PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Midland County, MI

Midland 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.

19.4%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
11.7%
on SNAP
84K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

19.4% of Midland County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 19 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

6
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
5.4%
households, no vehicle
10.7%
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).

Midland County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 19.4% per the USDA Atlas. 6 of the county's 19 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 16,207 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 3,951 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 Midland County compares nationally

Midland County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 19.4% low-access share that beats 45% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #1,737).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Midland County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 19 census tracts in Midland 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 Midland County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 13 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 19 tracts evaluated. 13 tracts adequate (68.4%) 4 tracts limited (21.1%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (10.5%) Adequate 68% Limited 21% Severe 11% Food-access tier distribution: Midland County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Midland 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 Midland County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts19
Atlas Population (2010 basis)83,629
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population16,207
Low-Access Share19.4%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,951

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Midland County
IndicatorValue
Population83,757
Median Household Income$77,705
Poverty Rate10.7%below the national average
SNAP Households4,097
SNAP Participation Rate11.7%near the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.4%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.5%
SNAP participation in Midland County 11.7%

About 11.7% of Midland County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 19.4% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 11.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,097 households here.
  • 5.4% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 2 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 Midland County

near the national share

2 of Midland County's 19 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 10.5% of all its tracts.

A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 6.

An estimated 16,207 residents, roughly 19.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 3,951 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 13 tracts (68.4%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Midland County

Midland County has 66 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 31

  • 7-eleven inc 36912, midland
  • 7-eleven, inc. store #36927, midland
  • anna's market, midland
  • coleman ez mart 350, coleman
  • coleman m-18 ez mart 351, coleman
  • express stop 4646, midland
  • forward m-20, midland
  • forward shell midland 123, midland
  • forward shell midland 149, midland
  • forward shell sanford 155, sanford
  • gordonville grocery, midland
  • m-20 party store, midland
  • meijer gas station 108, midland
  • midland party store, midland
  • mikes country grocery, midland
  • next door food store 5042, midland
  • oil city ez mart 732, mount pleasant
  • pineview grocery, inc, sanford
  • saginaw rd party store, midland
  • sanford sport shop, sanford
  • snack stop shop llc, coleman
  • speedway 2296, midland
  • speedway 6276, midland
  • speedway 8805, midland
  • speedway 8806, midland
  • speedway 8807, midland
  • speedway 8808, midland
  • sunrise stores llc 35, sanford
  • sunrise stores llc 38, sanford
  • village mini mart, midland
  • waldo market, midland

Combination Grocery/Other · 19

  • beyond measure bulk foods, midland
  • cvs 10442, midland
  • dollar general 18652, midland
  • dollar general 22469, sanford
  • dollar general 6895, coleman
  • dollar tree 4680, midland
  • dollartree 9952, midland
  • dollar general 10823, midland
  • dollar general 16738, edenville
  • dollar general 17900, shepherd
  • dollar general 19763, midland
  • dollar general 19844, midland
  • dollar general 23385, midland
  • dollar general 23609, midland
  • dollar general 25081, coleman
  • dollar tree 2557, midland
  • ruk asian market, midland
  • walgreens 06559, midland
  • walgreens 09079, midland

Super Store · 8

  • costco wholesale 1420, midland
  • family fare 1532, midland
  • jack's fruit market inc, midland
  • kroger store 277, midland
  • meijer inc 108, midland
  • sanford food center, sanford
  • target store 672, midland
  • walmart 2619, midland

Supermarket · 4

  • aldi 67118, midland
  • aldi 57, midland
  • gordon food service store mp081, midland
  • lalonde foods, midland

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • m30 market llc, edenville
  • ngom llc, midland

Farmers' Market · 1

  • midland area farmers market, midland

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • health hut, midland

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 Midland County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Midland 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 Midland County has low food access? ▼
19.4% of residents in Midland 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 Midland County? ▼
11.7% of households in Midland County receive SNAP, covering 4,097 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Midland County? ▼
The poverty rate in Midland County, MI is 10.7%, with a median household income of $77,705 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Midland County a food desert? ▼
2 of Midland County's 19 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 Midland County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.4% of households in Midland 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.