PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Illinois

Ogle County, IL

Ogle 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.

14.3%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
10.7%
on SNAP
51K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 IL

The food-access picture

14.3% of Ogle County residents live in a low-access area, and 2 of its 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

3
low-access tracts
2K
food-desert residents
5.5%
households, no vehicle
8.4%
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).

Ogle County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 14.3% per the USDA Atlas. 3 of the county's 11 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 7,625 residents who live far from a supermarket. 2 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 2,157 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 Ogle County compares nationally

Ogle County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 14.3% low-access share that beats 31% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,175).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Ogle County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 11 census tracts in Ogle 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 Ogle County, IL USDA-defined food-access tiers: 8 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 11 tracts evaluated. 8 tracts adequate (72.7%) 1 tracts limited (9.1%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (18.2%) Adequate 73% Limited 9% Severe 18% Food-access tier distribution: Ogle County, IL
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Ogle County vs. other Illinois counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Illinois

% 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 Ogle County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts11
Atlas Population (2010 basis)53,497
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population7,625
Low-Access Share14.3%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,157

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Ogle County
IndicatorValue
Population51,495
Median Household Income$82,132
Poverty Rate8.4%well below the national average
SNAP Households2,231
SNAP Participation Rate10.7%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.5%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.1%
SNAP participation in Ogle County 10.7%

About 10.7% of Ogle County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 14.3% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 10.7% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 2,231 households here.
  • 5.5% 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 Ogle County

near the national share

2 of Ogle County's 11 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 18.2% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 3.

An estimated 7,625 residents, roughly 14.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,157 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 8 tracts (72.7%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Ogle County

Ogle County has 51 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 31 locations (61% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 31

  • byron mobil 43, byron
  • casey's 3437, byron
  • casey's general store 3516, mount morris
  • casey's general store 3549, forreston
  • casey's 1363, oregon
  • casey's general store 1379, rochelle
  • casey's general store 1412, stillman valley
  • casey's general store 1841, rochelle
  • casey's general store 2383, creston
  • casey's general store 2509, polo
  • circle k 4701408, rochelle
  • circle k 4701417, byron
  • citgo gas station, leaf river
  • clarkgasstation, rochelle
  • express lane gas & food mart 11, oregon
  • express lane gas & food mart 49, dixon
  • expresslane 27, polo
  • expresslane 28, rochelle
  • expresslane 43, mount morris
  • kwik star 1521, rochelle
  • love's travel stop 754, rochelle
  • love's travel stop 851, monroe center
  • mi tiendita de rochelle llc, rochelle
  • monroe center oasis, monroe center
  • mount morris mobil 67, mount morris
  • murphy usa 7525, rochelle
  • oregon bp, oregon
  • pilot 1181, rochelle
  • road ranger 153, rochelle
  • road ranger 210, rochelle
  • stillman valley marathon, stillman valley

Combination Grocery/Other · 12

  • dollar general 13747, mount morris
  • dollar general 3094, rochelle
  • dollar general 6813, oregon
  • dollar general 11703, polo
  • dollar general 16121, davis junction
  • dollar general 17425, forreston
  • dollar general 24096, byron
  • dollar tree 6179, rochelle
  • family dollar store 7397, byron
  • headon & sons inc, creston
  • value fresh/velker pharmacy, byron
  • walgreens 10938, rochelle

Super Store · 3

  • county market 217, byron
  • oregon super valu, oregon
  • walmart 933, rochelle

Supermarket · 2

  • aldi 40039 40039, rochelle
  • sullivan's foods 3168, mount morris

Farmers' Market · 1

  • river's edge farmers market, oregon

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • lupita supermarket meat & grocery inc, rochelle

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • mahant supermarket inc, polo

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Illinois

Adams County
16.5% low-access · 12.4% SNAP
Alexander County
49.6% low-access · 26.8% SNAP
Bond County
20.8% low-access · 12.9% SNAP
Boone County
31.5% low-access · 14.3% SNAP
Brown County
34.5% low-access · 12.1% SNAP
Bureau County
36.6% low-access · 13.5% SNAP

Compare Ogle County vs Adams County → · All Illinois counties →

Food access nationally, Illinois in context

Ogle County sits inside Illinois (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 Ogle County has low food access? ▼
14.3% of residents in Ogle County, IL 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 Ogle County? ▼
10.7% of households in Ogle County receive SNAP, covering 2,231 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Ogle County? ▼
The poverty rate in Ogle County, IL is 8.4%, with a median household income of $82,132 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Ogle County a food desert? ▼
2 of Ogle County's 11 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 Ogle County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.5% of households in Ogle 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.