Signature · 62 SNAP-authorized stores

Oxford County, ME

Oxford County lands in the lower national band on low-access (15.1%); supermarket distance is less binding than in the upper band, though local tracts can still diverge.

15.1%
low-access pop.
2
food-desert tracts
15.7%
on SNAP
59K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 ME

USDA FARA access plate

County Oxford County, ME

LA-MODERATE · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED

  • LA-MODERATE 15.1% low-access
  • BELOW-NATIONAL -7.0 pts vs US
  • LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
  • SNAP-HEAVY 15.7% SNAP
  • VEH-OK 6.9% no vehicle
  • DENSITY-MIXED 12% tracts LILA

Nearest low-access peer: Penobscot County (+ 0.6 pts)

Lower-band low-access

Oxford County lands in the lower national band (15.1%, #2,117 of 3,079); local tracts can still diverge from the county mean.

#2,117
national by low-access %
#4
in ME
6
low-access tracts
3K
food-desert residents

Lower-band county means still leave tract outliers on the table below.

Signature read: 62 SNAP-authorized stores .

How Oxford County compares nationally

Oxford County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 15.1% low-access share that beats 32% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,118).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Oxford County's lower-band USDA tier split

17 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.

Food access tier distribution for Oxford County, ME USDA-defined food-access tiers: 11 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 2 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 17 tracts evaluated. 11 tracts adequate (64.7%) 4 tracts limited (23.5%) 2 tracts severe / food desert (11.8%) Adequate 65% Limited 24% Severe 12% Food-access tier distribution: Oxford County, ME
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

By USDA urbanicity classification, Oxford County has 2 urban and 15 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.

Oxford County vs nearby low low-access peers

Poles + nearest peers in Maine, not a full county-board reprint

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

FARA 2019 · lower low-access

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Oxford County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts17
Atlas Population (2010 basis)57,833
Low-Access Tracts6
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)2
Low-Access Population8,725
Low-Access Share15.1%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population3,179

ACS 2024 · elevated SNAP band

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Oxford County
IndicatorValue
Population59,255
Median Household Income$60,173
Poverty Rate13.8%near the national average
SNAP Households3,793
SNAP Participation Rate15.7%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.9%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.5%

Thick SNAP store book in Oxford County

Oxford County has 62 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 34 locations (55% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 34

  • aj's everything, stoneham
  • big apple 1023, mexico
  • big apple 1041, bethel
  • big apple 1042, canton
  • big apple 1062, west paris
  • big apple 1066, south paris
  • big apple 1072, bethel
  • big apple 1106, oxford
  • big apple south paris shell 1122, south paris
  • bolsters mills country store, otisfield
  • circle k 7111, mexico
  • cumberland farms 5588, norway
  • canton variety, canton
  • circle k 4707027, south paris
  • circle k 4707041, bethel
  • circle k 7110, rumford
  • community quik stop, peru
  • community quik stop 2, rumford
  • does inc, south paris
  • ellis variety, dixfield
  • katherines bakery & cafe, norway
  • mahant bryant pond 12, bryant pond
  • mills market, andover
  • nouria 1332 main street 1098, oxford
  • nouria 501 main street 1088, fryeburg
  • park side variety, oxford
  • ralph's store, rumford
  • ricky b's pizza and deli llc, mexico
  • rusty lantern market 0033, bethel
  • rusty lantern market 0059, norway
  • rusty lantern market 0175, west paris
  • rusty lantern market 0930, oxford
  • spice & grain, fryeburg
  • towle corner store, dixfield

Combination Grocery/Other · 13

  • dollar tree 3173, rumford
  • dollar general 15634, west paris
  • dollar general 15644, fryeburg
  • dollar general 22813, south paris
  • dollar tree 3502, oxford
  • family dollar 11288, bethel
  • family dollar store 7422, mexico
  • mainely provisions, bethel
  • ocean state job lot 474, oxford
  • walgreens 11416, norway
  • walgreens 17159, rumford
  • walgreens 18403, fryeburg
  • walgreens 19575, bethel

Medium Grocery Store · 4

  • brownfield country market, brownfield
  • fare share coop store, norway
  • smedbergs farm, oxford
  • tilton's market, buckfield

Super Store · 4

  • hannaford food & drug 8358, rumford
  • hannaford supermarket & pharmacy 8338, oxford
  • walmart supercenter 2183, oxford
  • walmart supercenter 3269, mexico

Farmers' Market · 2

  • bethel farmers market, bethel
  • fryeburg farmers market, fryeburg

Large Grocery Store · 2

  • naples packing co inc, mexico
  • thriftway supermarket fryeburg, fryeburg

Small Grocery Store · 2

  • mountain valley variety, rumford
  • the lake store, norway

Supermarket · 1

  • save-a-lot 24397, south paris

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).

Other Counties in Maine

One of 15 counties in Maine, 6 are shown here.

Compare Oxford County vs Androscoggin County → · All Maine counties →

Counties near Oxford County's lower low-access or SNAP band

Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Oxford County, both outside Maine so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.

Similar low-access share

Nearest low-access rates outside ME (15.1% here).

Similar SNAP participation

Nearest household SNAP rates outside ME (15.7% here).

Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.

Oxford County inside a lower low-access state context

Oxford County sits inside Maine (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Read with this county

Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .

PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Oxford County, ME are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 23017. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.

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.