PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Roscommon County, MI

Roscommon 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.

13.3%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
16.8%
on SNAP
24K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

13.3% of Roscommon County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 10 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

1
low-access tracts
1K
food-desert residents
6.8%
households, no vehicle
15.5%
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).

Roscommon County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 13.3% per the USDA Atlas. 1 of the county's 10 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 3,259 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 1,439 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 Roscommon County compares nationally

Roscommon County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 13.3% low-access share that beats 28% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,255).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Roscommon County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 10 census tracts in Roscommon 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 Roscommon County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 0 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 10 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (90.0%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (10.0%) Adequate 90% Limited 0% Severe 10% Food-access tier distribution: Roscommon County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Roscommon 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 Roscommon County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts10
Atlas Population (2010 basis)24,449
Low-Access Tracts1
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population3,259
Low-Access Share13.3%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population1,439

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Roscommon County
IndicatorValue
Population23,737
Median Household Income$55,246
Poverty Rate15.5%near the national average
SNAP Households1,946
SNAP Participation Rate16.8%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.8%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population1.0%
SNAP participation in Roscommon County 16.8%

About 16.8% of Roscommon County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 13.3% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 16.8% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 1,946 households here.
  • 6.8% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 1 tract 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 Roscommon County

near the national share

1 of Roscommon County's 10 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 10.0% of all its tracts.

An estimated 3,259 residents, roughly 13.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 1,439 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (90.0%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Roscommon County

Roscommon County has 36 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 15 locations (42% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 15

  • admiral 5829, houghton lake
  • beacon & bridge market 34, houghton lake
  • family ez mart 424, prudenville
  • forward shell roscommon 152, roscommon
  • forward shell-st helen 118, saint helen
  • four seasons, houghton lake
  • hines haus, houghton lake
  • houghton lake 273, houghton lake
  • next door food store 5015, prudenville
  • sunrise stores llc 20, saint helen
  • sunrise stores llc 27, houghton lake
  • satnam gas, houghton lake
  • south state park market, roscommon
  • town & country bp, roscommon
  • twinkle, houghton lake

Combination Grocery/Other · 12

  • dollar general 6307, saint helen
  • dollar general 8780, houghton lake
  • dollar general 13470, roscommon
  • dollar general 19946, houghton lake
  • dollar general 20182, roscommon
  • dollar general 23386, roscommon
  • dollar general 24496, saint helen
  • dollar tree 5369, houghton lake
  • family dollar 6047, roscommon
  • family dollar store 1939, roscommon
  • r&j's west shore marketplace, houghton lake
  • walgreens 10489, prudenville

Supermarket · 3

  • family fare 1501, houghton lake
  • louie's fresh market st helen 655, saint helen
  • save-a-lot 24478, houghton lake

Super Store · 2

  • family fare 1516, roscommon
  • walmart 2014, houghton lake

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • barts fruit market 1, prudenville

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • r & j's best choice market, houghton lake

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • the lake house meats and deli, houghton lake

Medium Grocery Store · 1

  • bob's butcher shop llc, roscommon

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 Roscommon County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Roscommon 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 Roscommon County has low food access? ▼
13.3% of residents in Roscommon 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 Roscommon County? ▼
16.8% of households in Roscommon County receive SNAP, covering 1,946 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Roscommon County? ▼
The poverty rate in Roscommon County, MI is 15.5%, with a median household income of $55,246 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Roscommon County a food desert? ▼
1 of Roscommon County's 10 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 Roscommon County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.8% of households in Roscommon 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.