County food-access profile · New York
Onondaga County, NY
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Onondaga 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).
- 26.7%
- low-access pop.
- 11
- food-desert tracts
- 14.4%
- on SNAP
- 471K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
26.7% of Onondaga County residents live in a low-access area, and 11 of its 140 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 53
- low-access tracts
- 28K
- food-desert residents
- 12.0%
- households, no vehicle
- 13.8%
- 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 Onondaga County's low-access share at 26.7%, above the national share. 53 of the county's 140 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 124,841 people. 11 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 28,390 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 Onondaga County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Onondaga County's 26.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 62% of them and ranked #1,176 most-affected nationwide.
Onondaga County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 140 census tracts in Onondaga County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Onondaga County vs. other New York counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in New York
- Onondaga
Onondaga County, NY
26.7 % low-access
- Albany
Albany County, NY
31.4 % low-access
- Allegany 3.9
Allegany County, NY
3.9 % low-access
- Bronx 0.6
Bronx County, NY
0.6 % low-access
- Broome
Broome County, NY
16.4 % low-access
- Cattaraugus 7.9
Cattaraugus County, NY
7.9 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 140 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 467,026 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 53 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 11 |
| Low-Access Population | 124,841 |
| Low-Access Share | 26.7%above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 28,390 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 471,129 |
| Median Household Income | $76,945 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.8%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 28,395 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 14.4%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 12.0%above the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.9% |
About 14.4% of Onondaga County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 26.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 14.4% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 28,395 households here.
- 12.0% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 11 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 Onondaga County
above the national share
11 of Onondaga County's 140 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 7.9% of all its tracts.
A further 42 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 53.
An estimated 124,841 residents, roughly 26.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 28,390 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 87 tracts (62.1%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers in Onondaga County
Onondaga County has 421 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 3 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 149 locations (35% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 149
- 2 clock store llc, syracuse
- 2400 james service station, llc, syracuse
- 308 lodi market inc, syracuse
- 7 days one stop mini mart inc., syracuse
- 7 eleven, baldwinsville
- 7 eleven 35213h, syracuse
- 7-eleven 40141h, manlius
- a.l.t. fuel & food, syracuse
- aplus 40130h, liverpool
- aplus 40426h, liverpool
- aplus 40198, syracuse
- ab expressway corp, liverpool
- al badani corporation, syracuse
- alamo's food market inc, syracuse
- alwjeeh enterprises inc, syracuse
- amigos convenience llc, syracuse
- aplus 40215, syracuse
- apple foods midler, syracuse
- ariyah's inc., syracuse
- b.o.g. convenience inc., syracuse
- best market, syracuse
- big mike's market, llc, syracuse
- big su food market, syracuse
- brighton food mart corp, syracuse
- brighton mini market llc, syracuse
- brothers fine foods, syracuse
- bryne dairy mattydale 08, syracuse
- burnet deli, syracuse
- byrne dairy 121 geddes 121, syracuse
- byrne dairy baldwinsville 79, baldwinsville
- byrne dairy cicero 61, cicero
- byrne dairy clay 125, liverpool
- byrne dairy e. syracuse 23, east syracuse
- byrne dairy elbridge 65, elbridge
- byrne dairy electronics pkwy 136, liverpool
- byrne dairy fremont 63, east syracuse
- byrne dairy galeville 78, liverpool
- byrne dairy lafayette 22, lafayette
- byrne dairy lakeland 09, syracuse
- byrne dairy lamson rd. 120, phoenix
- byrne dairy liverpool 135, liverpool
- byrne dairy lysander 03, baldwinsville
- byrne dairy milton ave 55, syracuse
- byrne dairy o'hill 62, syracuse
- byrne dairy skaneateles 30, skaneateles
- byrne dairy skaneateles rt 20 13, skaneateles
- byrne dairy solvay 129, syracuse
- byrne dairy south bay road 119, cicero
- byrne dairy thompson road 118, syracuse
- byrne dairy tipperary hill 124, syracuse
- citgo/best gas fairmount, syracuse
- casa mia pizzeria & fish fry, syracuse
- circle a. convenience of cny, inc., syracuse
- circle k 4707612, tully
- circle k 4707616, manlius
- circle k 4707618, east syracuse
- circle k 4707619, cicero
- circle k 4707620, syracuse
- circle k 4707623, brewerton
- circle k 4707630, fayetteville
- circle k 4707631, clay
- circle k 7635, syracuse
- citgo, east syracuse
- cliff's local market 510, dewitt
- cliff’s local market cn-0208097, east syracuse
- club mart 1, inc., syracuse
- club mart 2, inc., syracuse
- convenience express 65, brewerton
- court street express, syracuse
- cuse express inc, syracuse
- cuse food mart inc., syracuse
- cuse gas & go inc, syracuse
- cuse merchandise, llc, syracuse
- diamond grocery supermarket corp., syracuse
- dream food market, llc, syracuse
- e & b fuel, inc., syracuse
- eddies eagle market inc, syracuse
- family food market, syracuse
- fast foods 315, syracuse
- fastrac 500205, la fayette
- fastrac eg llc 500218, cicero
- fastrac eg llc 500258, baldwinsville
- fastrac eg llc 500267, elbridge
- fastrac eg llc 500283, clay
- fastrac eg llc 500286, liverpool
- fastrac eg llc 500287, camillus
- five brothers grocery inc, syracuse
- food 4 less, inc, syracuse
- friendly market, llc, syracuse
- green ale market, syracuse
- gtb fuel 11 corporation one dream, camillus
- gtb fuel 14 corporation one dream, syracuse
- gurhimmat oil inc., syracuse
- h&s syracuse inc, syracuse
- hithams pop shop, syracuse
- hm gas mart, syracuse
- j & j convenience mart inc., liverpool
- j & j mini mart, syracuse
- j & j mini mart, east syracuse
- jay mahalaki inc/ downtown grocery store 2751, syracuse
- jazz market, inc, syracuse
- joe's kwik mart 475, liverpool
- joe's kwik mart 486, syracuse
- joe's kwik mart 487, syracuse
- joe's kwik mart 488, syracuse
- joe's kwik marts 467, fayetteville
- k & g of syracuse inc., syracuse
- khushiv corporation - collamer stop & shop, east syracuse
- kinne street mini mart, llc, east syracuse
- kwik fill 365, baldwinsville
- kwik fill 377, skaneateles
- lakeland mini mart, syracuse
- liverpool food market llc, liverpool
- liverpool mart, inc., liverpool
- local convenience inc, syracuse
- lou jane market inc, syracuse
- lucky 7 food corp., syracuse
- lucky 7 grocery, llc, syracuse
- lucky 7 market llc, syracuse
- m&r mini mart, llc, syracuse
- maa petroleum inc, syracuse
- maloney market, inc, syracuse
- mattydale express, syracuse
- mawa market, llc, syracuse
- mirabito # 32 - north street, liverpool
- mirabito 17 - brighton ave, syracuse
- mirabito quickway 34, syracuse
- mmhhs inc, east syracuse
- mobil 1, syracuse
- moonlight deli 1 corp, syracuse
- munch express mkt inc, syracuse
- n. main st. deli & convenience, llc, syracuse
- na market, syracuse
- nepali international mart llc, syracuse
- nice & easy deli shop inc, syracuse
- northside convenience & deli, llc, syracuse
- northside market, llc, syracuse
- ocean eleven deli corp, syracuse
- ocky xpress, syracuse
- ohri gasland inc, syracuse
- one stop westcott, syracuse
- oswego rd 8229 inc., liverpool
- pb wolf group inc, syracuse
- pilot travel center 380, liverpool
- prime stop convenience inc, syracuse
- quick way mart food store, syracuse
- quickstop express,inc 1, syracuse
- quickway 48, syracuse
- quickway food store 44, camillus
Combination Grocery/Other · 100
- big m seneca knolls market, syracuse
- cvs pharmacy 354, syracuse
- cvs pharmacy 5024, skaneateles
- cvs pharmacy 7617, manlius
- dollar tree 1451, camillus
- dollar tree 2578, cicero
- dollar tree 2917, syracuse
- dollar tree 576, syracuse
- dollartree 8924, syracuse
- dollar general 10325, liverpool
- dollar general 10784, la fayette
- dollar general 10893, elbridge
- dollar general 11009, syracuse
- dollar general 11033, east syracuse
- dollar general 12999, syracuse
- dollar general 13168, syracuse
- dollar general 14963, geddes
- dollar general 15408, east syracuse
- dollar general 19228, mattydale
- dollar general 19244, syracuse
- dollar general 19518, pompey
- dollar general 21162, liverpool
- dollar general 22429, liverpool
- dollar general 23195, syracuse
- dollar general 25200, syracuse
- dollar general 25631, syracuse
- dollar general 30177, syracuse
- dollar general 30401, syracuse
- dollar general 30497, syracuse
- dollar general 30590, syracuse
- dollar general 30695, syracuse
- dollar general 31540, manlius
- dollar general 31588, syracuse
- dollar general 6404, tully
- dollar general 7940, n syracuse
- dollar general 8537, brewerton
- dollar general 8840, bridgeport
- dollar general 8991, solvay
- dollar general 9030, nedrow
- dollar general 9576, syracuse
- dollar tree 1378, liverpool
- dollar tree 1407, liverpool
- dollar tree 2483, east syracuse
- dollar tree 2488, liverpool
- dollar tree 2497, syracuse
- dollar tree 5371, cicero
- dollar tree 5552, manlius
- dollar tree 5715, syracuse
- dollar tree 5876, baldwinsville
- dollar tree 7798, liverpool
- dollar tree 8294, syracuse
- far east & asian groceries, syracuse
- family dollar 10092, syracuse
- family dollar 11818, syracuse
- family dollar 12282, jordan
- family dollar 4484, baldwinsville
- family dollar 8307, syracuse
- family dollar 9038, syracuse
- family dollar store 2398, east syracuse
- family dollar store 3053, syracuse
- family dollar store 4058, syracuse
- family dollar store 4228, liverpool
- family dollar store 4999, n syracuse
- family dollar store 5071, syracuse
- family dollar store 5096, syracuse
- kinney drug 87, syracuse
- kinney drugs 108, syracuse
- kinney drugs 113, syracuse
- kinney drugs 31, north syracuse
- kinney drugs 32, brewerton
- kinney drugs 37, bridgeport
- kinney drugs 43, baldwinsville
- kinney drugs 44, elbridge
- kinney drugs 51, liverpool
- kinney drugs 54, syracuse
- kinney drugs 61, cicero
- kinney drugs 64, east syracuse
- kinney drugs 72, skaneateles
- kinney drugs 74, tully
- kinney drugs 79, liverpool
- kinney drugs 85, syracuse
- lombardi's fruit & vegetables, syracuse
- ocean state job lot 519, liverpool
- organic exotics, baldwinsville
- ptl asian grocery, syracuse
- salina fuel express, syracuse
- speras meat deli and grocery, cicero
- tan a grocery store, syracuse
- walgreens 09413, camillus
- walgreens 09414, syracuse
- walgreens 09416, syracuse
- walgreens 10749, baldwinsville
- walgreens 10750, cicero
- walgreens 10768, syracuse
- walgreens 17643, manlius
- walgreens 18166, fayetteville
- walgreens 19145, syracuse
- walgreens 19402, east syracuse
- walgreens 19542, liverpool
- walgreens 19549, syracuse
Bakery Specialty · 1
- watan bakery, llc, syracuse
Showing 250 of 421 authorized retailers, largest categories first.
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.
Other Counties in New York
Compare Onondaga County vs Albany County → · All New York counties →
Food access nationally, New York in context
Onondaga County sits inside New York (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 Onondaga County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Onondaga County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Onondaga County? ▼
Is Onondaga County a food desert? ▼
What share of Onondaga 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.