy
- quick chek food stores 082, woodbridge
- quick chek food stores 105, piscataway
- quick chek food stores 117, parlin
- quick chek food stores 130, middlesex
- quick chek food stores 4, highland park
- quick chek food stores 62, s plainfield
- quick chek 127, dayton
- quick chek 142, north brunswick
- quick chek 79, matawan
- quick chek corporation 163, north brunswick
- quick chek corporation 175, avenel
- quick chek food stores 119, sayreville
- quickchek 161, jamesburg
- quickchek 166, monroe
- quickchek 56, piscataway
- raavi naan kabab & halal meat, old bridge
- shahnawaz halal meat inc, iselin
- taaza halal, iselin
- target store t2893, old bridge
- the fresh grocer, colonia
- walgreens 04544, perth amboy
- walgreens 2513, e brunswick
- walgreens 4876, edison
- walgreens 04545, woodbridge
- walgreens 06908, new brunswick
- walgreens 07056, colonia
- walgreens 07124, piscataway
- walgreens 07490, carteret
- walgreens 09932, edison
- walgreens 10440, north brunswick
- walgreens 10676, green brook
- walgreens 12593, colonia
- walgreens 13720, sayreville
- walgreens 15186, old bridge
- walgreens 15556, old bridge
- walgreens 17743, monroe township
- walgreens 19396, south river
- walgreens 19762, spotswood
- walgreens 2593, edison
Bakery Specialty · 1
- new rotikaa foods, iselin
Showing 250 of 464 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New Jersey
Compare Middlesex County vs Atlantic County → · All New Jersey counties →
Food access nationally, New Jersey in context
Middlesex 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 Middlesex County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Middlesex County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Middlesex County? ▼
Is Middlesex County a food desert? ▼
What share of Middlesex 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.