PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Ohio

Ross County, OH

Ross 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.

13.4%
low-access pop.
1
food-desert tracts
16.5%
on SNAP
76K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 OH

The food-access picture

13.4% of Ross County residents live in a low-access area, and 1 of its 17 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

4
low-access tracts
4K
food-desert residents
6.3%
households, no vehicle
15.7%
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).

Ross County's low-access share sits near the national share, at 13.4% per the USDA Atlas. 4 of the county's 17 census tracts are flagged low-access, covering roughly 10,495 residents who live far from a supermarket. 1 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 4,389 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 Ross County compares nationally

Ross County lands in the middle of the national distribution: a 13.4% low-access share that beats 28% of the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA data (rank #2,249).

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Ross County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 17 census tracts in Ross 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 Ross County, OH USDA-defined food-access tiers: 13 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 3 limited, 1 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 17 tracts evaluated. 13 tracts adequate (76.5%) 3 tracts limited (17.6%) 1 tracts severe / food desert (5.9%) Adequate 76% Limited 18% Severe 6% Food-access tier distribution: Ross County, OH
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Ross County vs. other Ohio counties

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

% 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 Ross County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts17
Atlas Population (2010 basis)78,064
Low-Access Tracts4
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)1
Low-Access Population10,495
Low-Access Share13.4%below the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population4,389

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Ross County
IndicatorValue
Population76,492
Median Household Income$61,303
Poverty Rate15.7%above the national average
SNAP Households4,916
SNAP Participation Rate16.5%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle6.3%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population7.0%
SNAP participation in Ross County 16.5%

About 16.5% of Ross County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 13.4% of residents are low-access, near the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 16.5% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,916 households here.
  • 6.3% 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 Ross County

near the national share

1 of Ross County's 17 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 5.9% of all its tracts.

A further 3 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 4.

An estimated 10,495 residents, roughly 13.4% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 4,389 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 13 tracts (76.5%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Ross County

Ross County has 75 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 40 locations (53% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 40

  • 1st stop frankfort 91, frankfort
  • bainbridge 1st stop 81, bainbridge
  • bainbridge sunocco, bainbridge
  • certified oil 400091, chillicothe
  • certified oil 400091, chillicothe
  • certified oil corp 400483, chillicothe
  • clarksburg village express, clarksburg
  • ez mart, chillicothe
  • farmers market, chillicothe
  • fredneck's mini mart, bainbridge
  • high & orange 1255, chillicothe
  • hirns corner market, bainbridge
  • huntsman market llc, chillicothe
  • kingston village express, kingston
  • londonderry 1st stop 92, londonderry
  • main and high shortstop, frankfort
  • main and renick duchess 1189, chillicothe
  • marathon gas station, chillicothe
  • massieville sunnoco, chillicothe
  • murphy usa 7151, chillicothe
  • north bridge street 1190, chillicothe
  • om shiv enterprise llc, waverly
  • par mar store 107, chillicothe
  • par mar store 108, kingston
  • par mar store 109, bourneville
  • par mar store 110, chillicothe
  • par mar store 111, chillicothe
  • par mar store 112, chillicothe
  • par mar store 113, chillicothe
  • pilot travel center 597, chillicothe
  • plaza 50, chillicothee
  • quick one stop, chillicothe
  • quick stop, chillicothe
  • rozelle creek convenient store llc, chillicothe
  • speedway 1206, chillicothe
  • speedway 5224 5224, chillicothe
  • the old canal stop, chillicothe
  • vansh 1 llc, chillicothe
  • vp railway express llc, chillicothe
  • western ave sunoco, chillicothe

Combination Grocery/Other · 20

  • cvs 6189, chillicothe
  • cvs 6190, chillicothe
  • crossroads meats llc, adelphi
  • dollar general 4776, chillicothe
  • dollar general 4848, chillicothe
  • dollar general 12744, kingston
  • dollar general 14635, chillicothe
  • dollar general 15015, chillicothe
  • dollar general 22227, frankfort
  • dollar general 24769, richmond dale
  • dollar general 31143, chillicothe
  • dollar general 8130, bainbridge
  • dollar tree 2345, chillicothe
  • family dollar store 10935, londonderry
  • family dollar 11695, chillicothe
  • family dollar 7863, chillicothe
  • family dollar store 5309, frankfort
  • family dollar store 5458, chillicothe
  • walgreens 07799, chillicothe
  • walgreens 11294, chillicothe

Supermarket · 5

  • aldi 60019 60019, chillicothe
  • corner market, chillicothe
  • kingston market, chillicothe
  • sack n save 860, chillicothe
  • save a lot 21716, chillicothe

Super Store · 4

  • kroger 312, chillicothe
  • kroger 348, chillicothe
  • sam's club 4963, chillicothe
  • walmart 2400, chillicothe

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 2

  • jerkypro, chillicothe
  • just meats, chillicothe

Medium Grocery Store · 2

  • the old home place, frankfort
  • white's meat & deli, bainbridge

Farmers' Market · 1

  • chillicothe farmers market, chillicothe

Fruits/Veg Specialty · 1

  • hirsch fruit farm market, chillicothe

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Ohio

Adams County
22.0% low-access · 20.7% SNAP
Allen County
17.4% low-access · 13.8% SNAP
Ashland County
5.0% low-access · 8.9% SNAP
Ashtabula County
21.9% low-access · 18.2% SNAP
Athens County
17.0% low-access · 14.4% SNAP
Auglaize County
9.9% low-access · 6.8% SNAP

Compare Ross County vs Adams County → · All Ohio counties →

Food access nationally, Ohio in context

Ross County sits inside Ohio (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 Ross County has low food access? ▼
13.4% of residents in Ross County, OH 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 Ross County? ▼
16.5% of households in Ross County receive SNAP, covering 4,916 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Ross County? ▼
The poverty rate in Ross County, OH is 15.7%, with a median household income of $61,303 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Ross County a food desert? ▼
1 of Ross County's 17 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 Ross County households lack a vehicle? ▼
6.3% of households in Ross 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.