PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Michigan

Shiawassee County, MI

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

27.3%
low-access pop.
4
food-desert tracts
15.0%
on SNAP
68K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MI

The food-access picture

27.3% of Shiawassee County residents live in a low-access area, and 4 of its 17 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

8
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents
5.6%
households, no vehicle
12.0%
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 Shiawassee County's low-access share at 27.3%, above the national share. 8 of the county's 17 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 19,299 people. 4 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 6,832 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 Shiawassee County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Shiawassee County's 27.3% low-access share is elevated, higher than 64% of them and ranked #1,133 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Shiawassee County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 17 census tracts in Shiawassee 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 Shiawassee County, MI USDA-defined food-access tiers: 9 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 4 limited, 4 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 17 tracts evaluated. 9 tracts adequate (52.9%) 4 tracts limited (23.5%) 4 tracts severe / food desert (23.5%) Adequate 53% Limited 24% Severe 24% Food-access tier distribution: Shiawassee County, MI
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Shiawassee 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 Shiawassee County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts17
Atlas Population (2010 basis)70,648
Low-Access Tracts8
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)4
Low-Access Population19,299
Low-Access Share27.3%above the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population6,832

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Shiawassee County
IndicatorValue
Population67,991
Median Household Income$67,404
Poverty Rate12.0%below the national average
SNAP Households4,206
SNAP Participation Rate15.0%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle5.6%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population0.9%
SNAP participation in Shiawassee County 15.0%

About 15.0% of Shiawassee County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 27.3% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 15.0% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 4,206 households here.
  • 5.6% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 4 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 Shiawassee County

above the national share

4 of Shiawassee County's 17 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 23.5% of all its tracts.

A further 4 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 8.

An estimated 19,299 residents, roughly 27.3% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 6,832 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 9 tracts (52.9%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Shiawassee County

Shiawassee County has 58 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 7 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 30 locations (52% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 30

  • 7- eleven 36936a, perry
  • bancroft ventures llc, bancroft
  • burton corners party store, inc., owosso
  • crossroads market, owosso
  • durand business holdings, durand
  • flint refrigeration, inc. 26, durand
  • freddie's party store, owosso
  • hansens quik stop 17, owosso
  • hansens quik stop 18, byron
  • j&h family stores - laingsburg 153, laingsburg
  • j&h family stores - owosso 156, owosso
  • kings corner market of owosso, owosso
  • kreegers country market 2, durand
  • luckys stop n go, owosso
  • mugg&bopps 12, perry
  • mugg&bopps 13, morrice
  • marthas quik stop, corunna
  • mcneil street market, corunna
  • meijer gas station 113, corunna
  • ppl petroleum lennon, inc., lennon
  • qik-srv market, owosso
  • ricks quik stop 19, owosso
  • roadtrip oasis 751, perry
  • shell food mart, owosso
  • shaftsburg village market, perry
  • southside market, durand
  • speedway 8387, owosso
  • the town tub, corunna
  • westown shell food mart, owosso
  • walkerville family mart, byron

Combination Grocery/Other · 17

  • dollar general 10149, perry
  • dollar general 6235, owosso
  • dollar general 9489, corunna
  • dollar tree 0408, owosso
  • dollartree 9700, owosso
  • dollar general 13224, durand
  • dollar general 17814, lennon
  • dollar general 19753, bryon
  • dollar general 20831, bancroft
  • dollar general 23642, laingsburg
  • dollar general 25747, morrice
  • dollar general 30912, owosso
  • family dollar store 1614, durand
  • family dollar store 4322, perry
  • riverside market, durand
  • taphouse specialty meat market, owosso
  • walgreens 11955, owosso

Super Store · 4

  • kroger 795, owosso
  • meijer inc 113, corunna
  • vg's 1932, owosso
  • walmart 1733, owosso

Supermarket · 3

  • aldi 67064 67064, owosso
  • save-a-lot 24990, corunna
  • village fresh marketplace llc, perry

Farmers' Market · 2

  • original farmer's market, owosso
  • owosso farmers market, owosso

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • homestead meat market, new lothrop

Meat/Poultry Specialty · 1

  • sandhill meats 1, ovid

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 Shiawassee County vs Alcona County → · All Michigan counties →

Food access nationally, Michigan in context

Shiawassee 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 Shiawassee County has low food access? ▼
27.3% of residents in Shiawassee 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 Shiawassee County? ▼
15.0% of households in Shiawassee County receive SNAP, covering 4,206 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Shiawassee County? ▼
The poverty rate in Shiawassee County, MI is 12.0%, with a median household income of $67,404 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Shiawassee County a food desert? ▼
4 of Shiawassee 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 Shiawassee County households lack a vehicle? ▼
5.6% of households in Shiawassee 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.