County food-access profile · Wisconsin
Milwaukee County, WI
Milwaukee 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.
- 8.6%
- low-access pop.
- 7
- food-desert tracts
- 20.5%
- on SNAP
- 926K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
8.6% of Milwaukee County residents live in a low-access area, and 7 of its 296 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 31
- low-access tracts
- 22K
- food-desert residents
- 12.5%
- households, no vehicle
- 17.2%
- 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).
Milwaukee County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 8.6% per the USDA Atlas. 31 of the county's 296 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 81,547 residents who live far from a supermarket. 7 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 21,944 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 Milwaukee County compares nationally
Milwaukee County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 8.6% low-access share that beats 17% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,597).
Milwaukee County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 296 census tracts in Milwaukee County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Milwaukee County vs. other Wisconsin counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Wisconsin
- Milwaukee 8.6
Milwaukee County, WI
8.6 % low-access
- Adams 9.9
Adams County, WI
9.9 % low-access
- Ashland
Ashland County, WI
28.5 % low-access
- Barron
Barron County, WI
17.8 % low-access
- Bayfield
Bayfield County, WI
30.2 % low-access
- Brown
Brown County, WI
25 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 296 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 947,735 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 31 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 7 |
| Low-Access Population | 81,547 |
| Low-Access Share | 8.6%well below the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 21,944 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 926,331 |
| Median Household Income | $64,435 |
| Poverty Rate | 17.2%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 80,462 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 20.5%well above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 12.5%well above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 2.1% |
About 20.5% of Milwaukee County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 8.6% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
- 20.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 80,462 households here.
- 12.5% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 7 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 Milwaukee County
near the national share
7 of Milwaukee County's 296 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 2.4% of all its tracts.
A further 24 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 31.
An estimated 81,547 residents, roughly 8.6% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 21,944 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 265 tracts (89.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Milwaukee County
Milwaukee County has 832 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 127 locations (15% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 127
- 107th citgo 1, milwaukee
- 1801 fuel, milwaukee
- 27th street sweet shop, milwaukee
- 2900 west lisbon llc, milwaukee
- 30th street inc, milwaukee
- 35th citgo, milwaukee
- 38th street mart, milwaukee
- 6 petro mart llc dba best petro mart, milwaukee
- 60th express, milwaukee
- 7-eleven #35834c, franklin
- 7-eleven store 35836j, milwaukee
- 7-eleven store 35841j, oak creek
- 7-eleven store 35852j, milwaukee
- 7-eleven store 35853j, milwaukee
- 7010 port mobil 0211, milwaukee
- 76th fuel no, milwaukee
- 786 petro mart, milwaukee
- 7th street food, milwaukee
- 818 pantry llc 0, milwaukee
- 9026 fuel, milwaukee
- 9425 fuel, milwaukee
- a & j mart, milwaukee
- a & r foods, milwaukee
- a z petroleum, milwaukee
- a&j express mart, milwaukee
- anmol petroleum inc citgo, milwaukee
- arco, milwaukee
- arthur mini mart, milwaukee
- aa mart, milwaukee
- aas petro mart llc, milwaukee
- abc food & liquor llc, milwaukee
- ace market, milwaukee
- advance fuel 2 llc, milwaukee
- ahmed petro mart llc, milwaukee
- airport petroleum, milwaukee
- aj king dr liquor and foods, milwaukee
- aj petroleum llc, milwaukee
- ali petroleum, milwaukee
- ali's oil co inc, milwaukee
- alina rana petroleum, milwaukee
- all for us, milwaukee
- amir food, milwaukee
- amoco, milwaukee
- amoco petroleum of hc llc, hales corners
- amstar, milwaukee
- andy's food market, milwaukee
- andy's on browndeer road, milwaukee
- andy's on ryan road, franklin
- andys on good hope, milwaukee
- andys on hwy 100, milwaukee
- andys pantry gas station, milwaukee
- appleton express, milwaukee
- appleton food mart, milwaukee
- appleton gas & food town, milwaukee
- at mart inc dba oak creek mobil hico-4, oak creek
- b&g foods, milwaukee
- bay view quick mart, milwaukee
- becher liquor & beer, west allis
- bp, milwaukee
- bp hales corner, hales corners
- bp pantry 41, oak creek
- brown street food market, milwaukee
- badger mobil 2, milwaukee
- bayview metro llc no, milwaukee
- beauty & bargains, milwaukee
- beer town, milwaukee
- bha3 enterprises, llc, milwaukee
- bhagat petroleum, cudahy
- big jim's liquor, milwaukee
- bj's liquor, south milwaukee
- bp, milwaukee
- bp food mart, milwaukee
- bp gas station, milwaukee
- bp kwik stop, milwaukee
- bp liquor (holton food and liquor), milwaukee
- bp on 60th national no, milwaukee
- bp on clement, milwaukee
- bp on teutonia, milwaukee
- bp watertown plank rd, milwaukee
- bradley fuel no, milwaukee
- bright food market, milwaukee
- brother plus grocery, milwaukee
- brothers petrol 2, milwaukee
- brothers petrol inc, milwaukee
- brown deer mobil 410, milwaukee
- browndeer marathon, milwaukee
- burleigh food mart, milwaukee
- burleigh metro no, milwaukee
- buyrite food liquor, milwaukee
- capitol b.p, milwaukee
- capitol court citgo, milwaukee
- capitol mini mart & more, milwaukee
- citgo, milwaukee
- citgo, milwaukee
- clark gas station, milwaukee
- capitol khaptad inc, milwaukee
- center bp gas station, milwaukee
- center petro mart, milwaukee
- center st citgo, milwaukee
- center street food & liquor, milwaukee
- center street foods, milwaukee
- ch petro mart, milwaukee
- charlies liquor and tobacco mart 1, cudahy
- cheers wine and spirits llc, milwaukee
- circle k llc, milwaukee
- citgo, milwaukee
- citgo, milwaukee
- citgo 49th & villard, milwaukee
- citgo 84s, milwaukee
- citgo durga, south milwaukee
- citgo on greenbay, milwaukee
- citgo on lapham, milwaukee
- citgo on teutonia no, milwaukee
- citgo on vliet, milwaukee
- clark, milwaukee
- clark, milwaukee
- clark, milwaukee
- clark gas station, milwaukee
- clark muskego, milwaukee
- clark on 20th & capitol no, milwaukee
- clark on 27th national no, milwaukee
- clark on center, milwaukee
- clark on villard, milwaukee
- clarks food, milwaukee
- cleveland ave citgo, milwaukee
- cleveland liquor wine & beer no, milwaukee
- corner food mart, milwaukee
Combination Grocery/Other · 118
- al meizen food market, milwaukee
- al-yousef supermarket, milwaukee
- angie's candy store 1, milwaukee
- asian mart, llc, milwaukee
- bharat mart, milwaukee
- c & r market, milwaukee
- cvs 1267, milwaukee
- cvs 3394, milwaukee
- cvs 5390, franklin
- cvs pharmacy 5676, west allis
- cvs pharmacy 8763, milwaukee
- cvs pharmacy 8767, milwaukee
- cvs pharmacy 8768, milwaukee
- cvs pharmacy 8770, milwaukee
- cvs pharmacy 8771, wauwatosa
- cvs pharmacy 8772, cudahy
- chu hai oriental market, milwaukee
- dollar general 14591, milwaukee
- dollar general 6477, south milwaukee
- dollar tree 0671, milwaukee
- dollar tree 0676, milwaukee
- dollar tree 1059, milwaukee
- dollar tree 1880, milwaukee
- dollar tree 4701, oak creek
- dollar tree 4721, milwaukee
- dollartree 8026, milwaukee
- dollartree 9096, milwaukee
- dollartree 9425, milwaukee
- desi market no, milwaukee
- desi super market llc, oak creek
- dollar general 10891, west allis
- dollar general 19014, milwaukee
- dollar general 19324, milwaukee
- dollar general 20378, milwaukee
- dollar general 21233, west allis
- dollar general 30187, milwaukee
- dollar tree 1099, greenfield
- dollar tree 1978, milwaukee
- dollar tree 2863, saint francis
- dollar tree 3505, greenfield
- dollar tree 3686, south milwaukee
- dollar tree 4337, milwaukee
- dollar tree 4823, milwaukee
- dollar tree 4967, west milwaukee
- dollar tree 5820, franklin
- dollar tree 5946, milwaukee
- dollar tree 6067, milwaukee
- dollar tree 6530, milwaukee
- dollar tree 666, milwaukee
- dollar tree 7628, cudahy
- dollar tree 8331, brown deer
- dollar tree 8549, west allis
- dollar tree 910, hales corners
- dollar tree 918, west allis
- duane reade 11237, milwaukee
- family dollar 10524, milwaukee
- family dollar 11816, milwaukee
- family dollar 1904, west milwaukee
- family dollar 3350, milwaukee
- family dollar 3794, milwaukee
- family dollar 4736, milwaukee
- family dollar 5963, milwaukee
- family dollar 6245, milwaukee
- family dollar 6251, milwaukee
- family dollar 6293, milwaukee
- family dollar 6587, milwaukee
- family dollar 9418, milwaukee
- family dollar store 3307, cudahy
- family dollar store 6394, milwaukee
- gurmehar llc dba best foods 1, milwaukee
- indian groceries & spices, milwaukee
- jack l marcus company, milwaukee
- karen asian market llc, milwaukee
- rupena's foods, west allis
- seafood junction, milwaukee
- viet hoa supermarket, milwaukee
- walgreens 00665, milwaukee
- walgreens 02911, milwaukee
- walgreens 03125, fox point
- walgreens 03509, milwaukee
- walgreens 04556, greendale
- walgreens 04774, west allis
- walgreens 05601, milwaukee
- walgreens 1685, milwaukee
- walgreens 2296, milwaukee
- walgreens 2925, milwaukee
- walgreens 3109, milwaukee
- walgreens 4471, milwaukee
- walgreens 5884, franklin
- walgreens 6020, milwaukee
- walgreens 00649, milwaukee
- walgreens 01652, milwaukee
- walgreens 03394, milwaukee
- walgreens 03578, wauwatosa
- walgreens 03666, greenfield
- walgreens 03732, south milwaukee
- walgreens 03813, milwaukee
- walgreens 04095, wauwatosa
- walgreens 04253, wauwatosa
- walgreens 04537, milwaukee
- walgreens 04827, greenfield
- walgreens 05459, franklin
- walgreens 06058, greenfield
- walgreens 07568, hales corners
- walgreens 09066, cudahy
- walgreens 09549, glendale
- walgreens 09839, cudahy
- walgreens 10196, wauwatosa
- walgreens 10873, milwaukee
- walgreens 10963, w allis
- walgreens 1200, milwaukee
- walgreens 12524, brown deer
- walgreens 15020, franklin
- walgreens 15188, milwaukee
- walgreens 3882, west allis
- walgreens 4350, milwaukee
- walgreens 4887, oak creek
- wioletta's polish market, milwaukee
Bakery Specialty · 5
- bougie berries, llc na, milwaukee
- papa murphy's wi 054, milwaukee
- papa murphy's wi 096, oak creek
- papa murphy's wi025, saint francis
- papa murphys wi 046, hales corners
Showing 250 of 832 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in Wisconsin
Compare Milwaukee County vs Adams County → · All Wisconsin counties →
Food access nationally, Wisconsin in context
Milwaukee County sits inside Wisconsin (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 Milwaukee County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Milwaukee County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Milwaukee County? ▼
Is Milwaukee County a food desert? ▼
What share of Milwaukee 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.