PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Otsego County, MI

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Otsego 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).

35.2%
low-access pop.
0
food-desert tracts
10.5%
on SNAP
26K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

35.2% of Otsego County residents live in a low-access area, though none of its tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold.

3
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents
4.1%
households, no vehicle
8.0%
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 Otsego County's low-access share at 35.2%, above the national share. 3 of the county's 6 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 8,506 people. None of them meet the low-income condition that would additionally classify them as food deserts.

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 Otsego County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Otsego County's 35.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 81% of them and ranked #584 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Otsego County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 6 census tracts in Otsego 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 Otsego County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 3 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 0 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 6 tracts evaluated. 3 tracts adequate (50.0%) 3 tracts limited (50.0%) Adequate 50% Limited 50% Severe 0% Food-access tier distribution: Otsego County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Otsego 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 Otsego County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts6
Atlas Population (2010 basis)24,164
Low-Access Tracts3
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)0
Low-Access Population8,506
Low-Access Share35.2%well above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population2,561

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Otsego County
IndicatorValue
Population25,584
Median Household Income$68,183
Poverty Rate8.0%well below the national average
SNAP Households1,174
SNAP Participation Rate10.5%below the national average
Households Without a Vehicle4.1%well below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.4%
SNAP participation in Otsego County 10.5%

About 10.5% of Otsego County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 35.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 10.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,174 households here.
  • 4.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • Median household income is $68,183 with a 8.0% poverty rate.

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 Otsego County

above the national share

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

An estimated 8,506 residents, roughly 35.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 2,561 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 3 tracts (50.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Otsego County

Otsego County has 38 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 5 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 23 locations (61% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 23

  • 7-eleven inc f 36918-a, gaylord
  • big bear trading post, johannesburg
  • bragg family farm nafmnp, gaylord
  • busy bee market, johannesburg
  • circle k 2746175, gaylord
  • d & d interstate llc, vanderbilt
  • derminer's parkside market, gaylord
  • family fare express 838, gaylord
  • forward enterprises 147, gaylord
  • forward shell-gaylord south 144, gaylord
  • j&h family stores - bronco 169, gaylord
  • j&h family stores - chalet 168, gaylord
  • j&h family stores - gaylord 178, gaylord
  • j&h family stores - hilltop 170, waters
  • j&h family stores - lewiston 176, lewiston
  • j&h family stores - south end 172, gaylord
  • j&h family stores - stony hill 171, gaylord
  • meijer gas station 250, gaylord
  • murphy usa 7602, gaylord
  • otsego lake corner store, gaylord
  • redwing corner, vanderbilt
  • speedway 8760, gaylord
  • waters ez mart 894, waters

Combination Grocery/Other · 8

  • dollar general 20965, johannesburg
  • dollar general 23264, gaylord
  • dollar general 24258, gaylord
  • dollar general 31305, gaylord
  • dollar general 9658, gaylord
  • dollar tree 909, gaylord
  • family dollar 12068, vanderbilt
  • walgreens 10404, gaylord

Super Store · 3

  • family fare 1510, gaylord
  • meijer 250, gaylord
  • walmart 1542, gaylord

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 67033, gaylord
  • family fare 1515, lewiston
  • gordon food service store mp052, gaylord

Small Grocery Store · 1

  • jojo's natural market, gaylord

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 Otsego County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Otsego 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 Otsego County has low food access? ▼
35.2% of residents in Otsego 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 Otsego County? ▼
10.5% of households in Otsego County receive SNAP, covering 1,174 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Otsego County? ▼
The poverty rate in Otsego County, MI is 8.0%, with a median household income of $68,183 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Otsego County a food desert? ▼
0 of Otsego County's 6 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). No tracts here meet both conditions in the 2019 Atlas.
What share of Otsego County households lack a vehicle? ▼
4.1% of households in Otsego 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.